Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils Prediction & Picks – 1/4/2026

Sunday’s National Hockey League schedule includes a compelling Metropolitan Division showdown as the Carolina Hurricanes visit the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. Carolina is atop the division with a 24‑14‑3 record and will look to halt a three‑game losing skid after a tough 5‑3 defeat at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night. New Jersey enters this contest at 22‑17‑2 and looking for a third win in a row. Here, I break down the keys to victory for both teams and make my Hurricanes vs Devils prediction.

Our Hurricanes vs Devils Pick

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: Carolina Hurricanes vs New Jersey Devils
• Date & Time: Sunday, January 4, 2026, 7:00 PM Eastern
• Venue: Prudential Center, Newark, NJ
• Broadcast: ESPN+

Key Storylines

Recent Form

The Hurricanes enter this game on a three‑game slide, most recently falling 5‑3 to the Avalanche after surrendering four third‑period goals. Carolina has shown offensive firepower throughout the season, but has struggled to close games at times, as we saw last night. The Devils have regained their form after a recent slump, winning two straight games and posting a 4‑1 home victory in their last outing. New Jersey has allowed just three goals over their last two games and will try to lock down defensively against the Canes as well.

Goaltending

Goaltending will be huge in deciding the outcome of this contest, with Carolina expected to put Brandon Bussi between the pipes following a Frederik Andersen start in their previous game. Bussi has been strong this season, entering this game with a 2.33 GAA. New Jersey will likely turn to Jake Allen in this game, who has alternated starts with Jacob Markstrom and posted solid numbers in his recent outings with a 2.52 GAA.

Key Skaters

Carolina’s Sebastian Aho has been a key offensive catalyst, racking up 42 points on the season and leading his team’s offense against the Devils historically. Aho’s ability to generate offense in all situations is important to Carolina’s success. For the Devils, Nico Hischier has been a bright spot with goals in consecutive outings, and Jesper Bratt continues to lead the team in points and assists. The absence of Seth Jarvis for Carolina could influence ice time and special teams effectiveness.

Best Player Props

Betting Trends & H2H

• Carolina has historically dominated this rivalry in recent meetings, including a 6‑3 decision in their October matchup.
• The Hurricanes are 11-6-2 on the road so far this season.
• The Devils have an 11-7-2 record on their home ice this year.

Hurricanes vs Devils Model Projection

Final Thoughts

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.