Sunny Mehta’s offseason blueprint for the Devils has been pretty clear: find the players other teams overlook and bet on them becoming something bigger. It’s the same approach he saw work in Florida, where Carter Verhaeghe, Gustav Forsling, Sam Bennett, and Sam Reinhart all became impact pieces after arriving without being drafted by the Panthers.
New Jersey has already added a few players who fit that mold, and the idea behind those moves is simple enough. If even one of them grows into a true star, the whole offseason starts to look a lot smarter. Amadeus Lombardi, Declan Chisholm, and Luke Evangelista are all starting to establish themselves as pros, and each carries the kind of upside Mehta seems to be chasing in the early years of his tenure.
Evangelista even spelled out the pitch he heard from the Devils GM during his introductory presser. He said Mehta was “Looking for some kind of under-the-radar pickups they used to do in Florida, and he said I fit that mold,”
That search for hidden value doesn’t stop with the new arrivals. Timo Meier feels like the biggest swing on the roster heading into 2026-27. Fans have been waiting for that breakout since the Devils landed him at the 2023 trade deadline, but in three full seasons he’s mostly hovered around the 50-point range.
This season, though, there’s at least a path to something better. A healthier lineup would help, and so would more consistency in where he’s deployed, whether that means lining up regularly with Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. Meier once posted 76 points in 2021-22, and the source material makes clear it wouldn’t be shocking if he topped that number now.
The Devils also have other players who could take a real step forward. Dawson Mercer has flashed high-end offensive ability over the years, and at 25 he still has room to turn that into production on a more consistent basis. Arseny Gritsyuk made a strong first impression in the NHL with 31 points, while also showing the speed and skill that could push him toward a higher ceiling.
Luke Hughes is another name to watch on the blue line. Contract talks hung over his season last year, and that clearly affected his rhythm. At 23, with the puck-handling role to himself on defense and room to keep sharpening his work away from the puck, he has the setup for a major year.
Among the offseason additions, Anthony Mantha brings a different kind of question. He scored 33 goals last season, so he’s not coming in as a surprise package or a hidden gem. But he can still prove that scoring burst was real and become a major piece of the top six.
Evangelista and Lombardi are the two newcomers drawing the most optimism. Evangelista’s calling card is his playmaking, with the passing and vision to make teammates better around him. Lombardi remains in the American Hockey League and is expected to begin the season with the Utica Comets before joining New Jersey, but he brings strong skating and plenty of offensive talent.
What stands out with both players is their age and their development arc. They’re in their early 20s, they took time to grow into their game, and their best years should still be ahead of them. That gives the Devils a chance to cash in sooner rather than later.
There’s also the bigger-picture possibility of a midseason move that would change everything. Quinn Hughes is the name everyone keeps circling as the potential final piece for the Devils, and while he wouldn’t exactly be a shocking addition, he would alter the team’s outlook in a hurry.
If Mehta wants to really catch people off guard, Brock Boeser is another name to keep in mind. He has the scoring touch to fit alongside Hughes, and with his prime years slipping away on a rebuilding Vancouver team, he could be a trade target if New Jersey decides to swing big.
In Other News...
Anton Silayev May Be Ready Before The Devils Have Room
Anton Silayevs path to New Jersey is taking shape the way most clubs hope a high-end defense prospects would, with patience built into the plan. The 20-year-old, taken 10th overall by the Devils, is expected to start the coming season developing with the Utica Comets in the AHL, where he can get reps and adjust before he is asked to handle NHL minutes.
The timing, though, is what makes his situation worth watching. The Devils already have three established left-side defensemen, which leaves little immediate room for Silayev unless injuries open a door. For now, the expectation is that he keeps stacking experience in Utica, with the organization viewing a future NHL spot as the more likely destination. [Read more 🡒]
Dawson Mercer Faces A Bigger Devils Season Than Fans Realize
Dawson Mercer gave the Devils exactly the kind of reliability teams love to build around last season, skating in all 82 games and finishing with 42 points on 20 goals and 22 assists while averaging 18:14 a night. For a player who has already shown he can handle tough minutes and stay in the lineup, that kind of durability matters almost as much as the production, especially with New Jersey looking for steady contributors up and down the roster.
The next season brings a different kind of pressure. Mercer is heading into the final year of his deal, with expectations that hell slide into a bottom-six role while new teammate Luke Evangelista pushes into the top six, and that means Mercer will have to prove again that his value goes beyond usage. He is also approaching a few notable career markers, including 500 NHL games, so the challenge now is to keep the ironman run going while making sure his contract year leaves no doubt about what kind of long-term piece he can still be for the Devils. [Read more 🡒]
Quinn Hughes Contract Tension Keeps Devils Fans Watching Closely
With Quinn Hughes entering the final year of his current deal, the contract talks in Minnesota have become one of the more closely watched items around the league, including for Devils fans tracking how the defense market keeps climbing. The Wild are eligible to work out an extension with him now, and the discussion has already started to feel bigger than one player, especially with other elite defensemen around the NHL landing major commitments that keep resetting the price of doing business.
Minnesotas owner has signaled a preference for a three-year arrangement, but the broader market has only made the process more delicate. Recent deals for comparable players have raised the stakes, and while the Wild still expect to get something done, they are navigating a landscape where every passing agreement elsewhere can alter the leverage and the timeline. For New Jersey, it is another reminder of how quickly top-end blue-line contracts can shape the conversation well beyond one team. [Read more 🡒]