Devils and Red Wings: Projected Lineups for Clash
A stiff neck forced a quick rethink, and for the Devils and Red Wings the ripple effects could shape Friday’s matchup. The Devils (40-36-3) visit the Red Wings (41-29-9) at 5 p.m. ET, with the game airing on FDSNDET and MSGSN.
For New Jersey, the projected forward lines feature Timo Meier with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, while Jack Hughes teams with Jesper Bratt and Connor Brown. Lenni Hameenaho is slated alongside Cody Glass and Nick Bjugstad, and Paul Cotter projects with Marc McLaughlin and Brian Halonen. On defense, Jonas Siegenthaler pairs with Dougie Hamilton, and Dennis Cholowski lines up with Johnathan Kovacevic. Brenden Dillon is set to skate with Simon Nemec.
In goal, Nico Daws is listed as the starter, with Jake Allen also on the roster. Evgenii Dadonov and Maxim Tsyplakov are scratched. Luke Hughes (upper body), Arseny Gritsyuk (upper body), Stefan Noesen (knee), Zack MacEwen (ACL), Brett Pesce (lower body), and Jacob Markstrom (undisclosed) are injured.
Meanwhile, Detroit’s projected top line has Emmitt Finnie with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond. Alex DeBrincat centers Andrew Copp, with Patrick Kane on the wing, while David Perron skates with J.T. Compher and Carter Mazur. James van Riemsdyk is paired with Marco Kasper and Dominik Shine, and Simon Edvinsson projects beside Moritz Seider. Ben Chiarot is set with Justin Faulk, and Albert Johansson joins Jacob Bernard-Docker.
With goals on the horizon, the key decisions around US News Hub Misryoum’s Devils and Red Wings projected lineups can swing how fast each team turns defense into offense. If Detroit’s first wave can win puck battles early, New Jersey’s depth lines may get more clean looks than they would otherwise.
Markstrom is the Devils’ No. 1 goalie, but coach Sheldon Keefe said Friday that he will be shut down for the final three games of the regular season for rest and to rehabilitate nagging injuries. That shift changes the rhythm in the crease and may influence how aggressively the Devils defend transition chances.
For Detroit, John Gibson and Cam Talbot are both listed between the pipes. Gibson is expected to start after leaving in the second period of a 6-3 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday because of a stiff neck. Travis Hamonic and Axel Sandin-Pellikka are scratched, and Michael Rasmussen (lower body) and Mason Appleton (upper body) are injured.
In a matchup defined by changing availability, US News Hub Misryoum’s Devils and Red Wings projected lineups underscore how coaching staffs often lean on matchups and role clarity when key players sit. The quickest path to control may come from which team best sustains pressure through its third period plans, not just the first shift.