Devils Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines: Noesen Clears Waivers, Poirier at Practice, & More

Just four games into the 2026-27 season, the New Jersey Devils are already facing all too familiar issues—giving up the first goal, lineup adjustments due to injuries, and 5-on-5 struggles. Luckily, things are finally starting to look up. For starters, they were able to snap their two-game losing skid on Saturday, with a 4-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Three of their goals even came on the power play, which had been lacking chemistry in recent games. 

This week, the Devils are looking to put together a win streak. They have four games slated, concluding their homestand before hitting the road on a back-to-back, ending with an afternoon matchup against the Washington Capitals. Here are a few storylines to follow for the week of Oct. 11 — Oct. 18, 2026.

Stefan Noesen Clears Waivers

On Thursday, the organization placed Stefan Noesen on waivers after appearing in just two regular-season games with the Devils. He logged 14:48 of ice time, along with two shots on goal and two shot attempts. While he was on the ice, the team surrendered two goals against — both of which were scored in high-danger scenarios — and goaltenders recorded an .846 save percentage (SV%).

Noesen missed the majority of last season due to injury. A groin issue sidelined him at the start of 2025-26, followed by a knee injury that required surgery in January, which ultimately ended his season. 

His best campaign came in 2024-25, when he tallied 22 goals and 41 points, both of which were career highs. It appeared that Noesen was on the cusp of returning to that form during preseason, with a power-play goal against the New York Rangers. Not only did he open the scoring, but his strong net-front presence reminded fans why the Devils re-acquired him as a free agent in 2024.

Net-front Noesen coming in clutch. https://t.co/MAqfOYEyca

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) September 24, 2026

Unfortunately, his time in the NHL has been put on pause. After clearing waivers on Friday, he has been loaned to the organization’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets. The Devils now have nearly $1.3 million in cap space available as a result.

Remi Poirier Takes the Ice at Practice

Newcomer Remi Poirier joined the team for the first time on Thursday, after being claimed off waivers from the Dallas Stars last month. Post-practice, head coach Sheldon Keefe shared that they plan to stick to the 1A/1B tandem of Jake Allen and Nico Daws, but wanted to give Poirier a chance to get acclimated.

“I just looked at it as a chance to get Remi out there, give him some different reps, a different feel, have him around the guys…We’ll just keep watching them and keeping them ready,” Keefe told reporters.

Goaltender Rémi Poirier (who has his new #NJDevils mask) is taking part in the full practice today for the first time. Allen, Daws and Poirier all on the ice as practice gets going. https://t.co/bgDpvx5MK7

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) October 8, 2026

Poirier understands the unconventional nature of his situation, but he’s willing to give it his all for a chance to make his NHL debut. In his most recent interview, he shared his optimistic mentality, stating, “Really grateful that the team picked me, and hopefully at some point I can get a look, but right now I’m just working hard every day.”

There’s no question that Allen will remain the team’s starting goalie. He’s been in the crease for three out of four contests already, most recently in his 500th career game against the Canucks. Nonetheless, the Devils opted to keep Poirier on their NHL roster over David Rittich, so it’s possible that the young goaltender could receive a start at some point this season.

Kovacevic & Siegenthaler Injury Updates

Early on, the Devils struggled with a batch of injuries, the majority of which were hits to their blue line. But the good news is that two key veteran defensemen are returning to the lineup.

Last month, the organization announced that Johnathan Kovacevic would be a limited participant at training camp, and he began the season on the injured non-roster list. On Saturday, he was activated off injured reserve (IR), but did not play against the Canucks. The expectation is that he could be back in action when the Devils take on the Ottawa Senators this Monday.

The good news kept coming for Devils’ defense, now that Jonas Siegenthaler is back in the lineup. Luckily, he only missed one practice after leaving the game early against the Utah Mammoth. Siegenthaler didn’t miss a beat in his return against the Canucks, finishing third overall in ice time (19:37), skating on the second pairing with Dougie Hamilton.

With Siegenthaler back in the lineup and Kovacevic almost ready to return, it will be interesting to see how Declan Chisholm slots into the lineup moving forward.

Devils Schedule Oct. 11 — Oct. 18