Our Philadelphia Flyers vs New Jersey Devils preview covers the odds, puck line, total, puck drop time, TV channel and where to watch on Thursday, October 1, 2026. The Philadelphia Flyers (43-27-12 in 2025-26) visit the New Jersey Devils (42-37-3) at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Puck drop is 7:00 PM ET (7:00 PM local). TV: ESPN+ / Hulu / Disney+ (U.S.).
Season-opener storyline: The Devils open their 2026-27 season at Prudential Center with a new general manager, Sunny Mehta, and a new-look goaltending group after trading Jacob Markstrom to Florida. Philadelphia lost 7–0 in regulation to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, Sept. 30, in its own season opener, so this Metropolitan Division matchup is the second half of a back-to-back for the Flyers. DraftKings lists New Jersey at -162 and Philadelphia at +136 on the moneyline, with the total at 5.5.
Philadelphia Flyers vs New Jersey Devils Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | Philadelphia Flyers @ New Jersey Devils |
|---|---|
| 2025-26 Records | Philadelphia Flyers 43-27-12 | New Jersey Devils 42-37-3 |
| Head Coaches | PHI: Rick Tocchet (2nd season) | NJD: Sheldon Keefe (3rd season) |
| Puck Line | PHI +1.5 (-192) | NJD -1.5 (+160) |
| Moneyline | Philadelphia Flyers: +136 | New Jersey Devils: -162 |
| Total | O/U 5.5 (o-135 / u+114) |
| Venue | Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.) |
| Date / Time | Thursday, October 1, 2026 — 7:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | ESPN+ / Hulu / Disney+ (U.S.) |
| Starting Goalies | PHI: Dan Vladar started vs Pittsburgh Sept. 30; Thursday starter not confirmed (Vladar / Joseph Woll) | NJD: Not confirmed. Projected: Jake Allen / Nico Daws |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN), cross-checked on Action Network, as of Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, ~6:21 PM ET. Other books listed the same total at research time. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. Starting goalies were not confirmed at research time.
Philadelphia Flyers Preview: Last Season, Offseason & Goalies
2025-26 recap: Philadelphia went 43-27-12 (98 points) and finished third in the Metropolitan, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The Flyers went 18-7-1 after the Olympic break, beat Pittsburgh in six games in the first round and were then swept by the eventual champion Hurricanes in the second round. They allowed 25.5 shots per game, fourth fewest in the NHL, but had the league’s worst power play at 15.7 percent (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: Nearly the whole roster is back. GM Daniel Briere acquired goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit from Toronto for goalie Samuel Ersson, defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick, and signed forward Noel Acciari away from Pittsburgh. Trevor Zegras (career-high 26 goals and 67 points) signed a four-year contract. Philadelphia also signed Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson to an offer sheet, which the Ducks matched. Garnet Hathaway was traded to Florida.
Key players & coach: Travis Konecny led the team with 68 points, and Owen Tippett (28 goals), Matvei Michkov and Christian Dvorak each had 51 points. Tyson Foerster is back after an arm injury cost him 49 games, and 19-year-old Porter Martone is projected for a top-six role. Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Cam York and Jamie Drysdale lead the defense. Rick Tocchet is in his second season as coach.
Goalies: Dan Vladar went 29-14-7 with a 2.42 GAA and .906 save percentage in 52 games, the third-best GAA among goalies with at least 30 games (NHL.com). Woll went 15-16-7 with a 3.34 GAA and .899 save percentage for Toronto. Dan Vladar started Philadelphia’s season opener against Pittsburgh on Sept. 30, and the Flyers are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Season opener: Philadelphia lost 7–0 in regulation to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, Sept. 30, with Dan Vladar starting in goal, and the Flyers are on the second night of a back-to-back.
Injuries: Forward Denver Barkey (lower body) and defenseman Helge Grans (lower body) are on injured reserve, and Nikita Grebenkin (undisclosed) is listed as out (ESPN).
New Jersey Devils Preview: New GM, New Goalie Plan
2025-26 recap: New Jersey went 42-37-3 (87 points), finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs. The Devils averaged 2.76 goals per game, sixth lowest in the NHL, although their power play ranked third over the final 20 games (29.8 percent from March 7 to April 17) (NHL.com). GM Tom Fitzgerald was fired April 6 and replaced by Sunny Mehta, who spent the previous six seasons in Florida’s front office.
Offseason moves: New Jersey traded goalie Jacob Markstrom to Florida for forwards Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist and Ben Steeves, and sent defenseman Simon Nemec to Calgary. The Devils signed right wing Anthony Mantha to a two-year, $9.5 million contract after he set NHL career highs with 33 goals and 64 points for Pittsburgh, acquired Luke Evangelista (career-high 56 points) from Nashville on Sept. 1 and added defenseman Declan Chisholm from Washington.
Key players & coach: Jack Hughes led the team with 77 points (27 goals, 50 assists) in 61 games, Jesper Bratt had 71 points and captain Nico Hischier scored a team-high 28 goals. Timo Meier, Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce are also key pieces. Health is the big question for Jack Hughes, who has played more than 62 regular-season games only once since 2019-20 (NHL.com). Sheldon Keefe begins his third season as coach.
Goalies: Jake Allen went 17-17-2 with a 2.74 GAA and .904 save percentage in 37 games last season and is expected to open as the starter, with 25-year-old Nico Daws (2.96 career GAA, .898 save percentage in 55 NHL games) getting his biggest opportunity yet (NHL.com). New Jersey had not confirmed a starter at research time.
Injuries: Forward Connor Brown (undisclosed) is listed as out. Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic (knee), forward Nick Bjugstad (pectoral surgery) and defenseman Seamus Casey (knee) are on injured reserve (ESPN).
Key Matchup Notes: Flyers vs Devils
- Schedule spot: Philadelphia plays its second game in two nights after a 7–0 regulation loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 30. It is New Jersey’s first game of the season.
- Power play: Philadelphia’s power play ranked last in the NHL last season (15.7 percent). New Jersey’s ranked third over its final 20 games (NHL.com).
- Goals were scarce: The Devils averaged 2.76 goals per game last season (sixth lowest), while the Flyers allowed the fourth-fewest shots per game (25.5).
- In goal: Vladar’s 2.42 GAA ranked third among goalies with at least 30 games last season. Allen posted a .904 save percentage in 37 games for New Jersey.
- New faces up front: Mantha and Evangelista are expected to add secondary scoring behind Hughes, Hischier and Bratt (NHL.com).
- Odds snapshot: New Jersey -162 / Philadelphia +136 on the moneyline, Devils -1.5 (+160) on the puck line, total 5.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch Philadelphia Flyers vs New Jersey Devils
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2026
Puck drop: 7:00 PM ET (7:00 PM local)
Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, N.J.
TV: Streaming nationally in the U.S. on ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+ (NHL.com, ESPN). NHL.com lists no Canadian national broadcast for this game at research time.
Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 1, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.