The 3-3-1 Minnesota Wild will face the 5-1-0 New Jersey Devils tonight in Newark.
The Wild are coming off a 3–1 win over the New York Rangers on Monday night, snapping a two-game losing streak.
The Devils, on the other hand, have won five straight games. They’re coming off a 5–2 victory in Toronto against the Maple Leafs last night.
In the last two meetings between the Devils and the Wild, the Devils won both. The most recent on March 31st, the Devils win 3-2, and on March 29th 2025, the Devils won 5-2.
Minnesota is 5-1-2 in its last eight games at New Jersey since October 22, 2016.
Who to Watch:
Jack Hughes enters tonight’s game on a hot streak. He’s scored six goals in his last three games and recorded his first hat trick of the season last night. Hughes will be a key player to watch as he looks to extend his scoring streak.
Following Tuesday’s game, Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe had high praise for Hughes:
“I mean, Jack, he’s just so smart out there that he’s going to pick his spots incredibly well,” Keefe said via NHL.com. “These last two games in particular, the puck’s been glued to his stick. His speed and skating have been world-class. He’s putting himself in great spots and controlling the play.”
Jesper Bratt tallied three assists last night and leads the Devils in scoring with 10 points in six games.
For the Wild, Kirill Kaprizov leads the team with five goals and is tied with Matthew Boldy for the team lead in points (10).
Quick Facts:
- The Devils’ 27.78% power-play conversion rate ranks fifth in the league.
- New Jersey’s two shorthanded goals are the most in the NHL.
- The Devils rank third in goals scored, while the Wild sit 17th.
- Minnesota’s 34.48% power-play percentage leads the league.
- The Devils have the NHL’s third-ranked penalty kill.
- The Wild’s penalty kill ranks 26th at 72.2%.
Reunion:
Minnesota head coach John Hynes will face his former team tonight. Hynes coached the Devils from 2015 to 2019, leading them to the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs before joining the Wild.
If Brian Halonen is in the lineup tonight, he will be facing his hometown team. The winger was born in Delano, Minnesota, in 1999 and played three seasons at Delano High from 2014 to 2017. However, tonight’s official game lineup has not been released yet.
Halonen made headlines last night for landing a heavy punch on Simon Benoit during the third period.
Daws Set to Start:
Nico Daws is set to make his first start of the 2025–26 season tonight. His last NHL game came on April 16, 2025.
Since being drafted in 2020, Daws has played 52 NHL games with the Devils, posting 22 career wins and a .898 save percentage. He appeared in 25 games in 2021–22, 21 in 2023–24, and six last season.
Noesen Nearing Return:
Stefan Noesen may also be returning to the lineup soon. The forward has missed the start of the season due to a groin injury sustained last year. After re-injuring it late in the summer and undergoing a procedure, he returned to practice this week, skating on the fourth line with Luke Glendening and Paul Cotter.
According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, Noesen could make his season debut during this back-to-back stretch—possibly as early as tonight. A return seems imminent.
Injury Report:
Devils:
- Dadonov (hand) – month-to-month
- Kovacevic (knee) – month-to-month
- Noesen (groin) – day-to-day*
- Casey (lower body) – undisclosed
- McLaughlin (undisclosed)
- Lammikko (undisclosed)
- MacEwen (upper body) – week-to-week
- Markstrom (lower body) – week-to-week
Wild:
- Bogosian (lower body) – IR
- Rossi (undisclosed) – day-to-day
- Sturm (back) – IR
- Zuccarello (lower body) – IR
Overall:
The teams will meet twice this season, first tonight in Newark and again on January 12 in Minnesota.
Both squads are looking to strengthen their records as the Devils host the Wild tonight at Prudential Center. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET.
