The New Jersey Devils are set to play the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center as part of their ongoing four-game road trip. The Devils recently defeated the Sharks 3-1 in Newark, with Dougie Hamilton scoring two power-play goals. This upcoming game offers New Jersey a chance to sweep the season series against San Jose.
The Devils currently share the top spot in the NHL standings with an 8-2-0 record, marking one of their best starts in franchise history. Their eight wins in the first ten games tie previous club records set during the 1993-94 and 2017-18 seasons. The team had an eight-game winning streak that ended Tuesday night with a loss to Colorado but has still won eight of its last nine games.
New Jersey will be without key defenseman Brett Pesce, who suffered an upper-body injury on Sunday. In response, Seamus Casey was recalled and made his season debut during the recent game in Denver.
On the other side, San Jose began its season with a six-game winless stretch but has won two out of its last three games. The Sharks are hosting New Jersey for their second match in a four-game homestand after losing 4-3 to the Los Angeles Kings.
San Jose is currently undergoing a rebuild, focusing on young talent such as forwards Macklin Celebrini (first overall pick in 2024), Michael Misa (second overall, 2025), Will Smith (fourth overall, 2023), defenseman Sam Dickinson (11th overall, 2024), and goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (11th overall pick by Nashville in 2020).
Among notable performers, Dougie Hamilton has scored three goals and recorded four points over his past three games for New Jersey, including strong performances against San Jose. Jack Hughes leads both teams with nine goals this season—tied for most in the NHL—and has accumulated eight points over his last five outings.
For San Jose, Macklin Celebrini is on a five-game scoring streak totaling eleven points and recently achieved both a hat trick and a five-point game.
Injury reports list several players from both teams as unavailable or day-to-day due to various ailments.
The Devils will look to maintain their strong start while aiming for another victory over San Jose as they continue their Western Conference road trip.
