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Devils Olympians: Who Has the Most to Gain—and Lose?
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- Devils Olympians: Who Has the Most to Gain—and Lose?
The New Jersey Devils ' season is all but over. However, their Olympic season's have just begun. And although it's a quick turnaround, there's plenty of runway ahead in the international games. So, which of the seven Devils have the most to gain and the most to lose while in Milan.
The Olympics have always been coined a best-on-best tournament. Russia isn't in the games due to off-ice politics this year. However, the best available players in the world for each country are still suiting up for their respective nation.
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Unless you're Jason Robertson or Cole Caufield .
I digress.
The Devils have seven Olympians in Milan competeing for gold. Day one has already padded the stock of Slovakian and Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky .
So, where do the seven Devils fall in terms of their stocks rising or falling?
Most to Gain
Simon Nemec
Simon Nemec already has a victory under his belt, helping Slovakia upset Finland on the first day of men's international play. He dished a primary assist on Slafkovsky's second goal to help upset Finland in an impressive 4-1 victory.
Playing in a top pair, No.1 role for Slovakia, Nemec has the most to gain in his current situation.
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Back in New Jersey , the Devils defenseman has had his ups and downs in 2025-26. He's seemingly found the clutch gene, scoring numerous game tying or breaking goals in big situations. Yet, he's taken criticism on the other side of the puck and was nicked up on the sideline for a bit.
Yet, against Finland, Nemec went toe-to-toe with their best in a shutdown role, looked poised in his own end while defending, transitioned the puck with confidence, made great first passes, and simply looked like the second overall pick New Jersey hoped he would be.
In fact, only Miro Heiskanen skated in more minutes than Nemec in Wednesday's tilt.
With no one in front of him on the depth chart, Nemec is asserting himself as a dominant international player. It could open the Devils brass' eyes enough to test him in an elevated role when the NHL schedule resumes. Especially if Luke Hughes doesn't return and Dougie Hamilton potentially on the move.
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And if for whatever reason, the Devils decide to move Nemec in a trade, it should net a significant return.
Jacob Markstrom
We all saw the performance of Filip Gustavsson against Italy, right? He gave up two goals on four shots and had Sweden on the brink of detriment had the scale tipped in the other direction.
Now, the Minnesota Wild goaltender eventually settled down for Sweden. However, should he falter again, Sweden could opt for another goaltender in a short tournament like this.
Well, Jacob Markstrom was the backup for Gustavsson on Wednesday, seemingly making him second on the depth chart over Jesper Wallstadt. And on Thursday at Sweden's practice, he was in his own net. It looks like he'll get the next start.
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Markstrom factoring into any success for Sweden could have positive ramifications for him and the Devils.
First, he could return to New Jersey with a restored sense of confidence. If so, perhaps he returns to the form that earned him ink a two-year extension that kicks in on July 1st to remain New Jersey's No.1 backstop, even if he hasn't been that goaltender for the Devils.
And second, a hot goaltender can steal games. It would take a miracle and a bit of luck, but a rejuvinated Markstrom can propel the Devils back to the playoffs to put an ease on what's been an otherwise disaterous season.
Don't hold your breath on that one, but hey, the Olympics are where miracles are born.
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Jonas Siegenthaler
Switzerland dropped the puck earlier this morning and defeated France in a 4-0 victory.
Jonas Siegenthaler didn't factor on the scoresheet, but was a reliable defensive presence in his own end the way Devils fans know he can be.
The Devils defenseman is being deployed on first pair duties alongside Roman Josi . It's not too different a role he played with Hamilton when he and Siegenthaler were stapled to eachother as the top pair in New Jersey.
Siegenthaler is the shutdown defenseman, while the Nashville Predators captain is the two-way blueliner with offensive upside.
The Devils defenseman has a lot to gain here. With New Jersey's season all but over, he's either coming back next season to play the same top-four on a re-tooled roster, potentially with new management and coaching staff.
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Or, his stock could rise to the point that playoff-bound teams could covet his services now.
Siegenthaler has two seasons remaining on his contract with a very digestible $3.4 million cap hit. He does own a 10-team no-trade list, but that's an easier hurdle than Ondrej Palat 's 10-team trade list was.
A positive, eye-opening performance from Siegenthaler could see him competeing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring for an inquiring team. If the Devils are out of it and need to re-tool, well, he's not part of the core and is a valuable complimentary piece. The Devils can move on from him in an offer they can't refuse.
Most to Lose
Nico Hischier
There's not a ton on the line here for the Devils captain.
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Nico Hischier is seemingly the only Devil trying to salvage New Jersey's season. He's also the only one who seems to step up in the absence of the Devils' superstar.
A good performance from Hischier will only reinforce what we already know about him. He's an elite two-way forward with plus defensive tools and has the capabilites to score 30 goals.
Whatever the Devils' direction is at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, they're not trading him.
However, if Hischier has a tough tournament, it could impact the view on his leadership. Although this isn't the case in the Devils' locker room as Hischier has the utmost respect of each and every player, some have questioned his leadership ability away from the ice.
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Hischier isn't under the microscope in Milan, anyway. He could either stand out, or go unnoticed, and not much would change for him for the remainder of the NHL season.
Timo Meier
A lot could change for Timo Meier , however. If the Devils are going to reevaluate their roster this summer, Meier could be on the chopping block should he not raise his stock.
Meier signed in New Jersey and became the highest-paid forward in June 2023. Yet, the returns on that investment have been disappointing.
Meier is a one-time 40-goal scorer with multiple 30-goal seasons under his belt. Unfortunately, he's not been that player in New Jersey, and often goes missing when the Devils need goal scoring most.
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He has the raw tools and talent to be their best player on any given night. It's a matter of which player is showing up and it's too often the one who can't find the scoresheet.
A strong tournament could have the same effect for Meier as it could for Markstrom. Meier can be a difference maker for the Devils down the stretch and he typically does well in the month of March.
He's off to a strog start already, netting two goals in Switzerland's first matchup against France.
A standout Olympic tournament and finish to the 2025-26 season for Meier regardless of the outcome could make or break his Devils future.
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Jesper Bratt
It's been a disappointing season for Jesper Bratt . Sure, he's second on the Devils in points with 13 goals and 41 points, just one point behind Hischier for the team lead.
However, he's typically a candidate to step up when the Devils franchise face becomes injured. Yet, that hasn't been the case this season.
He's on pace for his lowest point total since 2020-21 with just 59 points in 82 games amid the Devils' team-wide struggles.
Yet, a big tournament from Bratt would raise his stock, proving he can be a standout among the best of the best.
If he falters, however, it would reinforce the narrative that he perhaps doesn't have what it takes to be a driver and a big-game player.
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No one is questioning Bratt's skill. He's an elite offensive playmaker with a scoring touch that's seen him eclipse 30 goals.
However, a big-game identity is on the line here. If he goes unnoticed in the games, Bratt's stock will continue to fall.
Jack Hughes
Of the group who has the most to lose, perhaps no one has more on the line in Milan than Jack Hughes .
At last year's 4 Nations Face-Off, Jack was a top-six player next to Auston Matthews and Jake Guentzel . This year at the Olympics, he's a fourth liner.
Yes, Team USA is STACKED. However, Jack—a former consensus first overall pick—has all the talent in the world to be among America's best players.
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It's his body that keeps him out of the conversation and lower on the depth chart.
Two injuries for Jack kept him out of the Devils' lineup this season for significant time. He's still scoring at a point per-game pace. However, hasn't nearly looked like the difference maker he can be since returning after a six-week hiatus in December. As a result, the Devils' season has plummeted.
Now in Milan, Jack has a boatload to prove. Can he hack it in a close-quarters game that is going to be overly physical?
History suggests perhaps that's not his strength. And, in fact, there's little confidence he won't suffer yet another injur setback.
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A standout performance by the Devils' franchise face, however, would certainly skyrocket his stock. It would restore confidence in the Devils faithful as a player who New Jersey can build a team around. It would restore faith in Devils mnagement in the same way. And it very well may even restore USA management's confidence in Jack as a world class player who can make a difference for them during international play.
He is, after all, just 24 years old, and will play in the World Cup of Hockey, and likely the next Olympic games in four years—if he's the player everyone thinks he can be.
Jack has to prove a few things. First, that he can stay on the ice healthily. Second, that he can be a difference maker by elevating his linemates as an elite playmaker. And third, he has to prove he can find a way to stay strong on pucks and not allow the physical elementof the Olympics to make him a non-factor.
If he can't do that, the confidence in Jack to be a difference maker in the big moment will take a significant hit, especially after the 4 Nations Face-Off when he went largely unnoticed.
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