Jack Hughes, Devils Stars Take on Rangers | PREVIEW

NEW JERSEY DEVILS (1-0-0) vs NEW YORK RANGERS (0-0-0)

New Jersey plays its second and final home preseason game at Prudential Center tonight. Puck drop is 7:08 p.m. ET.

Read below for your game preview presented by Eleven Media and check back for the pre-game story.

MORNING SKATE RECAP

NEWARK, NJ - The Devils will get their first game look at a pair of new additions alongside their established offensive core when they host the New York Rangers tonight at Prudential Center.

Luke Evangelista will skate with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, while Anthony Mantha joins Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt as New Jersey dresses much of its NHL lineup for the second game of the preseason.

With a shortened exhibition schedule, Hischier wants the group to settle into its game quickly.

“It’s important to be dialed in right away because there’s not much time to get going here,” Hischier said.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe wants to see the structure the Devils have worked on in camp begin to show up in game action. For the players, tonight offers a chance to regain their timing, build game conditioning and get comfortable with the flow of line changes and special teams.

That chemistry will involve all five skaters working together, and Keefe cautioned against drawing too many conclusions from the first game for much of his NHL group.

“It’s not going to happen overnight. I’m not going to overanalyze anything that happens in today’s game,” Keefe said.

AN IMMEDIATE ROLE FOR EVANGELISTA

Evangelista’s opportunity will extend to the power play, where his right-handed shot gives the Devils another option for moving the puck and creating chances.

Keefe said the staff studied Evangelista’s work on Nashville’s top unit, including his ability to move between different spots. He also pointed to Evangelista’s hands around the net, his scoring below the hash marks and his willingness to recover pucks.

“He can distribute the puck to our shooters, to our finishers. But he’s got some grease to his game, too, below the goal line to win a puck back,” Keefe said.

The Devils intend to give their new forward a meaningful role immediately.

“We want him to be important. We want to give him a good opportunity from the get-go here,” Keefe said.

Hischier has liked what he has seen from Evangelista alongside him and Meier during the opening days of camp.

“I think he’s a very smart player that can finish chances but also create,” Hischier said. “I’m just excited to play with him, and it’ll be fun.”

PESCE BACK IN ACTION

For Brett Pesce, tonight's game carries significance beyond the usual preseason preparation.

The defenseman will play for the first time since March 3, returning alongside Luke Hughes after a lengthy absence from game action.

“Some jitters, some nerves, excitement, preseason or not,” Pesce said. “Like you said, it’s been a while for myself to get into a game and play with Luke, so it should be exciting.”

Pesce said returning with so many of the Devils’ regulars should help the group establish its systems and pace with limited time before the regular season. For him, simply feeling healthy and preparing to play again has been a welcome change.

“Just to be around the guys healthy, feeling good, it’s awesome,” Pesce said. “And I kind of forgot what it felt like to be around here and get ready for a game, so it’s cool.”

GETTING READY TO PLAY

Keefe expects the competition for spots and minutes to continue well beyond the opening week of camp.

With the quick transition from preseason to regular season, he said the immediate priority is preparing the players for what comes next.

“Right now, it’s just about getting the players ready to play meaningful games,” Keefe said.

“I’d be lying if we’re making any real concrete decisions based on one week of training camp. That would be silly.”

TONIGHT'S LINEUPS

Jake Allen will play the first period, with Nico Daws taking over for the second and third.

Beyond the top two forward lines, Evan Rodrigues will center Arseny Gritsyuk and Dawson Mercer. Jesper Boqvist and Stefan Noesen will flank Marc McLaughlin.

Jonas Siegenthaler will skate with Dougie Hamilton, while Topias Vilen and Mikael Diotte complete the defense.

The Rangers bring a younger group featuring Liam Greentree, Adam Sykora, Dylan Roobroeck and Matt Rempe. Former Devils Justin Dowling and Dennis Cholowski are also in the lineup, with Dylan Garand and Callum Tung listed in goal.

DEVILS EXPECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Mantha - J. Hughes - Bratt
Meier - Hischier - Evangelista
Gritsyuk - Rodrigues - Mercer
Boqvist - McLaughlin - Noesen

Defense

L. Hughes - Pesce
Siegenthaler - Hamilton
Vilen - Diotte

Goaltenders

Allen (first period)
Daws (second and third periods)

RANGERS EXPECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Parssinen - Dowling - Sykora
Blidh - Gawdin - Greentree
Aspinall - Roobroeck - Lamb
Battaglia - Terrance - Rempe

Defense

Robertson - Morrow
Fortescue - Iorio
Vaakanainen - Cholowski

Goaltenders

Garand
Tung

THE SCOOP

The Devils will turn to many of their established NHL players Monday night when they host a younger Rangers group at Prudential Center. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier and Luke Hughes are among those set to make their preseason debuts after sitting out Sunday's opener against the Islanders.

New Jersey opened its preseason with a 2-1 win over the Islanders. Ryan Schmelzer and Connor Brown scored, with Brown supplying the winner. Game recap

Jack Hughes will center Anthony Mantha and Bratt, while Hischier lines up between Meier and Luke Evangelista.

Arseny Gritsyuk, Evan Rodrigues and Dawson Mercer make up the third line, with Jesper Boqvist and Stefan Noesen flanking Marc McLaughlin on the fourth.

On defense, Luke Hughes will skate alongside Brett Pesce, while Jonas Siegenthaler partners with Dougie Hamilton. Topias Vilen and Mikael Diotte round out the blue line.

Head coach Sheldon Keefe confirmed Sunday that Jake Allen and Nico Daws will split the game in goal.

The Rangers open their preseason with a lineup that gives several prospects an opportunity against New Jersey's NHL core. Liam Greentree will skate with Anton Blidh and Glenn Gawdin, while Dylan Roobroeck centers Nathan Aspinall and Brody Lamb.

Former Devil Justin Dowling will center Adam Sýkora and Juuso Pärssinen. Jacob Battaglia, Carey Terrance and Matt Rempe round out the forward group.

On defense, Matthew Robertson is paired with Scott Morrow, Urho Vaakanainen with former Devil Dennis Cholowski, and Drew Fortescue with Vincent Iorio. William Trudeau is also listed on New York's roster.

Dylan Garand and Callum Tung are the Rangers' listed goaltenders.

WHO TO WATCH

Devils: Tonight will be Luke Evangelista's first (preseason) game in a Devils uniform and it gives fans a chance to see how he looks, particularly alongside Timo Meier and Nico Hischier. Anthony Mantha is also going to debut, both on a line with Jesper Bratt and Jack Hughes and with significant power play time. 

Rangers: Liam Greentree, acquired from Los Angeles in the Artemi Panarin trade, gets an early test against several of the Devils’ top players tonight. The 20-year-old winger scored 38 goals and 74 points in 52 games with Windsor (OHL) last season and will skate alongside Anton Blidh and Glenn Gawdin. Nathan Aspinall also brings an intriguing combination of size and scoring ability. The 6-foot-6 forward recorded 94 points in 65 games with Flint (OHL) last season.

INJURIES

Devils:

• Nick Bjugstad: Recovering from surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle.
• Johnathan Kovacevic: Rehabbing following an offseason right-knee procedure. Injury report

Rangers:

• Matthew Robertson: Back on the ice after a facial injury.
• Cole Beaudoin: Participating fully after an earlier injury designation

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

• March 7 vs. NY Rangers, W 6-3
• March 18 at NY Rangers, W 6-3
• March 31 at NY Rangers, L 4-1

GAME NOTES

• The Devils play the second half of a back-to-back Monday night after opening their preseason schedule Sunday afternoon against the New York Islanders.
• The Devils and Rangers will meet twice in a four-day span, with the clubs facing off again Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
• New Jersey and New York split their two preseason meetings last year. The Rangers earned a 5-3 win at Prudential Center before the Devils responded with a 3-1 victory at Madison Square Garden.
• New Jersey finished the 2025 preseason with a 3-2-2 record, while the Rangers went 2-3-1.
• The Devils' power play finished second in the NHL during the 2025 preseason at 33.3% (8-for-24). The Rangers converted at 23.1% (3-for-13).
• Including the preseason, the Devils and Rangers are scheduled to meet six times in 2026-27. The clubs play twice during the preseason and four times during the regular season under the NHL’s new 84-game scheduling format.