2021–22 New Jersey Devils season

The 2021–22 New Jersey Devils season was the 48th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 11, 1974, and 40th season since the franchise relocated from Colorado prior to the 1982–83 NHL season. Before the season, the Devils lost Nathan Bastian to the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL expansion draft, but reacquired him in on November 25, 2021.

On March 31, 2022, following an 8–1 loss to the Boston Bruins, the Devils were eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth consecutive season.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason The preseason schedule was published on July 27, 2021. The Devils' game against the New York Islanders on October 7, 2021, was cancelled due to a power outage at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. 2021 preseason game log: 4–1–0 (home: 2–0–0; road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 29 New Jersey 5–4 Washington Daws 13,012 1–0–0 2 October 1 NY Rangers 1–7 New Jersey Bernier 10,474 2–0–0 3 October 2 New Jersey 2–1 NY Islanders OT Wedgewood — 3–0–0 4 October 4 Washington 1–4 New Jersey Blackwood 4,563 4–0–0 5 October 6 New Jersey 2–6 NY Rangers Bernier 10,468 4–1–0 — October 7 NY Islanders – New Jersey Cancelled due to a power outage at the arenaNotes: Game was played at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Regular season The regular season schedule was published on July 22, 2021, with only about a handful of games scheduled in February because NHL players were planning to participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics. However, on December 22, the NHL announced that its players would not participate in the 2022 Winter Olympics due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 2021–22 game logOctober: 4–2–1 (home: 3–2–1; road: 1–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 15 Chicago 3–4 New Jersey OT Bernier 16,514 1–0–0 2 2 October 19 Seattle 2–4 New Jersey Bernier 13,806 2–0–0 4 3 October 21 Washington 4–1 New Jersey Wedgewood 12,377 2–1–0 4 4 October 23 Buffalo 1–2 New Jersey OT Daws 13,158 3–1–0 6 5 October 26 Calgary 5–3 New Jersey Wedgewood 10,631 3–2–0 6 6 October 30 New Jersey 4–2 Pittsburgh Bernier 17,452 4–2–0 8 7 October 31 Columbus 4–3 New Jersey SO Wedgewood 10,239 4–2–1 9 November: 5–5–3 (home: 3–2–1; road: 2–3–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 8 November 2 New Jersey 0–4 Anaheim Bernier 13,252 4–3–1 9 9 November 5 New Jersey 2–3 Los Angeles OT Blackwood 16,045 4–3–2 10 10 November 6 New Jersey 3–2 San Jose SO Bernier 12,019 5–3–2 12 11 November 9 Florida 3–7 New Jersey Blackwood 10,627 6–3–2 14 12 November 11 NY Islanders 0–4 New Jersey Blackwood 13,816 7–3–2 16 13 November 13 Boston 5–2 New Jersey Bernier 16,514 7–4–2 16 14 November 14 New Jersey 3–4 NY Rangers SO Bernier 16,130 7–4–3 17 — November 16 New Jersey – Ottawa Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to December 6 15 November 18 New Jersey 1–4 Florida Blackwood 12,157 7–5–3 17 16 November 20 New Jersey 5–3 Tampa Bay Blackwood 19,092 8–5–3 19 17 November 24 Minnesota 3–2 New Jersey SO Blackwood 14,763 8–5–4 20 18 November 26 New Jersey 2–4 Nashville Bernier 17,159 8–6–4 20 19 November 28 Philadelphia 2–5 New Jersey Blackwood 13,113 9–6–4 22 20 November 30 San Jose 5–2 New Jersey Blackwood 13,492 9–7–4 22 December: 3–8–1 (home: 2–3–1; road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 21 December 2 New Jersey 2–5 Minnesota Blackwood 16,112 9–8–4 22 22 December 3 New Jersey 4–8 Winnipeg Bernier 13,844 9–9–4 22 23 December 6 Ottawa 3–2 New Jersey SO Blackwood 10,312 9–9–5 23 24 December 8 Philadelphia 0–3 New Jersey Blackwood 12,163 10–9–5 25 25 December 10 Nashville 3–2 New Jersey Blackwood 14,218 10–10–5 25 26 December 11 New Jersey 2–4 NY Islanders Schmid 17,255 10–11–5 25 27 December 14 New Jersey 1–6 Philadelphia Blackwood 18,594 10–12–5 25 28 December 16 Vegas 5–3 New Jersey Blackwood 12,724 10–13–5 25 29 December 18 New Jersey 2–5 Detroit Schmid 19,015 10–14–5 25 30 December 19 Pittsburgh 3–2 New Jersey Gillies 14,857 10–15–5 25 — December 21 New Jersey – Pittsburgh Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 24 — December 23 Montreal – New Jersey Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to April 7 — December 27 New Jersey – St. Louis Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 10 31 December 29 New Jersey 4–3 Buffalo Blackwood 11,511 11–15–5 27 32 December 31 Edmonton 5–6 New Jersey OT Blackwood 13,044 12–15–5 29 January: 3–9–0 (home: 2–3–0; road: 1–6–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 33 January 2 New Jersey 4–3 Washington OT Blackwood 18,573 13–15–5 31 34 January 4 New Jersey 3–5 Boston Blackwood 17,850 13–16–5 31 35 January 6 Columbus 1–3 New Jersey Blackwood 11,523 14–16–5 33 36 January 8 New Jersey 3–4 Columbus Blackwood 18,680 14–17–5 33 — January 10 Tampa Bay – New Jersey Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 15 37 January 13 New Jersey 2–3 NY Islanders Gillies 17,255 14–18–5 33 — January 15 New Jersey – Montreal Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; moved to February 8 — January 17 New Jersey – Toronto Postponed due to COVID-19 protocol; move to January 31 38 January 19 Arizona 4–1 New Jersey Blackwood 10,592 14–19–5 33 39 January 22 Carolina 4–7 New Jersey Gillies 13,657 15–19–5 35 40 January 23 Los Angeles 3–2 New Jersey Gillies 11,354 15–20–5 35 41 January 25 Dallas 5–1 New Jersey Schmid 10,382 15–21–5 35 42 January 27 New Jersey 2–3 Tampa Bay Gillies 19,092 15–22–5 35 43 January 29 New Jersey 1–2 Carolina Gillies 18,956 15–23–5 35 44 January 31 New Jersey 4–6 Toronto Schmid 500 15–24–5 35 February: 4–5–0 (home: 1–3–0; road: 3–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 45 February 1 Toronto 7–1 New Jersey Gillies 11,602 15–25–5 35 46 February 7 New Jersey 1–4 Ottawa Daws 500 15–26–5 35 47 February 8 New Jersey 7–1 Montreal Gillies 500 16–26–5 37 48 February 10 New Jersey 7–4 St. Louis Gillies 18,096 17–26–5 39 49 February 13 Pittsburgh 4–2 New Jersey Gillies 11,242 17–27–5 39 50 February 15 Tampa Bay 6–3 New Jersey Gillies 10,410 17–28–5 39 51 February 24 New Jersey 6–1 Pittsburgh Daws 18,057 18–28–5 41 52 February 25 New Jersey 5–8 Chicago Gillies 19,343 18–29–5 41 53 February 28 Vancouver 2–7 New Jersey Daws 11,693 19–29–5 43 March: 5–9–0 (home: 5–1–0; road: 0–8–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 54 March 1 New Jersey 3–4 Columbus Daws 13,678 19–30–5 43 55 March 4 New Jersey 1–3 NY Rangers Daws 18,006 19–31–5 43 56 March 6 St. Louis 2–3 New Jersey OT Daws 14,923 20–31–5 45 57 March 8 Colorado 3–5 New Jersey Daws 12,181 21–31–5 47 58 March 10 Winnipeg 2–1 New Jersey Daws 12,377 21–32–5 47 59 March 12 Anaheim 1–2 New Jersey SO Daws 14,783 22–32–5 49 60 March 15 New Jersey 3–6 Vancouver Daws 18,562 22–33–5 49 61 March 16 New Jersey 3–6 Calgary Daws 15,488 22–34–5 49 62 March 19 New Jersey 3–6 Edmonton Gillies 16,950 22–35–5 49 63 March 22 NY Rangers 4–7 New Jersey Daws 16,514 23–35–5 51 64 March 23 New Jersey 2–3 Toronto Daws 18,739 23–36–5 51 65 March 26 New Jersey 3–4 Washington Daws 18,573 23–37–5 51 66 March 27 Montreal 2–3 New Jersey SO Daws 12,080 24–37–5 53 67 March 31 New Jersey 1–8 Boston Daws 17,850 24–38–5 53 April: 3–8–4 (home: 0–6–2; road: 3–2–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 68 April 2 Florida 7–6 New Jersey OT Hammond 12,284 24–38–6 54 69 April 3 NY Islanders 4–3 New Jersey Daws 14,620 24–39–6 54 70 April 5 NY Rangers 3–1 New Jersey Daws 15,020 24–40–6 54 71 April 7 Montreal 7–4 New Jersey Hammond 10,435 24–41–6 54 72 April 9 New Jersey 3–1 Dallas Daws 18,127 25–41–6 56 73 April 12 New Jersey 6–2 Arizona Daws 8,679 26–41–6 58 74 April 14 New Jersey 1–3 Colorado Hammond 18,024 26–42–6 58 75 April 16 New Jersey 3–4 Seattle SO Daws 17,151 26–42–7 59 76 April 18 New Jersey 3–2 Vegas Hammond 18,077 27–42–7 61 77 April 21 Buffalo 5–2 New Jersey Hammond 12,014 27–43–7 61 78 April 23 Carolina 3–2 New Jersey OT Gillies 10,376 27–43–8 62 79 April 24 Detroit 3–0 New Jersey Hammond 11,492 27–44–8 62 80 April 26 New Jersey 4–5 Ottawa OT Blackwood 13,101 27–44–9 63 81 April 28 New Jersey 3–6 Carolina Hammond 18,040 27–45–9 63 82 April 29 Detroit 5–3 New Jersey Blackwood 14,597 27–46–9 63 Legend:

Player statistics As of May 1, 2022

Skaters Regular season Player 76 26 47 73 0 16 70 21 39 60 17 49 26 30 56 0 76 24 22 46 23 80 11 35 46 57 82 17 25 42 28 70 15 21 36 22 71 13 22 35 +4 30 76 15 15 30 22 62 9 21 30 34 75 6 22 28 24 56 10 13 23 10 77 5 17 22 82 77 6 14 20 52 66 5 15 20 22 57 6 11 17 10† 60 11 5 16 34 68 8 7 15 12 70 1 13 14 42 14 3 5 8 +5 0 7 3 1 4 +3 0 17 1 3 4 10 27 0 4 4 +2 8 9 1 1 2 0 2 5 1 1 2 2 9 0 2 2 2 17 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 25 0 0 0 77 3 0 0 0 4 8 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 11 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 25 23 1,271:32 10 11 1 66 3.11 617 .893 0 0 0 0 25 24 1,399:03 9 10 4 79 3.39 731 .892 2 0 0 0 10 8 510:06 4 4 1 26 3.06 264 .902 0 0 0 0† 19 14 940:59 3 10 1 59 3.76 511 .885 0 0 1 0† 7 7 386:18 1 5 1 30 4.66 214 .860 0 0 0 0 3 2 169:26 0 2 1 9 3.19 75 .880 0 0 0 0 6 4 235:59 0 4 0 19 4.83 114 .833 0 0 0 0

Awards and honors

Awards Regular season Player Award Date King Clancy Memorial Trophy June 7, 2022

Transactions The Devils have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To Colorado AvalancheMikhail MaltsevNYI's 2nd-round pick in 2021To New Jersey DevilsRyan Graves To San Jose SharksNick MerkleyTo New Jersey DevilsChristián Jaroš To Buffalo SabresWill Butcher5th-round pick in 2022To New Jersey DevilsFuture considerations To St. Louis BluesFuture considerationsTo New Jersey DevilsJon Gillies To Montreal CanadiensNate SchnarrTo New Jersey DevilsAndrew Hammond

Free agents Date Player Team Contract term Ref Jonathan Bernier from Detroit Red Wings 2-year Aaron Dell to Buffalo Sabres 1-year Dougie Hamilton from Carolina Hurricanes 7-year Matt Tennyson to Nashville Predators 2-year Brandon Gignac to Laval Rocket (AHL) 1-year Chase De Leo from Anaheim Ducks 1-year Brian Flynn from HC Ambrì-Piotta (NL) 1-year Joe Gambardella from Edmonton Oilers 2-year Robbie Russo from San Jose Barracuda (AHL) 2-year Brett Seney to Toronto Maple Leafs 1-year Ryan Murray to Colorado Avalanche 1-year Ben Street to EHC Red Bull München (DEL) 1-year Connor Carrick to Seattle Kraken 1-year Josh Jacobs to Carolina Hurricanes 1-year Tomáš Tatar from Montreal Canadiens 2-year Mason Jobst to Rochester Americans (AHL) 1-year Frédérik Gauthier from Arizona Coyotes 1-year Jimmy Vesey from Vancouver Canucks 1-year Evan Cormier to Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL) 1-year Brian Halonen from Michigan Tech Huskies (CCHA) 2-year

Waivers Date Player Team Ref Mason Geertsen from New York Rangers Scott Wedgewood to Arizona Coyotes Nathan Bastian from Seattle Kraken Marián Studenič to Dallas Stars

Contract terminations Date Player Via Ref Christián Jaroš Mutual termination

Signings Date Player Contract term Ref Jonas Siegenthaler 2-year Colton White 1-year Michael McLeod 2-year Christián Jaroš 1-year A. J. Greer 1-year Marián Studenič 1-year Yegor Sharangovich 2-year Janne Kuokkanen 2-year Chase Stillman 3-year Jack Hughes 8-year Shakir Mukhamadullin 3-year Topias Vilén 3-year

Draft picks

Below are the New Jersey Devils' selections at the 2021 NHL entry draft, which was held on July 23 and 24, 2021, in a remote format, with teams convening via videoconferencing, and Commissioner Gary Bettman announcing selections from the NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey.