As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2025-26 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the New Jersey Devils:
1. High-danger prowess
The Devils had four players among the forward leaders in high-danger shots on goal last season, including two in the top 10 at the position: Nico Hischier (93; eighth), Stefan Noesen (92; 10th), Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer (62 each; 89th percentile). Each player's ability to get to the front of the net led to New Jersey combining for 632 high-danger shots on goal last season, eighth most in the League. In terms of high-danger goals, Hischier (23; tied for sixth), Noesen and Jack Hughes (15 each; 89th percentile) ranked highly across the NHL.
Hischier led the Devils with a career-high 35 goals and joined his teammate, Meier, as the only Switzerland-born players in NHL history to have multiple 30-goal seasons. Hischier also became the third Devils player in the past 20 seasons to have multiple hat tricks in one season, joining Tyler Toffoli (two in 2023-24) and Ilya Kovalchuk (two in 2011-12).
After finishing above the League average (.803) in high-danger save percentage during the regular season (.810), goalie Jacob Markstrom led the category during the Stanley Cup Playoffs (.911 in five games). Markstrom and backup Jake Allen (NHL-best .938 midrange save percentage during regular season), who signed a five-year contract as an unrestricted free agent to remain with the Devils this offseason, give New Jersey one of the best tandems entering the season.
2. Power-play offensive zone time percentage
New Jersey ranked tied for seventh in the NHL in offensive zone time percentage on the power play last season (59.8). The Devils ranked third on the power play (28.2 percent; franchise single-season record) during the regular season behind only the Winnipeg Jets (28.9) and Vegas Golden Knights (28.3).
Six different Devils skaters had at least five power-play goals last season, tied for the most in the NHL (others with six: Jets, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche), led by Hischier (14) and Noesen (11). It was the first time since 2017-18 that New Jersey teammates each scored at least 10 power-play goals in the same season (Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri).
While the Devils dealt with numerous injuries to key players toward the end of the regular season and into the playoffs, returning standouts for New Jersey in terms of power-play offensive zone time percentage (percentage of time the puck spends in offensive zone while player is on ice and game clock is running), should make for one of the NHL's best units again this season (percentiles at position listed below):
• Nico Hischier: 63.5 (93rd percentile)
• Jesper Bratt: 63.2 (91st percentile)
• Stefan Noesen: 63.1 (90th percentile)
• Jack Hughes: 62.8 (89th percentile)
• Dougie Hamilton: 62.7 (95th percentile; tied for fifth among defensemen)
