The Devils are heading into Thursday’s opening of on-ice training camp with a different kind of headache: too many players, not too few.
That’s a sharp turn from last season, when Sheldon Keefe often had to patch together a lineup. Now, after new general manager Sunny Mehta added Luke Evangelista, Anthony Mantha, Evan Rodrigues and several depth pieces, the challenge is sorting through a crowded group and figuring out who actually fits on opening night.
Up front, the top of the board looks pretty clear.
Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Luke Evangelista
Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Anthony Mantha
Arseny Gritsyuk - Cody Glass - Dawson Mercer
Connor Brown - Amadeus Lombardi/Jesper Boqvist - Evan Rodrigues
Extra forward: Amadeus Lombardi/Jesper Boqvist
Evangelista’s path to a major role has opened quickly after the Devils landed him from Nashville and then signed him to a five-year extension this week. A spot next to Hischier and Meier would give that line another skilled puck handler and playmaker, which makes a lot of sense on paper.
Mantha, meanwhile, should get an early audition beside Hughes and Bratt. His size and finishing touch could make him a natural fit with two of the Devils’ best playmakers.
The third line may end up with Gritsyuk, Glass and Mercer. Gritsyuk had looked like a possible top-six option before the Evangelista move, but he may now begin a little lower in the lineup.
The fourth line is where things get messier. Brown and Rodrigues look locked into roles, but there’s still a fight going on for the remaining openings. Nick Bjugstad, Boqvist, Amadeus Lombardi and others are in that mix.
Lombardi is an especially interesting name. He did not take part in rookie camp, and because he would need to clear waivers before the Devils could send him to the AHL, he has a real path to sticking. Mehta has also been complimentary of him since taking over the team in April.
In goal, Mehta has made it clear he’s open to carrying three netminders. Jake Allen, Nico Daws and David Rittich could all be in camp, with Rittich potentially there to pressure Daws before eventually heading to Utica. If the Devils go that route, they’d be left with 13 forwards and seven defensemen.
On the back end, the picture is cleaner.
Luke Hughes - Brett Pesce
Brenden Dillon - Dougie Hamilton
Jonas Siegenthaler - Johnathan Kovacevic
Extra defenseman: Declan Chisholm
Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic are all back, and Mehta also brought in Declan Chisholm this offseason. Chisholm could begin the year as the seventh defenseman, but he also has a chance to play his way into a regular spot during camp.
And there’s still room for one more twist.
The Devils’ depth gives Mehta flexibility to make another move, and Mercer is the name likely to draw the most attention. He’s in the final year of his contract at $4 million and will be due for a raise as a restricted free agent. There could also be movement on defense if Chisholm earns a bigger role or one of the younger players pushes for NHL ice time.
In Other News...
Devils Lose Veteran Center At Worst Possible Time
The Devils got an unwelcome reminder of how quickly a preseason can change when Nick Bjugstads recovery became the headline before camp even opened. New Jersey said the veteran forward underwent successful surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle, and the timing could hardly be worse for a team trying to sort out its early-season plans and build some stability down the middle.
Bjugstad will miss training camp and is facing a four-to-six month recovery timeline, which puts a significant chunk of the 2026-27 season in jeopardy as well. The injury adds another layer of caution to camp, where defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic is also expected to be limited while working back from a minor offseason knee procedure. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Front Office Shakeup Sends Familiar Name Back Into The NHL
The Devils have moved into a new phase upstairs, with Sunny Mehta now running hockey operations after the organization parted ways with Tom Fitzgerald. Mehta wasted little time putting his own stamp on the front office, including a change at assistant general manager that brought Braden Birch into the role and shifted Dan MacKinnon out of it.
One familiar name from the previous regime also found a new landing spot elsewhere in the league. Chuck Fletcher, who had served as a senior advisor with New Jersey, was not retained and has since been hired in the same advisory role by the Seattle Kraken, a reminder that front office turnover rarely stays contained to one zip code for long. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Camp Decision Put Early Focus On One Intriguing Newcomer
The Devils opened training camp with a few early clues about how they want to sort through a busy roster, and one of the most interesting ones came with Anthony Mantha sliding onto a top line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Even before the preseason games begin, those alignments can tell you plenty about where the staff sees fits, and the first look suggested New Jersey is willing to mix proven skill with fresh options as it sorts out its forward groups.
Amadeus Lombardi was the newcomer who stood out most in that first wave of decisions, earning a third-line look next to Cody Glass. For a recent acquisition, that kind of placement says the Devils are not treating camp as a slow audition, especially with new general manager Sunny Mehta already tied to the evaluation process. The lineups are still fluid, of course, but Lombardis early assignment makes him one of the more intriguing names to track as camp moves forward. [Read more 🡒]