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One thing remained true throughout November: The New Jersey Devils are an offensive juggernaut. They have won five of their last seven games, continuing a tight race with the Washington Capitals for the first spot of the Eastern Conference. The Devils have also scored four or more goals in their last three contests. According to MoneyPuck, they have a 98.5% chance of making the playoffs.

The charge has largely been led by the likes of Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Jack Hughes. However, Stefan Noesen and Ondrej Palat have also provided plenty of scoring opportunities. But which line combinations have been the most effective? Let’s break down three of the most successful lines for the Devils in their first 28 games.

Palat-Hughes-Bratt: AKA “PB&J”

Unsurprisingly, the Palat-Hughes-Bratt line, also dubbed “PB&J,” has the highest scoring potential. With Palat and Bratt on his wing, Hughes has returned to an elite level of play. Throughout 21 appearances, this line has contributed nine goals and recorded 102 shots on goal, which is the highest of any Devils line.

This line also has a team-high 237 Corsi For (CF) count, representing the total number of shot attempts. Palat, Hughes, and Bratt are exceptional at taking charge in front of the net, which is a welcome improvement from last season. In addition, the PB&J line has also recorded 159 unblocked shot attempts for the Devils, also known as Fenwick For (FF). 

At the beginning of the season, there was a lot of debate as to where Palat should fall in the lineup. He has found success as a top-six forward after a slow start to the season. And head coach Sheldon Keefe’s decision to keep this line has paid off, especially during Monday night’s game against the New York Rangers. The Devils’ first line had a four-point night, two of which were goals from none other than number 86. Palat, Hughes, and Bratt continue to function as a well-oiled machine, and this line will play an important role in keeping New Jersey on top.

Cotter-Haula-Noesen

The second-highest scoring line is a combination of a Devils veteran and two offseason acquisitions. The Paul Cotter-Erik Haula-Noesen line has proven to be a successful gritty third unit, providing both scoring and depth. Even though Keefe has not sent out this combination in recent games, this line had numerous multi-point games at the beginning of the season. In fact, this line has the third-highest ice time out of all the Devils’ line combinations.

Cotter has been switched between third and fourth line, partly due to Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian’s injuries. However, it’s undeniable that the Cotter-Haula-Noesen line had an impressive start to the 2024-25 season. This unit totaled six goals, with an average of 3.14 goals per 60 minutes.

Considering Noesen’s recent chemistry with Hischier and Meier, it is unlikely that he will see ice time with Cotter or Haula anytime soon. However, adding Dawson Mercer to Haula’s wing has been a welcome development, as shown by Mercer’s goal early in the first period against the Rangers. Both of these lines have been successful for the Devils, and their high-scoring capabilities are part of why the team remains a strong contender.

Meier-Hischier-Noesen

Keefe has only deployed the Meier-Hischier-Noesen line in 10 games, but this unit has been on a heater. Hischier and Noesen are the Devils’ top two goal-scorers, while Meier has recorded five points in his last four games. So far, there have been five goals when this combination is on the ice. One thing is certain: reuniting with Noesen was one of the Devils’ best offseason moves.

This line has a 70.3% Expected Goals-For Percentage (xGF%) and a 4.77 expected goal total per 60 minutes of play, meaning this unit generates high-quality scoring chances and creates more shots on goal than the opposing team at even strength. In addition, the Meier-Hischier-Noesen line has also created 34 high-danger scoring chances.

Related: Devils’ Physicality Continues to Lead the Way

The Meier-Hischier-Noesen line exhibits great on-ice chemistry and consistently finds the back of the net. Combined with a 56.67 Shots For Percentage (SF%), this line has been dominant in recent games. This combination exploits the Devils’ dynamic top six, which explains why it has been utilized nine times in the past 10 games.

Devils Have Excellent Top-Six Talent, Depth

The Devils have been on fire with high-scoring offensive units, and Keefe continues to deploy his best lines. They have a wide range of talent in their top six but can also rely on depth scoring from their third and fourth lines. The Devils have all the necessary tools to win, as highlighted by their domination over the Rangers on Monday night. With a few lines on a scoring streak, the team’s December is already off to a great start.

Is there a Devils line combination you’d like to see in an upcoming game? Let us know in the comments!

The New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers matched up on Monday evening for another rendition of the infamous Hudson River Rivalry. Coming into it, the Devils had not defeated the Rangers since their Game 7 clincher in May 2023 – 581 days ago. But that changed tonight as the Devils dominated the Blueshirts, 5-1. Jacob Markstrom was phenomenal, stopping 38 of 39 (.974 save percentage) for his 12th win of the season.

Just 1:27 into the first, Jesper Bratt went five-hole on Igor Shesterkin to put the Devils up one. Then about six minutes later, Dawson Mercer corralled a rebound and scored, doubling their lead. The Devils then had an “epic” penalty kill – play-by-play announcer Bill Spaulding’s words – where they blocked five shots in a tremendous effort. 

The Devils had a brief 5-on-3 advantage in the second, and Dougie Hamilton struck to make it 3-0. Then Luke Hughes, who was buzzing all night, had his shot deflected, and his brother Jack spun around to put it by Shesterkin.

Hughes news in NYC: Jack scored a beaut. pic.twitter.com/0xwNKTIppd

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) December 3, 2024

Chris Kreider then struck on the power play to get the Rangers started. But that momentum was short-lived, as the Devils’ power play struck once more. This time it was J. Hughes’ second of the night, making it 5-1.

In the third period, the Devils really shut things down knowing they had a sizeable lead. They blocked a ton of shots and when Markstrom had to, he came up with the stops. At the final horn, the Devils had 24 blocked shots and their first win against the Rangers in a very long time.

There were multiple “Let’s Go Devils” chants echoing through the arena in the third period. Bratt, who had four points, told The Hockey Writers, “That was great to hear. It gives us a boost. And you see their team getting frustrated with it too…having so many fans here cheering you on towards the end of the game felt really good.”

Both teams will get a nice break before heading back to action. The Devils will make the 13.4-mile trip home and face the Seattle Kraken on Friday night. The Rangers will also be home then to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins.