The Devils and Oilers are showing just how fast an NHL team’s identity can flip when the right people are steering the ship.
Edmonton has become one of the Western Conference’s best clubs, and New Jersey is right there with a 9-5 record one month into the 2026-27 season. Both teams look like something different from what they were before, and both changes have come with a clear payoff.
For the Devils, the transformation started with Sunny Mehta taking over as general manager. New Jersey had been stuck in the middle, with a core that didn’t seem to have a high ceiling.
Mehta didn’t tear it all down. Instead, he chipped away at the roster with a series of signings and trades designed to deepen the lineup and bring more experience into the room.
Some of those moves came at a bargain price. The Devils landed Amadeus Lombardi for a fourth-round pick and got Luke Evangelista for a conditional first and a second. Those additions helped build a more complete roster and gave Mehta the flexibility to move Dawson Mercer and others later on, once the reinforcements were in place.
Then came the biggest swing of all: Connor Hellebuyck. New Jersey had been searching for stability in goal, and the trade solved that problem while adding one of the league’s top goaltenders.
That kind of upgrade changes everything. It gives the Devils a weapon they can trust most nights.
And that’s what stands out about this version of New Jersey. They can win in different ways.
They can score in bunches, lock things down, or let their goalie take over. They also have the kind of depth that can carry them when the top end isn’t driving the bus, which wasn’t always the case before.
Edmonton’s shift has been just as striking, if a little more unexpected.
The Oilers are playing with pace and depth, two things that were missing in previous seasons despite having Connor McDavid on the roster. Their offense is rolling at 4.20 goals per game, with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Evan Bouchard leading the way. McDavid is on pace for 200 points, Bouchard is headed for a career year offensively, and the bottom six is contributing too.
That’s a big change from the old assumption about Edmonton. Under Babcock, the expectation was that the Oilers would win by tightening up defensively and leaning into two-way hockey.
Instead, they’re allowing 3.25 goals per game while still pushing the pace and giving their stars room to create. The result is a team that looks like a Stanley Cup contender.
There’s also been a shift in how the Oilers are being led behind the bench. Questions have lingered about whether Babcock has changed as a head coach, especially since he hasn’t won a Stanley Cup or a playoff series in a decade. The way Edmonton is allowing its stars to thrive offensively and play with creativity suggests something has changed.
Both teams also show how much easier this kind of pivot becomes when the core is already in place.
Edmonton didn’t have to start over because McDavid, Draisaitl, and Bouchard were already there. That gave them the freedom to bring in a new coach and embrace a different identity without fearing a major drop-off.
New Jersey had its own core questions, especially around Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt. Mehta was willing to keep that group together, and this season has shown why.
With better depth and stronger goaltending around them, the trio matters even more. Breaking them up would have cost more than keeping them intact.
For both clubs, the message is the same: a quick reset or retool can work if the leadership is right. In New Jersey and Edmonton, those changes have already put both teams on a path toward strong seasons.
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The market, of course, is where this gets complicated. Teams such as Carolina, Montreal and Utah have also been weighed for the kinds of prospect and asset packages they could put together, and the Devils would have to decide how far they are willing to go if the opportunity really opens up. For now, there is no confirmed trade or official move, just a lot of maneuvering and the kind of speculation that can quickly turn a star name into the center of the deadline chatter. [Read more 🡒]
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Devils Momentum Is Building Despite Two Concerns Fans Can't Ignore
The Devils came home from a productive road trip with two wins in three games, a stretch that pushed their October record to 9-5-0 and kept the early-season momentum rolling. A handful of familiar names helped drive the results, with Connor Hellebuyck, Luke Hughes, Arseny Gritsyuk, Jack Hughes and Connor Brown all making meaningful contributions as New Jersey continued to stack points.
Still, the good vibes come with a couple of issues that are hard to miss. The power play has not been converting at a strong enough rate, and Anthony Manthas availability is now in question after he left a recent game. For a team that has done plenty right so far, those are the kinds of concerns that can linger if they are not cleaned up soon. [Read more 🡒]