Venue: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan
Puck drop: 6:00 p.m. ET
TV/Stream: ESPN (national), SN+ (Canada/regional options)
Both teams are off to slow starts in the Eastern Conference. New Jersey is wrapping up a back-to-back after a 4-1 home loss to Ottawa on Monday. Detroit is rested (last played Saturday, a 1-0 shootout loss at Montreal) and looking to climb out of the early cellar in the Atlantic Division.
Recent Team Forms
New Jersey Devils (2-3-0): Inconsistent under Sheldon Keefe. Wins include a 4-1 victory over Vancouver and an OT win over Philadelphia, but losses to Utah, the Islanders (shutout), and Ottawa have exposed defensive and special-teams issues. Jack Hughes leads with 5 points (1G-4A). Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Luke Evangelista, and Luke Hughes have contributed. The Devils generate high shot volume (among the league leaders) but convert poorly and allow too many goals against (~3.5 GAA early). Penalty kill has struggled (~63-68%).
Detroit Red Wings (1-3-1): Also struggling under Todd McLellan. Sole regulation win was a 5-3 home victory over Ottawa; other results include losses to the Rangers, Jets, Kraken, and a shootout loss at Montreal. Alex DeBrincat (5 points) and Viktor Arvidsson (4 points, including 3 goals) lead the offense. Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin (limited by injury earlier) provide secondary production. Shot generation is strong, but finishing and goaltending have been issues. Penalty kill ranks near the bottom.
Injury Reports
Devils:
Nick Bjugstad (pectoral) – LTIR, out until ~January
Seamus Casey (knee) – IR, 8-10 weeks
Connor Brown (lower body) – IR, expected mid-October
Luke Evangelista (illness) – day-to-day (played or expected recently)
Johnathan Kovacevic (knee) – activated/available or day-to-day
Red Wings:
Marco Kasper (upper body) – IR, expected ~Oct. 20
Mason Appleton (undisclosed) – IR, expected late October
J.T. Compher (undisclosed) – IR, possible return around this game
Simon Edvinsson (contract/out) – out longer-term
Both clubs are missing depth forwards and some defensive pieces; cores remain largely intact.
Current Rosters & Projected Lineups
Devils forwards (recent): Meier – Hischier – Evangelista; Bratt – Jack Hughes – Mantha; Gritsyuk – Rodrigues – Mercer; Lombardi – Glass – Boqvist.
Defense: Luke Hughes – Pesce; Siegenthaler – Hamilton; Dillon – Chisholm (Kovacevic available).
Goalie: Jake Allen projected/probable on the B2B (Daws started Monday).
Red Wings forwards (recent projections): Arvidsson – Larkin – Raymond; Brandsegg-Nygård/Finnie – DeBrincat; Rasmussen – Copp – Kolesar; depth with Danielson/Mazur.
Defense: Johansson – Seider; Chiarot – Faulk/Sandin-Pellikka; others.
Goalie: John Gibson projected/probable.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Jack Hughes / Jesper Bratt / Nico Hischier vs. Moritz Seider – Albert Johansson (and Detroit top pair): Hughes’ speed and playmaking against Seider’s elite two-way ability and physical presence.
Alex DeBrincat / Lucas Raymond / Dylan Larkin vs. Luke Hughes – Brett Pesce: Detroit’s skill forwards against New Jersey’s young, mobile defense pair.
Goaltending: Jake Allen (Devils, B2B) vs. John Gibson (Red Wings, rested). Rest advantage leans Detroit.
Special teams: Both PKs have been poor early; the team that cleans that up first gains a big edge. Power plays are middling.
Secondary: Timo Meier’s physical net-front game vs. Detroit’s structure; DeBrincat’s shot volume against New Jersey’s high-event style.
Series History
The all-time series is nearly even (Devils roughly 56-59-11-1 overall in long-term trackers). Recent years have been competitive with splits and close games. Detroit has had some home success, while New Jersey has posted strong road results at times. They meet multiple times annually as non-division Eastern foes; no major recent dominance.
Betting Trends
Both teams have struggled to score consistently early, supporting lower totals. Public money often splits or leans the higher-shot team (Devils). Home underdogs with rest frequently attract value.
This is a classic early-season “ugly” game between two struggling teams where rest and home ice give Detroit the slight nod.
Game Odds
New Jersey Devils 6
Detroit Red Wings – 109
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, October 12, 2026
