The power shakeup in the NHL has been really out of this world so far, and it cannot be denied that the game has really been quite crazy with all of the contenders falling off to start off the season – and it has left the door open for new teams to arise and take their game to the next level, such as the New Jersey Devils.

After finishing 13th overall in the 2023-24 season, the New Jersey Devils are on a leap in their games so far this season with a promising rush to the top of the Eastern Conference. It has been quite a spectacle for New Jersey fans – who now have something to root for coming from their own state.

There have been a total of 23 playoff appearances for the Devils in its entire franchise history, leading up to a total of three Stanley Cup victories. However, those came until in the early 2000s, with the succeeding campaigns leading up to poor performances later on. This just says a lot about how New Jersey has been lacking in a competitive run in their respective seasons – especially last season.

A New Power in the East

Currently sporting the second-best record in the whole NHL, the New Jersey Devils are sitting atop the Eastern Conference with a promising record of 15-7-2, showing how just a few tweaks in the offseason can actually bear fruit in the regular season with a promising spark in their games. 

Under the leadership of Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Ondrej Palat, it cannot be denied that the Devils have begun to prosper in their 2024-25 campaign, showing that they have what it takes to deliver impressive performances when it matters most. Now more than ever, head coach Sheldon Keefe’s rise as a promising coach to look out for truly has become a point of discussion in their winning pace this season.

So far, it can be considered that they are the new power in the Eastern Conference thanks to their sudden rise to the top of the table. For context, they are well ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and even their rivals, the New York Rangers or the defending champions Florida Panthers. That just says a lot about how they are growing as a competitive team to look out for now more than ever.

Don’t Sleep on the Devils

To open up the season, the New Jersey Devils had odds of +1300. Of course, the odds shift based on the performances of a team and how well other certain contenders – such as the Edmonton Oilers and the Panthers – are performing at the same time. This just says that the odds are never an accurate representation of how well a team is doing – but more of a prediction of what is expected based on their pace.

As of the time of writing, the Devils are second in the overall best odds to win with +950, just a few points behind the Edmonton Oilers on that regard. With the Oilers still struggling to get back into the top eight, this just means that the legitimate favorite status falls to the Devils – and that means they are the clear hot picks to win it all for the Stanley Cup.

Whether you have been waiting for the Devils to rise or have predicted them to be this good, it cannot be denied that it is now really a good time to be a fan of New Jersey, and betting on the only team to represent the state doesn’t feel much of a risk now than it did before.