The Carolina Hurricanes eliminated the Devils in Game 5 of their first-round series 5-4 in double overtime on Tuesday night. Now, the offseason begins, and so does the important work from Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald with free agency opening on July 1.

The Devils face elimination and will need to overcome a significant historical challenge. They are 1–10 all-time when trailing 3–1 in a best-of-seven series, with their sole comeback occurring in the 2000 Eastern Conference Final against the Philadelphia Flyers .​