Free agency opened with the Devils already making noise, and one of the first moves on the board was Arseny Gritsyuk landing a three-year deal.
Jacob Markstrom is also headed to Florida, a departure that leaves New Jersey with a clear opening in goal. The move doesn’t just create a hole; it also changes the shape of the roster, and the reporting around it suggests the Devils may not be done.
As one piece put it, “Markstrom’s exit obviously leaves the Devils with a pretty important hole to fill, leaving things somewhat incomplete. But it feels like this team is gearing up for a splash.
The Simon Nemec trade bought the team some assets to flip, while moving Markstrom cleared some cap. Let Mehta cook here because he clearly has a good handle on what needs to be done to address some of last year’s shortcomings.”
There’s also movement on Nico Hischier. According to The Athletic, the Devils captain is likely to extend with the team as early as Wednesday, with negotiations having been underway for the past month.
The team also posted a separate update on social media.
Around the league, free agency day brought its own wave of action and rumor. ESPN and Daily Faceoff both offered looks at the available players as the market opened, while NHL.com rounded up the notable names who had been issued qualifying offers.
Sportsnet reported a notable draft-day-style twist that never actually happened: “According to multiple sources, the Dallas Stars and Columbus Blue Jackets had a verbal agreement on a Zach Werenski trade, which was to be completed on Wednesday morning, only to have it vetoed by the Norris Trophy winner. (Werenski has a full no-move clause.)”
Two more signings also came off the board. A.J. Greer got a four-year deal, and Jeremy Lauzon landed a six-year deal.
In Other News...
Wild Just Dropped An Unexpected Winger Into Devils' Conversation
The Devils have already spent part of the offseason sorting their own restricted free-agent business, choosing not to tender qualifying offers to Paul Cotter, Calen Addison, Tyler Brennan and Dylan Wendt while keeping control of names such as Arseny Gritsyuk and Nico Daws. Those roster decisions helped clarify where New Jersey stands heading into the next phase of the summer, with the club still balancing depth moves against the need to preserve flexibility for bigger additions.
Now another name has entered the broader conversation, and it is one that should register for a Devils team still looking at ways to add scoring help without overcommitting. Bobby Brink was a surprising omission from Minnesotas qualifying-offer list, and the winger is expected to chase a deal above the amount he would have received, which could make him an interesting fit for teams hunting value on the market. Whether New Jersey treats that as a real opportunity or simply another name to monitor will become clearer as the market opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Just Made A Goalie Move That Changes Everything
The Panthers are moving quickly in goal, and Jacob Markstrom is back in the middle of it. Florida is reportedly close to bringing in the Devils netminder after recently adding Akira Schmid, a sequence that underscores how aggressively the organization is trying to reshape its crease before the market tightens. For New Jersey, the deal would open up another important roster decision, while Florida would be betting on a veteran goalie with a familiar connection to the franchise.
Markstrom also comes with the kind of contract detail that matters in a deal like this, since no salary retention is involved. That makes the move cleaner for Florida on the books and signals just how serious the Panthers are about committing to this reset in net. The ripple effects could still reach well beyond the trade itself, especially with the goaltending market moving fast and other dominoes expected to follow. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Development Camp Is Underway With One Prospect Drawing Attention
Development camp is underway at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House, and the Devils are using the late-June session to give a fresh group of prospects a first taste of the organizations day-to-day standards. The annual program runs through July 1 at Prudential Center, with on-ice sessions set for June 30 and July 1, and this weeks work has centered on conditioning, skills and tempo drills for draft picks from the 2025 and 2026 classes.
Among the most watched names is first-rounder Alexander Command, who is taking part in off-ice work while the rest of the group goes through the ice portion of camp. The early focus is less about headlines than habits, but the Devils also built in a community stop after the workouts, sending the prospects to a local hospital as part of the clubs outreach around camp. [Read more 🡒]