Capitals vs. the Metro: Devils Added More Skill in 2024 Offseason

The Washington Capitals kick off their 2024-25 regular season against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, October 12. Last season’s Devils squad disappointedly declined from their success during the 2022-23 campaign. They finished with a record of 38-39-5 for a total of 81 points. The team was ranked seventh out of eight in the Metropolitan Division. Only the Columbus Blue Jackets were ranked worse. The Devils will be looking to bounce back from the 2023-24 season’s calamity. They will be doing it with quite a few new faces in the fold.

New Jersey Devils’ 2024 Offseason Additions

New Jersey’s changes this offseason start at the head coaching position. The 2023-24 campaign was split between longtime bench boss Lindy Ruff and interim Travis Green. Green was not brought back as the permanent coach. He became head coach with the Ottawa Senators. Replacing Green behind the bench is Sheldon Keefe, formerly of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Keefe was not the only addition the Devils made. General manager Tom Fitzgerald swung a big deal with the Calgary Flames to land goalie Jacob Markstrom. The 2023-24 season was weird in net for New Jersey. They started the campaign with netminders Vitek Vanecek, Akira Schmid, and Nico Daws. Fitzgerald brought in Jake Allen and Kaapo Kahkonen through trades midway through the season. Now, with Markstrom, Fitzgerald has again taken a shot at getting the next number-one goalie for the Devils. Markstrom and Allen are the tandem between the pipes for New Jersey heading into 2024-25.

Jacob Markstrom, shown here playing for the Calgary Flames, will be the new goalie for the New Jersey Devils in 2024-25.

The Devils also signed defender Brett Pesce to a six-year contract worth $33 million. Pesce spent his entire NHL career with the Carolina Hurricanes. Carolina drafted him in 2013, and he was a key piece of their blue line for many seasons. His career-high while with the Hurricanes offensively happened in 2022-23. In 82 games, Pesce scored five goals and 25 assists for 30 points. Last season, he tallied three goals and 10 assists for 13 points.

Now, Pesce joins a New Jersey defense that includes Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, and Jonas Siegenthaler. He reunites with Hamilton from their time together on the Hurricanes.

Fitzgerald added more than Pesce on the backend though. They also signed blueliner Brenden Dillon to a three-year, $12 million. Last season for the Winnipeg Jets, he scored eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points in 77 games.

2023-24 Season Series

The Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils played each other four times during the 2023-24 season. The first matchup between both sides occurred on October 25. The Capitals won an offensive explosion, 6-4. They got solid offense from Dylan Strome, who had two of the six tallies. The other Washington goals came from Sonny Milano, Anthony Mantha, Connor McMichael, and Alex Ovechkin.

The second game in this regular season series was on November 10. The Capitals also took this game, this time by a score of 4-2. Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Beck Malenstyn, and two goals by Evgeny Kuznetsov got Washington the victory. The two Devils tallies were from Timo Meier and Dawson Mercer.

The third and fourth games both took place at Capital One Arena. The third matchup occurred on January 3. The Devils got their only win over Washington by a final score of 6-3. They got their offensive output from three different forwards. Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, and Michael McLeod all had two goals each. The fourth and last of the season series, like the first two games, went in the Capitals’ favor. Washington won 6-2 on February 20. Connor McMichael and Alex Ovechkin each had two goals, while Washington also got contributions from Dylan Strome and Michael Sgarbossa.

2024-25 Capitals-Devils Matchups

Washington and New Jersey face off against one another a total of four times. All four matchups are all before the month of December even begins. They first meet at Capital One Arena for Washington’s home opener on Saturday, October 12 at 7:00 P.M. Then, both sides take their division rivalry over to Prudential Center on October 19 for a 7:00 P.M. showdown. The third battle between both franchises is on November 23 in D.C. That puck drop is also at 7:00 P.M. The final game between both sides is on November 30 in New Jersey for a 7:00 P.M. bout.

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin watches a replay of a goal scored by New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

The Devils had a disappointing 2023-24 campaign. They made some key adjustments, both behind the bench and throughout the roster. It will be intriguing how New Jersey plays for Keefe in his first season as the team’s head coach. New acquisitions like Markstrom and Pesce will be X-factors in how this team improves. The offense will be carried by guys like Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer (who just got a contract extension), and Jesper Bratt. I think there is a good chance they are more of a problem in the Metropolitan Division this season than last. If they get on a roll, it could be a serious issue for other clubs like the Capitals.