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Nichols’ Notes: Devils Disappointment, Jack Hughes Frustrated
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- Nichols’ Notes: Devils Disappointment, Jack Hughes Frustrated
Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Certainly, it's not easy to digest the kind of loss the New Jersey Devils suffered on Thursday. It's a self-inflicted wound. Perhaps their $6 million goaltender shouldn't have started his seventh game in a row. Perhaps, the defense should have given him better support. And perhaps they shouldn't have waited until the last 10 minutes of the game to give it a real push.
However, all of that happened, and they ultimately lost to a team that sold their best players by the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, and are in the running for the worst team in the NHL. That's demoralizing, even with the way the Devils' season has gone.
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After the game, Jack Hughes was clearly frustrated. It's the first time since the Olympic break we've seen him like that. That reaction from the locker room is linked below.
Elsewhere, this summer's diluted free agency, Toronto willing to listen on William Nylander , and post-deadline trades.
Devils Trade Rumors & News
New Jersey Hockey Now:It's hardly Devils-related news, but do you remember when Evgenii Dadonov was illegally traded by the Ottawa Senators to the Vegas Golden Knights —which was ultimately canceled? Yeah, we'll the NHL has reviewed Ottawa's appeal. More inside on the punishment to the Senators.
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Last night was a good night to be an ex-Devil. Two of them beat Jacob Markstrom en route to New Jersey's embarassing loss to the Calgary Flames .
Here's Jack Hughes after the game spilling his frustrations with a few things, including the Devils' lack of scoring ability, from the locker room.
📺 Devils Rink Report: Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils certainly got away from what their strengths were in the 2022-23 season that made them so successful. It's not too late to fix, however. And, no, I don't mean in 2025-26. But, moving forward, the Devils can return to form and get back to what saw them explode a few seasons ago. I dive into how on the latest Devils Rink Report .
Full episode here 👇🏼 Watch the full Devils Rink Report here:
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NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: Here's why the already thin crop of pending unrestricted free agents this summer could become even more diluted with potential upcoming contract extensions.
If the Devils are going to retool, it will have to be through trade.
Boston Hockey Now: The 2026 NHL Trade Deadline has passed, but the AHL deadline did not. The Boston Bruins and Nashville Predators engaged in a minor league swap yesterday.
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San Jose Hockey Now: EBUG alert! The San Jose Sharks signed Kyle Chauvette—who tends the net for the University of New Hampshire—to fill in for the injured Yarslov Askarok, backing up Alex Nedeljkovic .
Toronto Hockey Now: Are the Toronto Maple Leafs willing to listen on William Nylander in a potential trade? One insider thinks they are.
Forever Blueshirts: Here's how the Adam Fox conundrum hangs over the head of the New York Rangers retool.
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