New Jersey Devils Reveal Striking Black-and-Red Remix Jerseys for 2026-27

The New Jersey Devils beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in a shootout on November 3 at Prudential Center in Newark.

The result carried weight beyond two points.

Jack Hughes delivered a three-point night.

But the story gaining traction is about Connor Brown.

The veteran forward scored and added an assist.

He drew fresh praise from head coach Sheldon Keefe.

He caught the attention of beat reporters who are already thinking about April.

Brown's value, some argue, is exactly the kind of edge that separates contenders from pretenders come playoff time.

NJ.com Devils reporter Anthony Corona laid it out plainly on the "Speaking of the Devils" podcast after the Oilers win.

His argument: Brown is not just a roster filler.

He kills penalties.

He contributes on the power play.

He leads inside the locker room.

He delivers consistent production when inserted into the lineup.

Brown had been out with an injury and had only recently returned.

Yet within days he was already making the kind of plays that remind people why the Devils signed him.

Corona put it plainly: "Connor Brown has been celebrated by Sheldon Keefe. I feel like almost daily since he came into the lineup off of injury, like a week and a half ago or whenever it was. The guy just does it all."

That versatility is rare.

Most playoff rosters carry one or two players who genuinely fit anywhere.

They can absorb a tough defensive assignment one shift and then produce offensively the next.

Brown is that player for New Jersey.

He does the unglamorous work without complaint.

He has the experience to handle pressure when the margin for error shrinks in a seven-game series.

Corona traced Brown's arrival back to former general manager Tom Fitzgerald.

He credited Fitzgerald with one of his better roster-building moves before his dismissal in April 2026.

"Veteran leader in the room. Power play, penalty kill, just what a great player. One of Tom Fitzgerald's parting gifts, not the last one, but I would consider it his last grouping of moves," Corona said.

Fitzgerald spent over six years building the Devils' current core.

He oversaw the drafting and development of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt.

He made the trade for Dougie Hamilton.

He signed Vitek Vanecek.

He brought in Ondrej Palat.

But the move that may pay off most in the spring was the signing of Connor Brown.

Brown signed a one-year, $1.2 million contract with the Devils on July 1, 2026.

The deal was widely overlooked at the time.

Brown had spent the previous season with the Edmonton Oilers, recording 12 goals and 20 assists in 71 games.

He had also played for the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Washington Capitals.

In 649 career NHL games, Brown has 131 goals and 229 assists.

He has appeared in 41 playoff games, scoring 6 goals and adding 11 assists.

That experience is what the Devils are banking on.

The Devils currently sit at 10-5-0, good for 20 points and second place in the Metropolitan Division.

They have the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

Their penalty kill ranks sixth in the league at 84.2 percent.

Their power play is 13th at 22.5 percent.

Brown factors into both units.

His ability to kill penalties and contribute on the power play gives the Devils flexibility they did not have last season.

Last season, the Devils finished 38-39-5 and missed the playoffs.

They ranked 22nd in goals against per game.

They ranked 19th on the penalty kill.

They lacked depth forwards who could be trusted in high-leverage situations.

Brown addresses that weakness directly.

The Devils also addressed their goaltending situation.

They traded Remi Poirier to Washington on November 5 for a 2027 seventh-round pick.

Poirier had been claimed off waivers from Dallas earlier this season.

He never appeared in a game for the Devils.

He led the AHL with 52 appearances last season, going 27-19-6 with a .912 save percentage.

But the Devils already have Connor Hellebuyck in net.

Hellebuyck started against the Oilers and stopped 28 of 31 shots through regulation and overtime.

He then stopped three of four shootout attempts to secure the win.

The Devils also have Nico Daws and Akira Schmid as depth options in the system.

Moving Poirier clears a roster spot and recovers a draft pick.

It is a small move that reflects a larger philosophy: every roster spot matters when you are building for the playoffs.

The Devils host the St. Louis Blues on November 5 at Prudential Center.

Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM EST.

The Blues enter the game at 7-7-1.

They have lost three of their last four games.

They are dealing with injuries to defenseman Colton Parayko, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

This is the kind of game the Devils are expected to win.

But the real test will come in April.

That is when depth players like Connor Brown become essential.

The NHL playoffs are a grind.

Teams play a best-of-seven series four times to win the Stanley Cup.

Injuries accumulate.

Fatigue sets in.

Matchups become critical.

A player who can kill penalties, contribute on the power play, and provide leadership in the locker room is invaluable.

Brown has done all of that throughout his career.

He has played for four different teams.

He has been traded twice.

He has been a healthy scratch.

He has been a top-six forward.

He has been a bottom-six forward.

He has never complained.

That is the kind of player who wins playoff series.

The Devils have not won a playoff series since 2023.

That year, they reached the second round, losing to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

They have not won the Stanley Cup since 2003.

This roster is built to change that.

Jack Hughes is a Hart Trophy candidate.

Nico Hischier is a Selke Trophy candidate.

Jesper Bratt is a point-per-game player.

Dougie Hamilton is a Norris Trophy candidate.

Connor Hellebuyck is a Vezina Trophy winner.

But none of that matters without depth.

The Devils learned that lesson last season.

They were eliminated from playoff contention in March.

They lacked the depth to withstand injuries to key players.