blackhawks vs devils pits the New Jersey Devils (37-33-2) at the Chicago Blackhawks (27-33-13), a game framed by roster changes, recent results and postseason math that has shifted for both clubs.
Blackhawks Vs Devils: Projected Lineups and Injuries
- Chicago projected lines
- Ryan Greene — Connor Bedard — Frank Nazar
- Tyler Bertuzzi — Anton Frondell — Nick Lardis
- Andre Burakovsky — Ryan Donato — Ilya Mikheyev
- Teuvo Teravainen — Sacha Boisvert — Landon Slaggert
- Scratched: Sam Lafferty, Dominic Toninato
- Injured: Oliver Moore (lower body), Andrew Mangiapane (undisclosed), Matt Grzelcyk (upper body), Artyom Levshunov (fractured left hand)
- Coach note: Jeff Blashill said Levshunov was injured in a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders; a small fracture in the defenseman’s hand was discovered with more imaging.
- New Jersey projected lines
- Timo Meier — Nico Hischier — Dawson Mercer
- Jesper Bratt — Jack Hughes — Connor Brown
- Evgenii Dadonov — Cody Glass — Lenni Hameenaho
- Paul Cotter — Nick Bjugstad — Maxim Tsyplakov
- Scratched: Colton White, Dennis Cholowski, Arseny Gritsyuk
- Injured: Stefan Noesen (knee), Zack MacEwen (ACL), Brett Pesce (lower body)
- Goaltending: Allen will likely start after Markstrom made 29 saves in a 5-2 loss at the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday.
What Happens Next? Stakes, Trends and a Short-Term Outlook
The matchup arrives with different imperatives. The Devils have been winning most of their recent games but key losses to the Washington Capitals and last night’s collapse to the Carolina Hurricanes have all but eliminated them from playoff contention; only the New York Rangers have been mathematically eliminated at this point. If the Devils were to win each of their remaining 10 games they could reach 96 points, a ceiling that shapes any realistic path forward. There are currently four teams clustered between seventh and tenth with 86 to 88 points, creating a narrow window that would require multiple outcomes to fall the Devils’ way.
By contrast, the Blackhawks are characterized in current coverage as a poor team in a weak conference, with commentary suggesting they are likely to secure a top draft position. That assessment frames Chicago’s immediate priorities: managing injuries, giving opportunities to younger players and balancing development against competitiveness in remaining games.
Two roster signals to watch: Chicago’s handling of Artyom Levshunov after the small fracture discovered in his hand and New Jersey’s rotation in net with Allen likely to start following Markstrom’s 29-save outing. Those choices will influence matchups, ice time for younger forwards and short-term momentum.
There is uncertainty in how either club will respond. New Jersey’s near-elimination from the playoff race tempers expectations even if recent wins suggested a late push; Chicago’s status points more toward asset and development management than a run to contention. Both narratives are present in this fixture and will drive how coaches deploy lines and which players are given extended looks.
Short term, expect the game to illuminate how the Devils handle roster fatigue and injury management while the Blackhawks test younger combinations — a microcosm of each club’s season arc and a concise statement on where things stand in the ongoing blackhawks vs devils
