Devils' Needs Heading Into a Crucial Offseason
This is an important summer for the New Jersey Devils. Here's what GM Sunny Mehta should prioritize to improve the team's roster.
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There’s no doubt the 2025-26 season was a disappointment for the New Jersey Devils, but with that should come change, unlike last offseason.
New GM Sunny Mehta will likely be busy this summer, as the Devils’ roster has a few holes to address. What should Mehta prioritize via trades and free agency?
A Top-6 Winger (or Two)
The Devils finished 31st in five-on-five goals this season, so adding more scoring should be the top priority for Mehta. Their top six is set down the middle with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, but the rest of the top six needs work.
At a minimum, the Devils need one top-six winger. Timo Meier has been a disappointment for the majority of his Devils tenure, and Dawson Mercer, although coming off a better season, doesn’t provide enough pop in the top six.
Fortunately, there should be options for Mehta, whether it’s through a trade or free agency. I’m not going over why Jordan Kyrou is a fit again, but he should be a top target. As should Jared McCann.
One top-six winger would help, but if the Devils want to really take a significant step forward next season, Mehta should be gunning for two:
Meier - Hischier - X
X - Hughes - Bratt
Mehta has the assets (Mercer, the 12th overall pick, and Šimon Nemec, to name a few) to dangle for a top-six winger, and I expect him to use some of those trade chips to make improvements to acquire one.
A Middle-Six Center or Someone Who Can Play Center If Needed
The Devils may be in good shape down the middle with Hischier and Hughes in the top six, but they cannot go into next season without acquiring another center or someone capable of playing the position.
It all boils down to Hughes’ inability to stay healthy. He has not played in 75+ games since the 2022-23 season, when the Devils won 52 games and a playoff round.
There are a couple of options for Mehta. One would be acquiring someone like Shane Wright, who can play a third-line role but move up the lineup if needed.
A third line of Gritsyuk, Wright, and Connor Brown has plenty of potential, but you also get someone with some skill and upside who could mesh with Bratt and whoever Mehta adds to the top six.
Another option would be acquiring someone like Mason McTavish. To me, McTavish profiles as more of a winger than a center, but he’s played most of his professional career down the middle.
With everyone healthy, McTavish could serve as an LW on Hughes and Bratt’s line, but he could also be the break glass in case of emergency option at center if someone gets injured.
The Devils also need to account for Cody Glass’ regression. He had a great 2025-26 season, but he shot 18 percent, well above his career average of 10.9 percent. I’d be surprised if he repeated this season.
As constructed, the Devils are one Hughes or Hischier injury away from 2C Mercer or Glass. Whether it’s someone like McTavish, who can play either position, or someone more suited to play center, the Devils could use another forward like that in their lineup.
Bottom-6 Depth
Bottom-six depth can be a bit overrated. If you have enough star talent in the top six, they should be able to carry a team. However, the Devils’ bottom six was unplayable for much of this season, specifically the fourth line.
Paul Cotter finished with an expected goals share (xG%) of 41.81 percent, and the Devils were outscored 41-15(!) in his five-on-five minutes.
Luke Glendening finished the season with the Philadelphia Flyers, but he was the worst of the Devils’ bottom-six forwards. He finished with an xG% of 36.58 percent, and the Devils were outscored 20-6 in his five-on-five minutes.
Juho Lammikko wasn’t a regular in the Devils’ lineup, but there was a reason for that. Nick Bjugstad didn’t show much in his brief time with the Devils, either; Mehta should clear his contract this summer, too.
Mehta says he wants players who will help the Devils outscore their opponents. I expect him to pursue some bottom-six/fourth-line forwards in free agency to improve the team’s depth.
Sure, the free-agent class may not be particularly good, but there are always good depth options available. We’ll be going over some of them next week, so stay tuned.
Puck-Moving Defenseman
The Devils’ defense core is probably the most interesting position group for me this summer.
I’d argue the Devils need one puck-mover on each side, but finding two won’t be easy. If there’s one side that needs it more, it’s the left.
Luke Hughes showed plenty of puck-moving upside after the Olympic break, but Jonas Siegenthaler and Brenden Dillon are limited in what they can do with the puck on their stick.
Dillon is entering the final year of his contract, and his no-trade clause shifts from a full NTC to a 10-team NTC on July 1. Siegenthaler also has a 10-team NTC, so both players shouldn’t be too difficult to move.
If I were Mehta, I would lean toward trading Dillon over Siegenthaler since he’s nearly eight years older than Siegenthaler and replacing him with a more mobile, puck-moving defenseman.
Part of the Devils’ struggles this season is that their defensemen weren’t mobile or efficient enough at exiting the defensive zone cleanly. Adding someone with more puck skills and who can help them break out more efficiently could be a big help.
Mehta Has Work to Do, But It’s Far From an Impossible Task
Despite the Devils needing to address a few holes, they aren’t that far off from making a push in the Metropolitan Division again.
If Mehta can acquire at least one top-six winger, one puck-moving defenseman, and round out the team’s bottom six/fourth line, they should be in good shape next season.
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