The Devils’ training camp is about to get tricky in a hurry, and not just because of the roster crunch. With Sunny Mehta running his first camp as general manager of the franchise he grew up rooting for, New Jersey is carrying a deeper group than usual - and that means the waiver wire could become a major part of the story.
That’s where things get uncomfortable for a few young players. Once a player is no longer waiver-exempt, the Devils can’t simply send him between the NHL and AHL without exposing him to the rest of the league first.
If he clears, fine. If not, another team can claim him.
And with camp battles tightening up late in the summer, that process often becomes a test of patience, timing, and roster math.
New Jersey has already felt the downside of that system. Last season, the Devils lost Luke Glendening to waivers when the Philadelphia Flyers claimed him. And as camp approaches, there are five names in particular who could end up right in the middle of that same conversation.
Nico Daws is the easiest one to spot. The Devils are rolling with a three-goalie setup that includes Jake Allen, David Rittich, and Daws, and the former third-round pick still looks like the upside play in the group.
But if he doesn’t show enough in camp, Utica would be the likely landing spot - after waivers, of course. He survived that process last season, but the spotlight is brighter now, especially after the trade rumors that followed him through the offseason.
Amadeus Lombardi is a different kind of case. Mehta made him a priority by sending a fourth-round pick to get him this offseason, even though Lombardi has yet to log meaningful NHL experience.
The appeal is obvious: upside, skill, and the kind of swing that can pay off if the fit is right. The problem is just as clear.
There may not be room for him unless injuries intervene or Sheldon Keefe decides to force the issue. The Devils are likely to keep trying to make that investment work.
Collin White is another name that might raise eyebrows. He arrived this offseason after a strong AHL season with the San Jose Barracuda, where he was over a point per game, and he also brings multiple NHL seasons to the table.
At 29, he has been off the waiver-exempt track for a long time. In February of 2024, the Montreal Canadiens claimed him after he opened that season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Now the question is whether he can slide through waivers again.
Vladislav Kolyachonok is in a similar spot, though the path is a little murkier. Another Mehta addition, he’s the type of player the new GM would love to see turn into a surprise roster win.
There’s at least a case for him making the NHL team outright, and if New Jersey went with two extra defensemen, that would open the door. But if the Devils leave camp healthy, the more likely setup appears to be Declan Chisholm as the extra - or even as a starter, which some believe is possible - along with an extra forward and an extra goalie on the 23-man roster.
In that scenario, Kolyachonok would probably need to clear waivers to stay in the organization.
Topias Vilen might be the most interesting name of the bunch. He’s been one of the few Tom Fitzgerald draft picks to show real signs at the next level, handling himself well for the Utica Comets and even getting a few chances with the Devils.
New Jersey re-signed him to a one-year deal this offseason, which says plenty about the organization’s interest in keeping him around. At 23, he’s also the youngest player on this list, and maybe the one with the most open-ended future.
If the Devils want to find out how much more there is there, they’ll first have to get him through waivers.
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