Jack Hughes has the talent to carry a contender, and Sheldon Keefe is the coach who needs to prove he can build one around him.
New Jersey enters 2026-27 with a new voice running the front office, and pressure already sitting on the bench.
The Devils missed the playoffs in 2025-26, finishing 42-37-3 for 87 points, good for just 21st overall in a weak conference.
That's the kind of season that gets a coach's name mentioned in trade winds, and Keefe's is already circulating.
John Tortorella is the name attached to that speculation, the shock option a new GM could reach for if the start goes sideways.
Keefe is entering his third season behind New Jersey's bench, and the Metropolitan Division isn't strong enough to excuse another miss.
Jack Hughes still put up 77 points in just 61 games last season, elite production even in a year that ended outside the playoffs.
New Devils GM Sunny Mehta inherits a win-now core
Sunny Mehta steps in as the new voice in New Jersey's front office, and he inherits a roster that's already built to win now.
Jesper Bratt added 71 points in 82 games, and Nico Hischier chipped in 66 points across a full season on the wing beside him.
Luke Hughes, still just 22, posted 35 points from the back end, the kind of number that should keep climbing as he matures.
None of that stopped New Jersey from watching the playoffs from home, and that's exactly why Keefe's seat feels warm before camp even opens.
The goaltending picture adds to the uncertainty. Jake Allen posted a .903 save percentage last season, and David Rittich sat behind him at .894.
Would a coaching change actually fix what ails this group? Tortorella's teams play a completely different identity than what Keefe has built here.
If Mehta wants a jolt instead of patience, Tortorella is sitting right there as the alternative. Keefe just has to make sure that decision never gets made.
Should the Devils fire Sheldon Keefe for John Tortorella if the season starts slow?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Montreal Canadiens catch everyone off guard with surprise trade
