The 2026 NHL Playoffs will take place without Nico and the New Jersey Devils. With their loss to the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this week (2-5), the Devils squandered their last opportunity to join the field of teams competing for the Stanley Cup. In the week’s other two games, New Jersey fell to the Penguins by a score of 1-5, before defeating the Detroit Red Wings 5-3 last night.

 

As a result, the Devils rank 13^th in the Eastern Conference through 80 games (85 points), making this season the first in their history without a playoff appearance despite achieving 40 or more wins (currently 41).  On a personal level, Nico recorded one point this past week, while taking a total of six shots on the opposing goal. He averaged 18:45 minutes of ice time per game, prevailed in 51.5% of his faceoffs and finished the week a minus-3.

 

Heading into the final week of the season, New Jersey has two more games left. First off, they’ll take on the Ottawa Senators in their final home game tonight, before visiting the Boston Bruins for the season’s finale on Tuesday. Both games have a 7 PM EST starting time.