NEW JERSEY DEVILS NEWS

Dawson Mercer - Slumps in Year 3 Mercer finished the 2023-24 season with 20 goals and 33 points in 82 games.

Impact Mercer's sophomore slump came a year late, as he finished with the lowest point total of his three-year career. The 2020 first-round draft pick also had a career-worst minus-26 rating, and he posted his lowest shot total (134) despite seeing a career high in average ice time (17:13). On the bright side, Mercer still hasn't missed a game in his NHL career, and he'll be a bounce-back candidate next season after posting point totals of 42 and 56 in his first two campaigns. Mercer will be a restricted free agent this offseason after the expiration of his entry-level contract.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Nico Hischier - Takes step back with 67-point year Hischier provided an assist in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Islanders, wrapping up the 2023-24 season with 27 goals and 67 points in 71 appearances.

Impact Hischier posted his second-highest point total and appeared in the third-most games of his seven-year career, but this season has to be viewed as a disappointment on the heels of his 80-point output in 2022-23. The first overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft also took a significant step back defensively, with his rating dropping from plus-33 last season to minus-5 as the Devils missed the postseason in 2023-24.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Erik Haula - Finishes with 35 points Haula ended the 2023-24 season with 16 goals, 35 points and 155 shots on goal in 76 appearances.

Impact Haula also set a career high with 54 PIM, and his minus-1 rating was his worst since a minus-16 mark with the Golden Knights in 2017-18. Ironically, that season in Vegas was Haula's most productive from an offensive standpoint (29 goals and 55 points), but he didn't provide nearly enough offense in 2023-24 to help counterbalance New Jersey's teamwide defensive struggles as the Devils fell short of the postseason.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Jesper Bratt - No playoffs despite career year Bratt had an assist in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Islanders, finishing the season with 27 goals and a career-high 83 points.

Impact Bratt took another step forward after consecutive 73-point campaigns, but the team around him took a step back, as the Devils missed the playoffs after winning a round in the postseason the previous year. The 25-year-old Swede signed an eight-year, $63 million extension last June, so Bratt's locked in as a key piece of New Jersey's core for the foreseeable future.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Timo Meier - Lone marker in finale Meier scored a goal on two shots in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Islanders.

Impact Meier got the Devils on the board early in the second period, knocking home a rebound off Semyon Varlamov to cut the Islanders' lead to 2-1. The 27-year-old winger finished the year strong, tallying nine goals and 16 points in his last 14 games. However, it was a disappointing campaign overall for Meier -- he'll finish with 28 goals and 52 points after surpassing the 60-point threshold in each of his previous two seasons.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Shane Bowers - Sent down to minors Bowers was reassigned to AHL Utica on Tuesday.

Impact Bowers played eight games with the big club this year, registering seven shots on goal and three hits. The 24-year-old has played 40 games with Utica, logging nine goals and four assists. He will finish his season in the minors, as Utica has three regular-season games left.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Graeme Clarke - Sent back to minors Clarke was demoted to AHL Utica on Tuesday.

Impact Clarke saw action in just three NHL games this season in which he recorded two shots, six hits and two PIM while averaging 11:23 of ice time. The 22-year-old winger will return to the minors to suit up for the Comets, who are long shots to secure a place in the Calder Cup playoffs. In his previous time with the minor-league club, the Minnesota native notched 24 goals and 23 assists in 64 contests. He'll hope to bring that offensive upside to training camp in the fall to make the Opening Night roster.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Jake Allen - Struggles Monday Allen allowed four goals on 19 shots in Monday's 4-1 loss to the Islanders.

Impact Allen surrendered a pair of tallies in the first period before allowing a goal apiece in each of the final two frames en route to the defeat in New Jersey's season finale. The 33-year-old Allen will wrap up the campaign with a 12-18-4 record, an .895 save percentage and 3.44 GAA across 33 starts between the Devils and Canadiens.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Tomas Nosek - Limited in season finale Nosek managed just one shot and a minus-two rating in Monday's season finale against the Islanders.

Impact Nosek returned from an undisclosed injury to play in the 82nd campaign of the year. Injuries limited the 31-year-old winger to just 36 games this season in which he notched two goals on 38 shots, four assists and 33 hits. The Czech native will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason but may not have stayed healthy enough to convince the Devils to keep him around for another year.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Devils' miserable season finally over, summer of massive decisions begins At long last, the Devils’ arduous 2023-24 campaign has come to a close.

APRIL 16 • NJ.COM

Islanders dump Devils, clinch playoff berth Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson each had a goal with an assist as the visiting New York Islanders clinched a playoff berth with a 4-1 victory...

APRIL 16 • KANSASCITY.COM

The New York Islanders clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 4-1 win over Devils Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson each had a goal and an assist and the Patrick Roy-led New York Islanders clinched one of the two remaining pl...

APRIL 16 • SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM

Islanders clinch playoff berth with win against Devils | NHL.com Varlamov makes 23 saves for New York, which is 7-0-1 in past 8 games

APRIL 16 • NHL.COM

Tomas Nosek - Set to return Monday Nosek (undisclosed) is poised to suit up for the season finale against the Islanders on Monday, Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site reports.

Impact Nosek will rejoin the lineup after missing the previous two outings due to his undisclosed injury. It will be the 31-year-old winger's last chance to end an eight-game goal drought during which he managed just 11 shots while notching a pair of helpers. With Nosek returning to action, either Graeme Clarke or Kurtis MacDermid will be relegated to the press box.

APRIL 15 • ROTOWIRE

Jake Allen - Set to face Islanders Allen will patrol the home crease Monday versus the Islanders, according to Amanda Stein of the Devils' official site.

Impact Allen is coming off a 27-save effort in Thursday's 6-5 win over Toronto. He has a 12-17-4 record this season with a 3.43 GAA and an .897 save percentage in 33 appearances between New Jersey and Montreal. The Islanders rank 23rd in the league this campaign with 2.95 goals per contest.

APRIL 15 • ROTOWIRE

Islanders out to clinch playoff spot, avoid sweep by Devils Before the New York Islanders can officially focus on the playoffs, they must find a way to beat one of their tri-state rivals.The visiting...

APRIL 14 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

A Manic Monday in the NHL features 7 of 8 games that could affect the playoff picture

The playoff races across the NHL are coming down to the final week of the regular season

APRIL 14 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York visits New Jersey after Nelson's 2-goal game

The New York Islanders visit the New Jersey Devils after Brock Nelson scored two goals in the Islanders' 3-2 shootout loss to the New York Rangers

APRIL 14 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kaapo Kahkonen - Tough luck loss to Flyers Kahkonen made 20 saves Saturday in a 1-0 loss to the Flyers.

Impact The only puck that got past him came off the stick of Travis Konecny, who broke in alone shorthanded and beat Kahkonen with a wrist shot from the slot. It's been a rough go for the netminder this season. He's 7-24-3 in 33 starts between San Jose and New Jersey, and while his GAA and save percentage have improved since his trade east, Kahkonen hasn't been able to translate that better performance into wins. He's just 1-4-0 with one shutout in six starts in Jersey. Kahkonen is a UFA at season's end, and his future is up in the air.

APRIL 14 • ROTOWIRE

Flyers edge Devils, stay alive in race for NHL Eastern Conference wild-card spot The Flyers didn’t get a ton of goals but all they needed was one as they beat the New Jersey Devils, 1-0. The victory keeps the Flyers still...

APRIL 14 • INQUIRER.COM

Flyers keep playoff push alive with win over Devils Travis Konecny scored his NHL-best sixth short-handed goal midway through the second period and the Philadelphia Flyers kept their playoff c...

APRIL 14 • SACBEE.COM

Flyers shut out Devils to move into 2nd wild card in East | NHL.com Ersson makes 20 saves, Konecny scores short-handed for Philadelphia

APRIL 14 • NHL.COM