New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers — Today’s preseason matchup and chances

When and where

The New Jersey Devils face the New York Rangers today, Sunday, September 21, with a 1:00 PM ET puck drop at Prudential Center in Newark. It is a preseason game, which means the focus is on evaluation, role trials, and special-teams reps rather than the final score.

Why this matters today

Preseason hockey is the staff’s laboratory. Today’s meeting gives New Jersey’s coaches a clean read on pace, structure, and situational detail against a familiar, physically honest opponent. The rivalry tone adds game-like pressure to breakouts, entries, and defensive-zone coverage, which is exactly the environment needed to separate candidates in close roster battles.

Who is expected to dress for New Jersey

New Jersey’s forward group is projected to open with Paul Cotter, Cody Glass, and Arseny Gritsyuk as an offensive-leaning trio; Kurtis MacDermid, Juho Lammikko, and Nathan Legare as a direct, forecheck-first unit; Angus Crookshank, Luke Glendening, and Brian Halonen for energy and retrievals; and Mike Hardman, Kevin Rooney, and Thomas Bordeleau as a depth line with net-front and transition skill. On defense, Dennis Cholowski pairs with Calen Addison for puck movement, Ethan Edwards with Austin Strand for balance, and Colton White with Dmitri Osipov for a stay-at-home look. In goal, the plan is veteran Jake Allen to start and Nico Daws to finish.

Goaltending plan

The Devils expect Allen to provide a steady baseline in the opening period — clean reads, efficient handling on dump-ins, and decisive saves through early traffic. Daws is slated to take the final forty minutes, where his tracking, rebound control, and poise under changing combinations will be under the microscope.

Projected even-strength lines (opening look)

Line 1: Paul Cotter – Cody Glass – Arseny Gritsyuk. Line 2: Kurtis MacDermid – Juho Lammikko – Nathan Legare. Line 3: Angus Crookshank – Luke Glendening – Brian Halonen. Line 4: Mike Hardman – Kevin Rooney – Thomas Bordeleau. Pair 1: Dennis Cholowski – Calen Addison. Pair 2: Ethan Edwards – Austin Strand. Pair 3: Colton White – Dmitri Osipov. Goaltenders: Jake Allen (start), then Nico Daws.

Projected special teams usage

Power play 1 features Calen Addison at the point, Cody Glass on a half-wall, Arseny Gritsyuk as the primary flank shooter, Paul Cotter net-front, and Thomas Bordeleau in the bumper/rover role. Power play 2 runs through Dennis Cholowski at the point with Angus Crookshank and Brian Halonen as flank shooters, Nathan Legare as a slot finisher, and Mike Hardman at the crease. Penalty-kill forward pairs open with Luke Glendening and Kevin Rooney, followed by Juho Lammikko and Mike Hardman. On the back end, Colton White–Austin Strand and Ethan Edwards–Dmitri Osipov are the first two PK pairs.

Individual expectations today

Gritsyuk’s North American debut is a key watch: controlled entries, quick-strike releases, and off-puck routes into soft ice. Glass gets a premium audition at center; faceoffs, retrieval support, and half-wall decisions will define his day. Cotter’s value comes from retrievals, body position at net-front, and the ability to draw contact to free lanes. In the middle six, Lammikko, Glendening, and Rooney anchor defensive starts and the kill; their benchmarks are exits under pressure and clean clears. On defense, Addison and Cholowski must balance activation with risk management, while Edwards’ feet and gaps in transition will be closely tracked. Strand and White are tasked with crease control and low-event shifts; Osipov supplies physicality and wall security.

Matchup factors to monitor

The Rangers typically pressure exits with size and straight-line speed. New Jersey’s counters are layered support below the puck, quick middle-lane pops, and weak-side activations that arrive on time. Special teams will see frequent rotation to sample candidates, so the emphasis is less on set-piece perfection and more on reads, pace, and recoveries.

Chances today (preseason caveat)

Given home ice, a slightly more NHL-experienced dress list, and a clear two-goalie script, New Jersey carries a modest edge. Preseason outcomes are inherently volatile due to shifting combinations and evaluation priorities, so any probability should be taken lightly. The more meaningful “result” will be tape that confirms who can execute within structure against a rival’s honest forecheck.

Bottom line

The Devils play the Rangers today in a rivalry tune-up where evaluation outranks the scoreboard. Expect short veteran shifts, heavy prospect minutes, and rapid tinkering on both lines and special teams. The aim is trust and clarity: identify who drives play, who stabilizes under stress, and who translates camp reps into game-speed execution.