The rising salary cap is already reshaping the market, and the New Jersey Devils have a few players positioned to take advantage of it.
The Leo Carlsson offer sheet and the contract that followed changed the summer landscape fast. It pushed asking prices up across the league and, in some cases, forced teams to operate differently - even to the point of handing out deals with an average annual value above $20 million.
A lot of fans see that as a boost for the stars. And sure, the ceiling keeps climbing.
But the floor is rising too, which is how depth players can suddenly find themselves in the $7 million or $8 million AAV neighborhood.
For the Devils, that matters because most of their biggest names are already locked in long term. The real impact shows up in the players whose next deals are still ahead - especially the ones who can turn a strong season into a much bigger payday.
Among the pending unrestricted free agents, Cody Glass and Declan Chisholm stand out as the kind of value pieces who could benefit if they take another step. Glass is a fourth-liner, but he has a chance to establish himself as the kind of fourth-line center teams want to keep around: better defensively, with a scoring touch that adds to his case.
Chisholm was brought in to provide depth on defense, a third-pair option if injuries stack up, but he’s also 26 and entering his prime. If he has a career year, the Devils could be looking at a player worth keeping.
Neither one is expensive right now, either. Both are making under $2.5 million AAV, which keeps the price manageable for New Jersey.
Jonas Seigenthaler is a different story. He’s been a steady blueliner for the Devils and carries a $3.4 AAV, but when he reaches free agency in 2028, the market could look a lot different.
Even at 31, he projects as the kind of defenseman teams will chase, and the Devils might have to stare at a deal in the $7 million AAV range or higher.
Anthony Mantha is another player with a path to a bigger future payday. New Jersey gave him a two-year contract this offseason, and if his offensive production holds, he can show he can score in any situation. That kind of season would give the veteran forward a chance at one more substantial contract.
On the restricted free agent side, Dawson Mercer is the obvious name to circle. His $4 million AAV has been a bargain for the Devils, and at 24, he’s already become a major piece of the forward group by moving all over the lineup and making a strong offensive impact. Another big season could put him squarely on offer sheet watch, with a number of $9 million AAV or more in play.
Amadeus Lombardi is another young forward to watch. Acquired this offseason, the 23-year-old winger is expected to make his NHL debut on opening night.
He has the skill set to grow into a middle-six role, and that kind of trajectory could eventually put him in the $6 million-or-more range per season. The Devils are giving him a shot, and he’ll be eager to make it count.
There’s also Alexander Command, whom the Devils drafted in the 2026 first round. He’ll eventually arrive on an entry-level deal, stay under contract for a few seasons, and then become an RFA the team will have to address.
Long term, though, the biggest winner in all of this is Jack Hughes. He’s under contract for four more seasons, but he’s also the next Devils star due for a major payday.
His $8 million AAV is already seen as team-friendly, and if he plays his best hockey over the next four years, he could land in the range of the league’s highest-paid players. By 2030, the going rate for a top-line center could be so different that Hughes might be able to boost his AAV by $20 million.
And while Quinn Hughes isn’t with the Devils right now, his situation is part of the same cap conversation. He’s in line for a huge deal if he doesn’t sign an extension with the Minnesota Wild, and the Cale Makar contract offers a useful comparison. The offseason ahead could leave him with an AAV in that same neighborhood.
The cap keeps rising, and for New Jersey, that means opportunity is spread across the roster - from bargain depth pieces to the stars who are just waiting for their next massive contract.
In Other News...
Daniil Orlov Is Forcing His Way Into The Devils Blue Line Debate
Daniil Orlov has spent the opening stretch of the 2026-27 season making a case the Devils probably did not expect to be having this early. The 22-year-old defense prospect has six points in nine games, production that has already put him among the leagues more productive blueliners and added some intrigue to a New Jersey back end that is never short on moving parts.
What makes Orlov stand out is not just the numbers, but the way he gets around the ice and moves the puck once he is there. His skating and defensive mobility give him a cleaner path to NHL minutes than most prospects, and while he may not carry the highest ceiling among the organizations Russian defensemen, he looks increasingly like the kind of player who can step into a fourth-pair role and hold his own. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Face A Tough Trade Question On Their Blue Line
Amadeus Lombardi has already given the Devils something to think about after arriving in a deal with Detroit for a fourth-round pick and turning enough heads in camp to win a roster spot. For New Jersey, that kind of surprise only sharpens the bigger question on the blue line, where the organization is still looking for the right mix of stability, upside and cap flexibility as it plans beyond the immediate season.
One possible answer would come from Detroit, where front office turnover and unresolved business around Simon Edvinsson have made the situation worth monitoring. If the Devils decide to press harder on that front, they would have to weigh both the financial cost and the roster ripple effect of adding another young defenseman, which is exactly the sort of calculation that can define a team trying to take the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Bottom Six Already Faces An Early Test Without Connor Brown
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For New Jersey, the timing matters because Brown was part of the mix competing for the fourth-line right-wing role, and the Devils have several options to cover his spot in the meantime. It gives the bottom six an immediate early test, with camp battles suddenly carrying a little more weight as the team tries to keep its lineup balance intact without one of its newer forwards available right away. [Read more 🡒]