Clayton Keller's 7 Assists Lead Utah Into New Jersey

Clayton Keller has posted seven assists and zero goals on 19 shots over his last five games, creating a pure setup profile for the Utah Mammoth. Across a five-game sample that reaches back into last spring's postseason and extends into early October, Keller is averaging 20.6 minutes of ice time per contest without scoring himself. That playmaking tilt anchors the quantitative picture as Utah travels to face the New Jersey Devils.

Keller's Playmaking and Utah's Primary Finishing

Keller's seven assists lead Utah over this span, but his high-volume passing operates alongside clear finishing efficiency. Dylan Guenther and Nick Schmaltz have supplied the goal production, combining for eight goals on 36 combined shots. Guenther has logged four goals and two assists with 19 shots in 18.4 minutes per game, while Schmaltz has recorded four goals and one assist on 17 shots in 20.9 minutes per game.

Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev leads all Utah skaters in ice time at 25.8 minutes per game, generating five points (one goal, four assists) on 14 shots. Forward Michael Carcone has contributed three points (two goals, one assist) on 10 shots in 14.6 minutes per game.

In net, Karel Vejmelka has appeared in four of Utah's last five games, stopping 85 of 97 shots against for an .876 save percentage and 12 goals against in 65.9 minutes per game. Utah's recent three-game October stretch includes a 6-0 shutout against the Chicago Blackhawks and a 4-1 win at the Columbus Blue Jackets before a 4-2 loss to the New York Rangers on October 4.

Player	Team	G	A	PTS	SOG	TOI/G
Clayton Keller	Utah	0	7	7	19	20.6
Dylan Guenther	Utah	4	2	6	19	18.4
Jack Hughes	New Jersey	2	3	5	16	22.7
Nick Schmaltz	Utah	4	1	5	17	20.9
Mikhail Sergachev	Utah	1	4	5	14	25.8

New Jersey's Balance and Goaltending Split

The New Jersey Devils show a balanced top-end scoring distribution. Jack Hughes leads the roster in five-game production with five points (two goals, three assists) on 16 shots while averaging 22.7 minutes per game. Jesper Bratt (17 shots, plus-1) and Nico Hischier (13 shots, plus-2) follow with identical four-point lines (two goals, two assists) over 18.6 and 19.8 minutes per game. Dougie Hamilton has added three points (one goal, two assists) on 16 shots in 21.7 minutes per game, though he carries a minus-4 rating.

New Jersey's recent netminding split reveals contrasting results. Jake Allen has registered a .906 save percentage by making 48 saves on 53 shots across two games (61.7 minutes per game). Nico Daws has allowed 13 goals on 88 shots in three appearances for an .852 save percentage (75 saves). The Devils enter off a 6-0 loss to the New York Islanders on October 3, preceded by a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on October 1.

Market Baseline and Model Status

Market consensus sets New Jersey as a home favorite between -125 (BetUS) and -134 (Caesars), with major outlets like DraftKings and BetMGM listing the Devils at -130. Utah sits as an away underdog ranging from +105 (FanDuel) to +115 (Prophet Exchange). Total goal lines sit mostly at 5.5, with the over priced at -132 at BetRivers and -134 at FanDuel. DraftKings sets a higher line of 6.5 (Over +114, Under -135).

Our internal NHL model is currently under audit (SHA-979), so its calculations should be viewed as one baseline input rather than a firm directive. Head-to-head records show New Jersey winning both 2025-26 meetings: 2-1 on December 19, 2025, and 4-1 on January 3, 2026. Because player form samples early in the season necessarily reach back into April and May 2026 games, small-sample variance remains significant for both rosters.