Devils 2024-25 NHL Season Betting Preview: Points Total, Player Futures Odds and Predictions
By Nate Duffett
We are 24 days from the NHL's opening night on Oct. 8. The daily NHL picks will return once the season starts, but leading up to the big day I'll preview some future bets for every team in the league. Check out yesterday's article where we broke down the futures for Nazem Kadri and the Calgary Flames.
The New Jersey Devils hoped to parlay a successful 2022-23 season into continued success last season. However, injuries to integral players and poor play from their goaltenders sent them back into the draft lottery. They fixed the goaltending issue by acquiring Jacob Markstrom from the Flames in the offseason, but they'll have to hope the injury issues don't arise again.
Let's look at two future bets for the New Jersey Devils in 2024-25.
New Jersey Devils Future Bets for 2024-25 Season
- UNDER 100.5 Regular Season Points
- Jack Hughes OVER 40.5 Goals
UNDER 100.5 Regular Season Points
The Devils had just 81 points and a record below .500 during the 2023-24 season. Goaltending was their biggest issue, which they remedied with the acquisition of Markstrom. New Jersey believes that Markstrom can lead them back to the playoffs, which he did before with the Flames.
New Jersey could have some bigger concerns to begin this season. Dawson Mercer still doesn't have a contract, which should get signed at some point in training camp. However, they know they won't have the services of Luke Hughes for the first month, as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained in offseason training.
The Devils also have to contend with injury history from some of their top stars. It isn't easy to record over 100 points in the NHL, and the Devils don't have the depth to battle through another injury to Jack Hughes or Dougie Hamilton. Everyone seems high on the Devils this season, and I believe they'll be better, but I'll take them not to eclipse the century mark.
Jack Hughes OVER 40.5 Goals
A bet on Jack Hughes to record over 40.5 goals is a bet that he will be able to stay healthy for the entire season. He has been a 40-goal scorer just once in his career, when he played 78 games in 2022-23. The rest of his career has seasons where he played just 61, 56, 49, and 62 games. Playing just 75% of the season makes it nearly impossible to score 40 goals, but we have to believe he can stay healthy in 2024-25.
Hughes can't continue in this league by getting beat up every season. He is an undersized forward who does get beat around, but you have to hope he is learning from his mistakes and staying away from contact that will take him out of the lineup. Let's just hope the desire to stay healthy doesn't take away from his success on the ice.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.