What Went Wrong: Devils are 1st Team Out, but Made it Interesting

You know, what I'm about to say can be saved for another story, but as I watched the manic playoff action from both the NHL and NBA, it hit me. Both leagues' playoffs started on the same day, and this was Day 11. The NBA already had four eliminations, but at the time, the NHL, no eliminations yet. This was still true when the Ottawa Senators won Game Five to stay alive yet again. The New Jersey Devils were looking to do the same. They were down 3-1 in the series, but they put up three goals in the first period of Game Five against the Carolina Hurricanes.

However, the Canes tied the game quickly at three, Devils took the lead, but Carolina tied it again. It remained 4-4 after 40, then after 60, and even after 80. Double overtime for the second time in this series. The Devils won in double OT in Game Three, but in Game Five, not so much. Sebastian Aho's shot went in for the second time in the evening, and as a result, on the 11th day of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, we finally had an elimination, and it was the New Jersey Devils whose season ended early.

So the Devils' playoff woes continue. They've still won only one playoff series since their wild run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. So for the first time in this year's playoffs, I ask the all important titular question: "What Went Wrong?" The answer is simple: they miss Jack Hughes. Had this series ended in a sweep, it would have been more than that, but the Devils did make this series quite tight. A double OT win in Game Three. Game Four was close, but NJ came up short, and Game Five saw the Devils with a good chance to avoid elimination. They didn't go down without a fight. If this was a slaughter from beginning to end, I'd say even Jack Hughes wouldn't have saved them. Now? I have to believe that a healthy Hughes in this series could have made a difference.

So with Jack Hughes out, it was the captain, Nico Hischier, who stepped up big time for the Devils--who drafted him #1 overall in 2017. Hischier finished tied for the team lead in points in this year's playoffs with four, and all four of Hischier's points went in the net. Timo Meier also had four points (two of each), while Jesper Bratt (G/2 A) and Brett Pesce (all helpers) each had three points. Young player Simon Nemec had the team's goal in double OT in Game Three. The Devils definitely did give it the old college try, but the Hurricanes were way too much for a team who was missing their best player.

The Devils will have an interesting offseason, but I know this: they won't have any real big expectations for next year. Things should look up; after all, next season will see a healthy Jack Hughes, and a less banged up Dougie Hamilton, so there's a good chance we not only see them in the playoffs next year, but they may go far. They had a pretty game effort even with their star player out. Next year could see the Devils become quite a force. Not a threat to win the Metropolitan Division, but an absolutely unexpected threat in the entire Eastern Conference.

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