| # | R | Date | Score | Opponent | Record |
|---|
| 1 | L | October 6, 1988 | 1–4 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 0–1–0 |
| 2 | W | October 8, 1988 | 5–3 | @ Quebec Nordiques (season) | 1–1–0 |
| 3 | W | October 10, 1988 | 5–0 | @ New York Rangers (season) | 2–1–0 |
| 4 | L | October 14, 1988 | 3–7 | Montreal Canadiens (season) | 2–2–0 |
| 5 | L | October 15, 1988 | 5–8 | @ Washington Capitals (season) | 2–3–0 |
| 6 | L | October 19, 1988 | 0–4 | Vancouver Canucks (season) | 2–4–0 |
| 7 | W | October 21, 1988 | 6–4 | Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 3–4–0 |
| 8 | T | October 23, 1988 | 3–3 OT | @ Detroit Red Wings (season) | 3–4–1 |
| 9 | L | October 25, 1988 | 4–7 | Buffalo Sabres (season) | 3–5–1 |
| 10 | W | October 28, 1988 | 5–3 | Hartford Whalers (season) | 4–5–1 |
| 11 | L | October 29, 1988 | 0–3 | @ Hartford Whalers (season) | 4–6–1 |
| 12 | W | November 1, 1988 | 3–2 | Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 5–6–1 |
| 13 | T | November 3, 1988 | 3–3 OT | Winnipeg Jets (season) | 5–6–2 |
| 14 | W | November 6, 1988 | 6–5 | New York Rangers (season) | 6–6–2 |
| 15 | L | November 9, 1988 | 2–3 OT | Edmonton Oilers (season) | 6–7–2 |
| 16 | T | November 11, 1988 | 3–3 OT | New York Islanders (season) | 6–7–3 |
| 17 | W | November 12, 1988 | 6–3 | @ Washington Capitals (season) | 7–7–3 |
| 18 | W | November 15, 1988 | 4–2 | @ St. Louis Blues (season) | 8–7–3 |
| 19 | L | November 17, 1988 | 3–5 | Calgary Flames (season) | 8–8–3 |
| 20 | L | November 19, 1988 | 2–3 | Washington Capitals (season) | 8–9–3 |
| 21 | L | November 20, 1988 | 1–7 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 8–10–3 |
| 22 | L | November 23, 1988 | 2–3 | @ Calgary Flames (season) | 8–11–3 |
| 23 | T | November 25, 1988 | 2–2 OT | @ Vancouver Canucks (season) | 8–11–4 |
| 24 | L | November 29, 1988 | 3–9 | @ Los Angeles Kings (season) | 8–12–4 |
| 25 | L | December 3, 1988 | 3–5 | Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 8–13–4 |
| 26 | L | December 4, 1988 | 2–6 | @ Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 8–14–4 |
| 27 | W | December 7, 1988 | 5–1 | Washington Capitals (season) | 9–14–4 |
| 28 | W | December 9, 1988 | 6–5 | New York Islanders (season) | 10–14–4 |
| 29 | T | December 10, 1988 | 4–4 OT | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 10–14–5 |
| 30 | W | December 13, 1988 | 4–3 | St. Louis Blues (season) | 11–14–5 |
| 31 | W | December 15, 1988 | 6–3 | Toronto Maple Leafs (season) | 12–14–5 |
| 32 | L | December 17, 1988 | 2–5 | @ New York Islanders (season) | 12–15–5 |
| 33 | W | December 18, 1988 | 5–3 | @ Chicago Blackhawks (season) | 13–15–5 |
| 34 | T | December 21, 1988 | 5–5 OT | @ Winnipeg Jets (season) | 13–15–6 |
| 35 | T | December 23, 1988 | 2–2 OT | Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 13–15–7 |
| 36 | L | December 26, 1988 | 1–5 | @ New York Rangers (season) | 13–16–7 |
| 37 | L | December 27, 1988 | 5–7 | New York Rangers (season) | 13–17–7 |
| 38 | L | December 29, 1988 | 2–6 | Boston Bruins (season) | 13–18–7 |
| 39 | L | December 31, 1988 | 6–8 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 13–19–7 |
| 40 | W | January 6, 1989 | 5–4 | Buffalo Sabres (season) | 14–19–7 |
| 41 | W | January 7, 1989 | 5–2 | Detroit Red Wings (season) | 15–19–7 |
| 42 | W | January 9, 1989 | 5–4 | @ New York Rangers (season) | 16–19–7 |
| 43 | L | January 11, 1989 | 0–1 | @ Montreal Canadiens (season) | 16–20–7 |
| 44 | L | January 13, 1989 | 3–5 | New York Islanders (season) | 16–21–7 |
| 45 | W | January 15, 1989 | 1–0 | Edmonton Oilers (season) | 17–21–7 |
| 46 | L | January 17, 1989 | 4–7 | @ Quebec Nordiques (season) | 17–22–7 |
| 47 | L | January 19, 1989 | 4–5 | Quebec Nordiques (season) | 17–23–7 |
| 48 | W | January 20, 1989 | 6–5 OT | @ Washington Capitals (season) | 18–23–7 |
| 49 | L | January 23, 1989 | 2–7 | Minnesota North Stars (season) | 18–24–7 |
| 50 | T | January 24, 1989 | 2–2 OT | @ New York Islanders (season) | 18–24–8 |
| 51 | L | January 27, 1989 | 6–8 | Hartford Whalers (season) | 18–25–8 |
| 52 | T | January 28, 1989 | 4–4 OT | @ Minnesota North Stars (season) | 18–25–9 |
| 53 | T | February 2, 1989 | 6–6 OT | @ Los Angeles Kings (season) | 18–25–10 |
| 54 | W | February 5, 1989 | 4–2 | @ Edmonton Oilers (season) | 19–25–10 |
| 55 | W | February 9, 1989 | 6–3 | @ Detroit Red Wings (season) | 20–25–10 |
| 56 | L | February 11, 1989 | 4–5 | @ Montreal Canadiens (season) | 20–26–10 |
| 57 | W | February 13, 1989 | 8–1 | Toronto Maple Leafs (season) | 21–26–10 |
| 58 | L | February 15, 1989 | 3–5 | @ Buffalo Sabres (season) | 21–27–10 |
| 59 | L | February 17, 1989 | 2–3 OT | @ Winnipeg Jets (season) | 21–28–10 |
| 60 | L | February 18, 1989 | 3–5 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs (season) | 21–29–10 |
| 61 | L | February 20, 1989 | 4–7 | @ New York Rangers (season) | 21–30–10 |
| 62 | L | February 24, 1989 | 2–6 | Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 21–31–10 |
| 63 | T | February 26, 1989 | 1–1 OT | Los Angeles Kings (season) | 21–31–11 |
| 64 | T | February 28, 1989 | 3–3 OT | Boston Bruins (season) | 21–31–12 |
| 65 | L | March 1, 1989 | 1–4 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 21–32–12 |
| 66 | W | March 3, 1989 | 6–3 | New York Rangers (season) | 22–32–12 |
| 67 | W | March 5, 1989 | 2–0 | Minnesota North Stars (season) | 23–32–12 |
| 68 | L | March 7, 1989 | 2–6 | @ St. Louis Blues (season) | 23–33–12 |
| 69 | W | March 8, 1989 | 7–5 | @ Chicago Blackhawks (season) | 24–33–12 |
| 70 | L | March 11, 1989 | 2–3 OT | @ New York Islanders (season) | 24–34–12 |
| 71 | L | March 14, 1989 | 1–5 | Calgary Flames (season) | 24–35–12 |
| 72 | L | March 16, 1989 | 1–2 | Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 24–36–12 |
| 73 | L | March 18, 1989 | 1–3 | Chicago Blackhawks (season) | 24–37–12 |
| 74 | W | March 20, 1989 | 3–1 | Vancouver Canucks (season) | 25–37–12 |
| 75 | L | March 23, 1989 | 3–5 | @ Boston Bruins (season) | 25–38–12 |
| 76 | L | March 25, 1989 | 4–5 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins (season) | 25–39–12 |
| 77 | W | March 27, 1989 | 5–3 | Philadelphia Flyers (season) | 26–39–12 |
| 78 | L | March 29, 1989 | 4–5 OT | New York Islanders (season) | 26–40–12 |
| 79 | L | April 1, 1989 | 4–6 | @ Washington Capitals (season) | 26–41–12 |
| 80 | W | April 2, 1989 | 7–4 | Washington Capitals (season) | 27–41–12 |
The 1988–89 season was a disappointing one for the Devils. Just a year after their Cinderella 1987–88 campaign in which they reached the Wales Conference Finals, the team failed to make the playoffs altogether, managing only a fifth place finish in the Patrick Division with a roster largely intact from the previous season.