The 2024-25 New Jersey Devils fought hard, but at the end of the day, they were no match for the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL playoffs. Perhaps they might've been had they been close to fully healthy, but injuries to Jack Hughes and virtually the entire defensive corps ended any shot New Jersey had at making a deep playoff run.
Injury woes certainly played a role in the team's playoff struggles, but this Devils team was flawed even when healthy. Their biggest issue all year was their lack of depth scoring, and that didn't get any better in the playoffs.
With changes needing to be made, there's a good chance that these four Devils players won't be back next season.
4) Tomas Tatar did not meet expectations this season
The Devils brought Tomas Tatar back on a one-year deal this past offseason, hoping he could produce like the solid top-six winger he was as a Devil in the 2022-23 campaign. Unfortunately, despite beginning the season in the top six, Tatar really struggled with New Jersey this time around.
The veteran winger had just seven goals and 17 assists for 24 points in 74 games during the regular season, and he was held without a point in the four playoff games in which he appeared. Tatar wound up playing most of his games down the stretch on the fourth line, with his production down. While he's fine in that role, it's hard to envision the Devils having much of an interest in bringing him back.
Not only is Tatar 34 years old, but he had just 15 points in 70 games in the 2023-24 campaign split between the Colorado Avalanche and the Seattle Kraken. At this point, considering his age and that he's had back-to-back down years, it's tough to expect him to get much better. The Devils need to add more scoring to their bottom six, and that starts with letting Tatar walk.
3) The Devils don't have any room for Brian Dumoulin
The Devils giving up what they did to acquire Brian Dumoulin at the trade deadline didn't make much sense at the time, but it's a move Tom Fitzgerald deserves credit for in hindsight. He was a rock for New Jersey on the back end, particularly in the playoffs. He averaged a shade under 30 minutes of ice time per game in the playoffs with the Devils without several key defensemen and played extremely well despite his heavy minutes.
While Dumoulin played himself into being a fan favorite of sorts, there simply isn't room to bring him back, and Dumoulin likely played his way into making more money than the Devils should give him anyway.
Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Johnathan Kovacevic and Jonas Siegenthaler are all under contract. Luke Hughes is a restricted free agent who will be back. Recent No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec played his way into a role of some sort based on his performance in the playoffs. The Devils are armed with a tremendous amount of defensive depth, making it really tough to find room for Dumoulin.
2) It's time for the Devils to move on from Nathan Bastian
Nathan Bastian has played all but 12 of his 276 NHL regular season games across six seasons with the Devils, and he has been a fixture in the team's bottom six. While he does provide value defensively and on the penalty kill especially, he has never put up more than 18 points in a single season and had just four goals and 10 points this past season for New Jersey.
Again, this team needs to boost its offensive production in the bottom six. While Bastian is a good defender, he doesn't add enough offensive firepower to continue trotting him out every game, as the Devils have mostly done when he's been healthy.
Sometimes it can be tough to let homegrown players go, especially players taken in the second round of the NHL Draft like Bastian was back in 2016, but it's time to try something new. The Devils know who he is at this point, and he isn't a player worth re-signing.
1) Jake Allen will make more money than the Devils can afford to pay him
This is the big one. Jake Allen was one of the best backup goaltenders in the league this season, recording a .906 save percentage and allowing 2.66 goals per game in 31 appearances (29 starts). He came through in a big way when Jacob Markstrom missed time due to injury.
The Devils would love to bring him back and have him play in a reserve role behind Markstrom for another year, but there's a good chance the veteran netminder will find a starting role elsewhere. Even if he doesn't, he'll be a very highly paid backup.
The simple reality is that this Devils team can ill-afford to meet Allen's likely contract demands. Barring a desire to remain in New Jersey on a discount, which should not be expected, Allen will likely play elsewhere, much to the dismay of Devils fans.