The Devils’ preseason has started to look less like a tune-up and more like a statement about who they want to be under Sunny Mehta.
Across the last two games against both the Rangers’ A and B teams, New Jersey has leaned into a heavier, more connected style. The details have been hard to miss: heavy hits, blocked shots, scrums, and a clear willingness to back up teammates when things get chippy. Marc McLaughlin’s response to a questionable hit by Marc Del Gaizo on Amadeus Lombardi stood out as one of those moments that tells you something about the room.
That kind of edge fits the “Sasquatch” identity that has been building around this group for a while now. The Devils aren’t just skating through these exhibition games; they’re winning puck battles in tight spaces, grinding along the boards, and showing a level of buy-in that feels very much tied to the culture Mehta is trying to establish.
The results have followed, too. New Jersey has won two of its three preseason games, with one loss coming in a shootout. More importantly, the team has looked consistently engaged while playing the kind of hard, layered hockey that tends to show up when a group is starting to trust itself.
That trust has shown up on the blue line, where the Devils have looked more poised and controlled. Drafted overager Matyas Melovsky made himself noticeable against the Rangers with a physical edge, and that sort of performance can go a long way when players are fighting for a real chance in Newark.
Matyáš Melovský had two assists in tonight’s preseason game against the Rangers. #NJDevils
pic.twitter.com/kWfL3nobL7
- Czech Prospects (@CZprospects) September 25, 2026
The same can be said for the work in the offensive zone that led to Amadeus Lombardi’s tying goal. Those board battles weren’t flashy, but they were effective, and they came from a mix of fringe NHL players and prospects trying to push their way toward the next level.
Amadeus said there’s more where that came from. pic.twitter.com/F53PJ8ws0L0
- New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) September 25, 2026
Ben Steeves also had a solid night. His pass was just a few centimeters off on a chance that could have helped New Jersey grab its third preseason win, but the effort and urgency were there all the same.
There’s been plenty to like on the defensive side, too. Anton Silaev has held his own against both established NHL players and other hopefuls over the past few games, which is the kind of showing that makes him look like a real opening-night possibility. He was sent down to Utica on Friday, but he remains only a phone call away.
In front of Nico Daws and Jake Allen, the Devils have generally defended with purpose, and that’s another encouraging piece of the puzzle. Daws, for his part, probably didn’t need to be quite so hard on himself after his recent appearances. It’s preseason, after all - the stage for shaking off rust and, as the saying goes, putting on the WD-40.
Mehta, in his first season as general manager, has already made progress on both ends of the roster. He has strengthened the top and bottom lines, added depth, and continued working with the prospect pool he inherited. With players like Anton Silaev coming through the system, he hasn’t had to make major changes to the foundation already in place.
He also appears to have a strong feel for the group he’s working with, while taking a broader look at talent outside the organization. The scouting staff seems to have a clear read on opponents and on the kinds of players who can help the Devils get to the next level.
If New Jersey keeps playing with this kind of consistency on and off the puck, the organization could be looking at a very good year and a culture that keeps getting stronger.
In Other News...
Amadeus Lombardi Is Making The Devils Roster Decision Much Harder
Amadeus Lombardi has turned a quiet camp opportunity into a real roster conversation for the Devils. After arriving from the Detroit Red Wings, the young forward has looked comfortable alongside veterans in training camp and has backed it up with an impressive preseason, the kind of run that makes coaches pause when opening night decisions get close.
His tying goal against the Rangers only added to the sense that he belongs in the mix. For a player who faced his share of hurdles in Detroit, Lombardi now has a legitimate chance to crack New Jerseys lineup, and the question is no longer whether he has caught attention but whether the Devils can afford to keep him off the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Need These Under-The-Radar Players To Deliver This Season
The Devils are entering the season with more than the usual attention on their top names, and that is by design. General manager Sunny Mehta has spent the offseason trying to turn a few overlooked pieces into real contributors, with Luke Evangelista, Amadeus Lombardi, Cody Glass, Declan Chisholm and Luke Hughes all drawing interest as possible breakout players if things click in the right way.
For New Jersey, the appeal is obvious: if even a couple of those under-the-radar bets pay off, the roster gets deeper and a lot harder to line up against. The challenge is less about identifying talent than getting the right kind of season out of it, and the Devils are banking on internal growth to help them raise their level without having to lean only on the familiar names at the top of the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Cap Boom Wont Silence One Huge Goalie Debate
The NHLs projected cap jump for 2028-29 gives the Devils more breathing room on paper, with league estimates putting the ceiling at $127.5 million. For a team that already has several core players under contract through at least 2029-30, that kind of increase should help ease future roster planning, even if it does not radically change the big-picture math for how New Jersey builds around its nucleus.
Still, the extra flexibility does not appear to be enough to make management chase the kind of splashy goalie move fans always wonder about. Connor Hellebuyck comes up because he is the sort of name that can reshape a conversation, but the cost of acquiring him and the usual volatility of the position make that path look unlikely for the Devils. In other words, the cap may be rising, but it has not settled the clubs long-running question between patience, spending and whether the answer in net has to come from outside. [Read more 🡒]