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EDINA, Minn. — Erik Haula believes the moves the New Jersey Devils made this offseason are enough for them to get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“The Devils forward expressed his appreciation for the work done by general manager Tom Fitzgerald, or ‘Fitzy’, on Wednesday at Da Beauty League. He commended Fitzy’s efforts in addressing areas the team needs to improve in. This 4-on-4 summer league features NHL and collegiate players connected to Minnesota. The forward also noted that their work begins from these improvements and he, along with his teammates, is excited for the season to begin in a few weeks.”

New Jersey (38-39-5), coming off a seventh-place finish in the Metropolitan Division and missing the playoffs for the 10th time in 12 seasons, made its biggest offseason splash by acquiring goalie Jacob Markstrom in a trade with the Calgary Flames on June 19 for defenseman Kevin Bahl and a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Markstrom went 23-23-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and two shutouts in 48 starts last season. Since 2019-20, the 34-year-old is fourth in the NHL in games played (256), tied with Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins for fourth in shutouts (17), and ranks sixth in saves (6,594), shots against (7,256) and wins (128).

Last season, the Devils utilized five goalkeepers and conceded 3.43 goals per game. This was on par with the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, ranking as the fifth-highest in the NHL.

“Haula remarked, “Acquiring ‘Marky’ was a significant move. We somewhat needed that, a reliable backbone that we can trust every night. He’s a seasoned professional, and along with him, we also have ‘Jakey’ (Jake Allen, who we traded with Montreal on March 8) which makes for a strong duo.”

After trading Bahl and then sending defenseman John Marino to the Utah Hockey Club on June 29 with a fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft for a second-round pick in 2024 and 2025, the Devils bolstered their blue line on July 1 by signing Brett Pesce to a six-year, $33 million contract ($5.5 million average annual value) and Brenden Dillon to a three-year, $12 million contract ($4 million AAV).

Last season, 29-year-old Pesce accumulated 13 points, comprising three goals and ten assists, in 70 regular-season matches for the Carolina Hurricanes, as well as one assist in two playoff games. In contrast, 33-year-old Dillon scored 20 points – eight goals and 12 assists – in 77 regular-season games for the Winnipeg Jets, alongside three assists in three playoff matches.

New Jersey also brought back forwards Stefan Noesen (three-year, $8.25 million contract on July 1; $2.75 million AAV) and Tomas Tatar (one-year, $1.8 million contract on July 2), who each played for the Devils previously.

Noesen, aged 31, was a part of New Jersey between 2016 and 2019. He accumulated 37 points, made up of 14 goals and 23 assists, in the 81 regular-season games he played for Carolina in the previous season. He also scored four goals in the 11 playoff games. Tatar, who is 33 years old, played for the Devils between 2021 and 2023. He scored 24 points, with nine goals and 15 assists, in the 70 regular-season games he played for Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken last season.

However, the biggest factor up front for the Devils this season could be the health of Jack Hughes. The 23-year-old center was sidelined twice last season for a total of 16 games with an upper-body injury before missing the final four games because of shoulder surgery. Hughes, who finished second on the Devils with 74 points (27 goals 47 assists) in 62 games, behind forward Jesper Bratt (83 points; 27 goals, 56 assists in 82 games), is expected to be at training camp.

“Hughes has limitless potential,” stated Haula. “He is undoubtedly one of the superior players in the League when handling the puck and poses a significant threat during the rush. With him at peak performance, and a few other players who have resolved their issues, we are prepared to proceed.”

Haula is excited about the prospect of Sheldon Keefe, the new coach, leading New Jersey back to the postseason. Keefe was hired on May 23 to replace the interim coach Travis Green, who had taken over from Lindy Ruff after he was fired on March 4. Formerly the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, 43-year-old Keefe was dismissed from his role on May 9 after five seasons. During his time there, he achieved a record of 212-97-40 in 349 regular-season games, and 16-21 in 37 playoff games.

“We have high aspirations,” stated Haula. “Our goals are set, but everything begins from Day One, and we’ll proceed from there. Achieving a strong start and having a positive feeling about our team is crucial for us to steer it in the right direction. With a new coach and a mix of new and familiar faces, I believe we’re capable of doing exactly that.”