New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins Prediction & Picks - 2/26/2026
Updated July 9, 2026
The New Jersey Devils travel to Pittsburgh on Thursday night to take on the Penguins in a Metropolitan Division matchup. This is the first game out of the Olympic break for the Penguins, while the Devils resumed their season on Wednesday night. Will the Devils get a much-needed win, or will the Penguins get a victory against a team on the second night of a back-to-back? Get my take on this game below, as I make my Devils vs Penguins prediction in the betting markets.
Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins Moneyline ATS PRO
Confidence: 2 out of 5
Pittsburgh is restarting its season after the Olympic break here, having won their last game before the break. Conversely, the Devils played on Wednesday, losing 2-1 to the Buffalo Sabres. That was the fourth loss in a row for the Devils, who will try to snap that losing streak despite the fact that several of their key contributors were involved in the recent Olympic games.
Goaltenders will be crucial in this matchup, as both teams need reliable netminding to secure points in what could be a tight battle. Jake Allen is expected to get the nod for the Devils, who has a solid 2.66 GAA going into this matchup. He is likely to be opposed by Stuart Skinner of the Pens, who was not involved in the Olympics, while Pens netminder Arturs Silovs was a part of Latvia's Olympic team.
The big question going into this game is who will and won't be on the ice on both sides. Sidney Crosby is a key figure for the Pens, but he is expected to miss several weeks after suffering an injury in Milan, which is a nightmare scenario for Pittsburgh. Jack Hughes had his teeth demolished during the gold medal game for Team USA against Canada, but could play in this contest for New Jersey.
Score Projection: Penguins 4 – Devils 2 ATS PRO
Win Probability: Penguins 57%, Devils 43% ATS PRO
The absence of Sidney Crosby is a concern for the Penguins here, given that Crosby leads the Pens in goals and assists this year. But the rest advantage for the Penguins should help them to make up for the lack of Crosby in this game. I'll take the Pens to win this game on the moneyline against a Devils team that has lost four straight and will be skating on tired legs.
Affiliate DisclosureATS.io uses affiliate links. If you sign up through a link on this page, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Rankings are based on hands-on testing and published criteria, and affiliate relationships do not determine placement.
