Devils Offseason So Far: A Needed Influx of Offensive Ability
New Jersey Devils GM Sunny Mehta has emphasized skill over grit this offseason. It's been a welcome change.
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It was a pretty safe bet that new New Jersey Devils GM Sunny Mehta would have a different approach to roster building this offseason.
He hinted at as much when the Devils introduced him as GM, saying things like there isn’t just one way to win in the NHL, and that he wanted players who would help outscore the opponent.
While the offseason probably isn’t over yet, we’ve seen enough from Mehta to confirm that he would take a different approach to improving the Devils’ roster.
Thankfully, there’s been a much-needed influx of skill and goal-scoring capability that should better suit the Devils’ core.
Devils’ Additions Have Emphasized Getting More Skilled
The Devils’ last couple of offseasons sure seemed to shift toward adding grittier players rather than skilled goal-scorers, especially during the 2024 offseason.
You don’t bring in players like Stefan Noesen, Brenden Dillon, Brett Pesce, and Johnathan Kovacevic to add more skill. You’re trying to make the team a bit harder to play against.
Injuries, specifically to Jack Hughes, were among the reasons the Devils struggled, but they had a mismatched roster. None of the pieces really fit, and it affected their identity.
Did they want to be a high-powered offensive team? Or did they want to be a grind-it-out, wear-them-down team like the Florida Panthers?
Whatever the case, the results are pretty conclusive at this point. It did not work. The Devils barely made the playoffs in 2025, and they missed them altogether this past season.
Fortunately, there’s been a shift toward skill this offseason with Mehta at the helm.
Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist obviously aren’t Hughes or Nico Hischier, but they are more skilled than most of the bottom-six forwards the Devils have iced the last couple of seasons.
Rodrigues, in particular, does a lot of things with the puck. He’s a good playmaker, can create offense off the rush, forechecks, and is excellent in transition:
Whether he’s on the wing or playing center, he gives the Devils a bit more skill in their bottom six. And he has a couple of Stanley Cups to his name from his time with the Panthers.
For those who value intangibles, he’ll bring that experience to a team that more or less has to learn how to win again.
Meanwhile, Boqvist should be Paul Cotter’s replacement on the fourth line. Boqvist is a high-end skater and brings some scoring capability himself. He totaled only four goals this past season, but he shot just 6.3 percent, below his career average of 12 percent. He has bounce-back potential.
And while you may not think of Boqvist as a physical player, he’s totaled 140+ hits in each of the last two seasons, and he’s an underrated forechecker. He brings a bit of everything.
Then there’s Anthony Mantha. Sure, you’d like a bit more physicality from someone who’s 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, but he creates plenty of offense off the rush, something the Devils had gotten away from over the last couple of seasons.
Most importantly, Mantha gives the Devils a much-needed finisher. While I wouldn’t expect him to shoot 21.3 percent again, he’s scored well above expected in each of the last three seasons.
Former GM Tom Fitzgerald infamously said he wasn’t worried about offense with this team ahead of the Global Series in 2024, but Mehta has been emphasizing adding more scoring this offseason.
Between these three players, the Devils have gotten faster, a bit more skilled, and a bit more threatening off the rush. And there could be more to come.
Mehta May Still Be Searching for More Skill
We’ll see what Mehta has planned for the rest of the offseason. The Devils still have about $3.85 million in cap space, so there could be more moves to come. The assets are there to do more, too.
It wouldn’t shock me if Mehta is still searching for a bit more center depth after the Utah Mammoth matched the offer sheet the Devils tendered to Barrett Hayton.
Hayton is a strong two-way player with a bit of skill, so Mehta could target someone in a similar mold. If not a center, perhaps swapping Dawson Mercer for another upgrade in the top six is something Mehta is considering, too.
Even on defense, the Devils could probably use another puck-mover, but that could be a bit harder to come by this offseason. The plan there may just be to open up a roster spot for Declan Chisholm.
Either way, you can see the vision Mehta has so far. At least up front, the Devils have added more skill. It’s not a surprise that’s been the case since they finished 31st in five-on-five goals last season.
In theory, this should fit the Devils’ core better. Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Hischier haven’t had the proper supporting cast around them the last couple of seasons, but there are better pieces around them now.
The Devils are a more skilled team than they were at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, and that’s certainly been a welcome change.