It makes no sense to slow down the season and that shouldn’t be the case for the New Jersey Devils and Carolina Hurricanes.
They meet in a rematch of the 2025 playoffs when they open their season Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.
“You have to be attentive all the time,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “That’s the challenge, staying focused and being the best every day without worrying about the big picture.”
The Devils and Hurricanes faced off in last spring’s playoffs, with Carolina advancing in five games in the Eastern Conference first round. The teams split two overtime results in the series, but Carolina won all three games at home.
While the Devils were eliminated in the first round, the Hurricanes advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida.
“We will definitely have a great test right off the bat,” Brind’Amour said. “There’s still so much to go through and get reps. You really want to go. The guys really want to.”
The Devils’ roster is expected to include defenseman Brett Pesce, a former Carolina player, although he missed time after an injury in a preseason game last week. He will be in his 700th game the next time he is on the ice.
“I feel good,” Pesce said. “Ready to ride.”
The Devils count among their top five scorers from last season forwards Jesper Bratt (88 points), Jack Hughes (70), Nico Hischier (69), Timo Meier (53) and defenseman Luke Hughes (44).
There could be a lot of eyes on Devils winger Arseny Gritsyuk as he prepares for his NHL debut.
“You have a guy who is trying to adjust,” New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. “As the season goes on, everyone gains confidence and feels comfortable (we will expand the roles)… You can’t figure everything out in pre-season.”
Carolina has the core of its offense returning, with scoring leader Sebastian Aho (74 points) and scoring leader Seth Jarvis (32 goals). Goalkeepers Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov are also back in net, while defenseman Jaccob Slavin anchors the blue line.
The Hurricanes will be interested to see how winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who had 24 goals and 39 assists last season for Winnipeg, and defenseman K’Andre Miller, both newcomers, fit together. These players will not be locked into combinations or line pairs.
“It’s going to change a lot,” Brind’Amour said of some duos. “Obviously we have a few new guys and we have to figure out how they fit in.”
There’s also the question of assessing the future development of defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who made his NHL debut in the spring. Brind’Amour said it’s likely Nikishin would advance to roles on any special teams if he gets them.
The Hurricanes are hoping defenseman Jalen Chatfield will be ready after missing work over the weekend.
“We’ll see where we go,” Brind’Amour said of Chatfield.
Carolina has only played two home games in the first two and a half weeks of the season, so starting strong in front of the home fans would be ideal. The Devils play their first three games on the road.
–Field level media
