Devils Rink Report: A New Jersey Devils Podcast with James Nichols

Arthur Staple joins Devils Rink Report to talk about what Connor Hellebuyck changes for the Devils. Are they Stanley Cup contenders? Staple's answer: "I don't know if they can win, but I think they can get there." He also explains how a top goalie lifts everyone in front of him, why only Carolina and Washington stand out to him in the Metropolitan Division, and why he thinks the Devils can beat Washington in a seven-game series.

Then James Nichols previews Tuesday's game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, goes through the week ahead, answers questions, and ranks the NHL's new Hometown Remix jerseys, including the Devils'. Recorded live Monday, Nov. 2, 2026. The Devils are 9-5-0 heading into Tuesday's 7:30 p.m. ET game at Prudential Center.

0:00 Pre-show

1:48 Welcome and news: Evan Rodrigues out sick, Oilers next

3:34 Arthur Staple joins: Winnipeg after the Hellebuyck trade

9:04 Devils weak spots and Sunny Mehta's Hellebuyck trade

15:50 Are the Devils Stanley Cup contenders?

19:35 Hellebuyck vs Carolina in a series, special teams, November

23:54 Mikhail Yegorov: the Devils goalie prospect

26:12 Sunny Mehta's next move: Dylan Larkin, Quinn Hughes

29:46 Arseny Gritsyuk, Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt

33:14 Connor Brown's return and the power play

34:54 Luke Hughes: a true No. 1 defenseman?

38:21 Devils at the Islanders Saturday: DeBoer, Palat, Schaefer

43:16 James on Hellebuyck, Cory Schneider and the Devils' new belief

45:37 Oilers preview: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, depth

51:21 The week ahead: Blues, Islanders, Leafs, Jets

51:44 Questions: playing hard on pucks, Utica call-ups, Sunny Mehta, Islanders

1:02:29 Hometown Remix jersey tier list

1:22:28 Wrap-up and Oilers tomorrow night

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The New Jersey Devils beat the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 on Friday, October 30 to finish their three-game road trip 2-1-0. Luke Hughes scored first, Vegas went up 2-1 on goals from Mark Stone (power play) and Ivan Barbashev, and Arseny Gritsyuk tied it 2-2 at 18:51 of the first. Jack Hughes made it 3-2 in the second, Gritsyuk added his second of the night late in the second, and Jack Hughes scored into the empty net for his sixth of the season. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 19 of 21 shots to go 2-0 as a Devil, and New Jersey outshot Vegas 32-21. Next up: Edmonton at Prudential Center on Tuesday, November 3 at 7:30 PM ET.

James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down Gritsyuk's two goals and the shot that has Daniel pushing him onto the top power-play unit, Jack Hughes starting to score, Hellebuyck's second win as a Devil, Anthony Mantha leaving the game, and Amadeus Lombardi's night. In the chat, they take questions on the bounce back after Colorado, scoring first under Sheldon Keefe, the Nikita Kucherov trade request, the second line, Hellebuyck's home debut against Edmonton, and whether the Keefe critics have gone quiet.

00:00 Pre-show

01:46 Welcome: Devils beat Vegas 5-2 to close the road trip

02:29 Arseny Gritsyuk, Aspen Vodka player of the game

08:01 Recap: 2-2 after one, Luke and Jack Hughes goals

13:05 Connor Hellebuyck 2-0 as a Devil, Anthony Mantha leaves

15:41 Chat: Amadeus Lombardi and Gritsyuk's goal pace

21:59 Bouncing back from Colorado: process and expected goals

30:50 Gritsyuk on power play one, scoring first under Keefe

44:17 Nikita Kucherov and player trade demands

50:06 Second line: Meier, Hischier, Boqvist and Brown

52:54 Hellebuyck's home debut against Edmonton

55:40 Sheldon Keefe critics

59:14 Kucherov update and sign-off

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The Colorado Avalanche beat the New Jersey Devils 5-2 on Wednesday, October 28, ending the Devils' four-game win streak on the second night of a back-to-back (a 5-1 win in Dallas on Tuesday, Connor Hellebuyck's debut). Connor Brown gave the Devils a 1-0 lead with a shorthanded goal at 12:21 of the first period, his first goal of the season, and Gabriel Landeskog tied it on the power play in the second. Colorado then scored four times in the third period (Nazem Kadri, Parker Kelly, Nathan MacKinnon, Jaden Schwartz) before Brown added his second of the night at 15:35, assisted by Amadeus Lombardi and Cody Glass. Colorado outshot the Devils 44-22. Jake Allen made 39 saves, and the Devils went 0-for-3 on the power play. The Devils are 8-5-0 and second in the Metropolitan Division, with a game at the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, October 30 at 6 PM ET.

James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down the loss on Devils Postgame Live. They name Brown the Aspen Vodka player of the game, then talk through why this one comes with a grain of salt: the back-to-back, the altitude, and a second period Colorado controlled until Allen couldn't hold it anymore. They get into the power play, including the 5-on-3, what they'd change on the top unit, and whether Hellebuyck in net would have mattered. In the chat, they answer questions on Allen, tired legs, the Utica Comets' 4-2 start, Dylan Larkin trade odds, the trip to Vegas, how Hellebuyck and Allen will split starts, and Lombardi's development.

Drop your takes in the chat 😈

00:00 Pre-show

01:45 Welcome: Devils fall 5-2 to the Avalanche in Denver

03:23 Connor Brown, Aspen Vodka player of the game

05:28 Back-to-back at altitude and Jake Allen's second period

08:28 Power play: the 5-on-3 and Jesper Bratt

11:08 Hellebuyck Tuesday, Allen Wednesday: right call?

13:20 Chat: Jake Allen, tired legs and Colorado's altitude

18:00 Utica Comets' 4-2 start and Sunny Mehta's overhaul

21:20 Connor Brown's shorthanded goal and the power-play fix

25:35 Shots 44-22, "scheduled loss" talk and no red flags

27:26 Dylan Larkin trade odds and the Devils as a destination

29:37 Vegas on Friday: road-trip math, Hellebuyck and Allen starts

34:13 Amadeus Lombardi's development

35:43 Wrap-up

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The Devils beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Tuesday night, and Connor Hellebuyck made his Devils debut with 17 saves on 18 shots. Nico Hischier scored twice, Jesper Boqvist, Luke Hughes and Jack Hughes each added one, and New Jersey is 8-4-0 with four straight wins.

James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break it all down live on Devils Rink Report: Hellebuyck's first night, Luke Hughes' play, Jack Hughes' first 5-on-5 goal, a power play that still hasn't clicked, and your Super Chats.

00:00 Pre-show

01:44 Welcome: Devils beat the Stars 5-1 in Hellebuyck's debut

04:54 Player of the game: Nico Hischier's two goals

07:27 Handling Dallas's size, plus Boqvist, Luke and Jack Hughes goals

12:02 Jack Hughes' lost tooth and the fishbowl

13:00 Super Chats: how to fix the power play

20:02 Remi Poirier, the goalie plan and Timo Meier's finishing

28:15 Hellebuyck's debut and a team coming together

41:57 Have the Devils proved it yet? Back-to-backs and scoring first

47:42 Luke Hughes and the No. 1 defenseman question

52:34 Is a Devils bandwagon coming?

1:01:00 Poirier waivers, the Rangers and who coaches the power play

1:11:13 Wrap-up: next show after the Avalanche

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The New Jersey Devils wrapped up their home stand prior to their west road trip with a 3-1 victory over the Kings.

Join Daniel Amoia after the final horn to hear everything he has to say about the lines, the goaltending, the special teams, and much more.

Drop your takes in the chat 😈

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The New Jersey Devils traded for Connor Hellebuyck. James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now breaks down the full deal: Dawson Mercer, Nico Daws, Nick Bjugstad, the rights to Alexander Command and two picks go to Winnipeg, and Sunny Mehta keeps every first-round pick. We get into the A-minus grade, the cap math with no retained salary, when Hellebuyck could debut (Oct. 30 at Vegas or Nov. 3 vs. Edmonton?), Remi Poirier vs. Dallas, the Taylor Hall trade tree, and what this means for Quinn Hughes and Dylan Larkin.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Pre-show

2:00 Connor Hellebuyck is a Devil

4:00 The trade: Mercer, Command, Daws, Bjugstad

6:00 Sunny Mehta keeps all his first-round picks

7:00 Why Dawson Mercer was expendable

8:30 What losing Alexander Command really means

10:30 No retained salary: the cap math

12:00 Hellebuyck fixes the Devils' biggest weakness

13:30 Sunny Mehta the poker player

14:30 Trade grade: A-minus

15:00 When will Hellebuyck be ready?

17:00 An "Infinity Gauntlet" Stanley Cup move

19:30 Chat: is Command a big loss? Yegorov stays

21:00 Yegorov and Hellebuyck long term

24:00 The Taylor Hall trade tree

25:00 How I handle trade rumors

27:30 Debut date: Oct. 30 at Vegas or Nov. 3 vs. Edmonton?

29:30 Did Lombardi make Mercer expendable? New lines

33:00 Jets fan: can Hellebuyck win in the playoffs?

36:30 Is age 33 a concern?

38:30 The Bobrovsky blueprint

40:30 Should Remy Poirier start in Dallas?

43:30 Was there a third team in the deal?

46:00 Are the Devils "boring"?

51:30 Are the Devils Stanley Cup contenders now?

55:30 Can they still get Larkin? Mantha, Dillon, Glass

58:00 How the Barrett Hayden offer sheet blocked Utah

1:00:00 Quinn Hughes and Dougie Hamilton's future

1:04:30 Does Hellebuyck help land Quinn Hughes?

1:09:30 Will Brenden Dillon get moved?

1:12:30 Can this team survive the playoffs?

1:16:00 Are the Devils too small?

1:17:00 Hellebuyck's new mask

1:18:30 The Wild's reaction

1:20:30 What to watch Saturday vs. the Kings

1:23:30 Cap space and forward depth

1:27:00 Can both teams win this trade?

1:29:00 Would Larkin fit? The Carolina-style game

1:34:00 Sabres fans react

1:35:30 Wrap-up

#NJDevils #Hellebuyck #NHLTrade

The Devils beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1 at Prudential Center to move to 6-4. Arseny Gritsyuk scored again, Nico Hischier's power-play goal held up as the winner and Nico Daws stopped 16 of 17 shots.

James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down Luke Hughes' best defensive game of the season and Sheldon Keefe's "one of the best defenders in the league" quote. They also get into why Keefe still wants more from Gritsyuk, Connor Brown's impact since returning and your questions from the chat.

CHAPTERS

0:00 Show start

1:45 Devils beat Ducks 4-1: instant reaction

2:48 Player of the game: Luke Hughes & Keefe's big quote

5:18 Gritsyuk scores off Bratt's setup, but Keefe wants more

8:26 Keefe: "Game 10 of 84," consistency is the test

10:29 Ducks' second-period push & Nico Daws' 16 saves

13:39 Connor Brown's return, the penalty kill & Amadeus Lombardi

17:36 Chances finally turning into goals, under 30 shots

19:36 Chat: Why can't the Devils play a full 60?

21:28 Expected goals vs. finishing: Devils lead the NHL in xG%

25:15 Luke Evangelista's fit with Hischier & Meier, Sunny Mehta's eye

27:11 Game score: Jack Hughes, Bratt & Gritsyuk lead the way

29:05 Is Nico Hischier hurt? Bratt wrist update & Daws poll

32:04 Scoring depth, Mantha's goal & why scoring first matters

35:30 Is sitting Amadeus Lombardi the right call?38:04

Winning without Jack Hughes & Bratt at full speed

40:17 Why Keefe wasn't happy with Gritsyuk & his new tone on this team

46:18 Evan Rodrigues' checking line by the numbers

48:22 Good team to great team: consistency, special teams, goaltending

51:44 Gritsyuk fan club & the Devils' low preseason expectations

53:55 Wrap-up & Kings on Saturday

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The New Jersey Devils beat the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 at Prudential Center on Tuesday, Oct. 20, outshooting Colorado 41-34 behind goals from Luke Evangelista, Declan Chisholm, Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Boqvist.

James Nichols and Daniel Amoia break down Gritsyuk's highlight-reel goal through Cale Makar, Connor Brown and Evangelista's return, Jake Allen's 31 saves, the late Avs push that Sheldon Keefe didn't like, Dylan Larkin trade talk, Rémi Poirier and Brenden Dillon.

0:00 Intro

1:17 Player of the game: Arseny Gritsyuk's goal

4:16 Devils outshoot Colorado again

6:51 Connor Brown and Luke Evangelista return, Devils depth

10:55 Jake Allen's big saves and the goaltending bounce-back

14:19 "Not the same old Devils"

15:58 Depth scoring and Timo Meier's eight shots

18:57 Could Dylan Larkin fit with the Devils?

23:54 Does Gritsyuk stay with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt?

24:43 The late Avalanche push and Makar's setup

27:02 Penalty kill and staying out of the box

31:47 Rémi Poirier and the Devils goalie situation

40:35 Keefe on the final five minutes

43:28 What would a Larkin trade cost?

48:25 Nico Hischier's line and Timo Meier

52:07 Brenden Dillon's no-trade clause

56:24 Is Gritsyuk the greatest Russian-born player?

Next: Devils vs. Anaheim Ducks, Thu Oct 22, 7 PM ET. Devils Postgame Live follows.

Drop your take in the chat 😈

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Is it a Devils goalie problem, or a problem in front of the goalies? And is Connor Hellebuyck the fix?Keith Kavanaugh of PuckPedia and The Devils Edge joins James Nichols on Devils Rink Report to sort it out.

The New Jersey Devils are 4-4-0 and have outshot every opponent so far, 280-200, while Jake Allen (.876) and Nico Daws (.857) have struggled in net. Keith walks through the goals against in Washington, explains why Rémi Poirier isn't getting a look, and says why he doesn't see Sunny Mehta's front office spending big in goal, in cap space or in trade assets, with the Devils at $77,077 in cap space and Hellebuyck's suspension ending Fri Oct 23.

James and Keith also get into the Devils' missing second layer of offense, the power play, Connor Brown's return and the roster crunch at 23, and whether Sheldon Keefe's seat is warming up eight games in.

Then James goes solo: a Devils vs. Colorado Avalanche preview (Tue Oct 20, 7 PM ET, Prudential Center), Elliotte Friedman's report on Brenden Dillon's no-trade clause, the Utica Comets' start, Timo Meier's first goal, and Arseny Gritsyuk's fit with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.

0:00 Keith Kavanaugh joins Devils Rink Report

0:52 Devils goalie problem or defense problem?

8:51 Why Rémi Poirier isn't playing

12:26 Connor Hellebuyck: can the Devils afford him?

15:01 A Hellebuyck trade package for Winnipeg?

17:02 Outshooting everyone, still .500

21:00 The missing second layer of offense

22:29 Connor Brown's return and the roster crunch

25:17 Is Sheldon Keefe on the hot seat?

30:23 Avalanche preview: MacKinnon, Makar, Wedgewood

33:58 Friedman report: Brenden Dillon's no-trade

38:52 Utica Comets and prospect update

40:44 Timo Meier, Gritsyuk and the Devils blue line

Our guest: Keith Kavanaugh

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The New Jersey Devils dropped a 4-2 Saturday matinee to the Washington Capitals, as Washington answered with four straight goals two days after the Devils' 7-goal win over the Rangers.

Daniel Amoia goes LIVE to break down what went wrong, Ryan Leonard's highlight-reel goal, special teams, goaltending, lines, and what's next for the Devils.

Drop your take in the chat 😈

00:00 Cold open

00:33 Show open: Daniel Amoia flying solo

02:28 Player of the Game: Arseny Gritsyuk

04:43 The real problem: defense

06:08 Allen or the D? Both

08:45 Mailbag: ride the hot goalie?

11:15 Hamilton–Siegenthaler: stats vs. breakdowns

15:05 No cohesiveness, no finishing

16:28 Timeout? Coaching change? Too early

20:21 Allen vs. Daws debate

24:15 Line notes & a 4-4 reality check

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