The Devils didn’t land the kind of blockbuster move that would have jolted the top six, so the opening is still there. Jason Robertson worked out his contract with the Dallas Stars for one more season, Matthew Knies probably was never actually available, Dylan Larkin remains “available” but not to New Jersey, and Alex DeBrincat likely isn’t an option for the Devils either.
What New Jersey did add was Anthony Mantha, and after a 33-goal season, he looks like a clean fit for the top six. The question is where he belongs, whether that’s next to Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes. Either way, he’s the Devils’ biggest offseason addition so far.
That still leaves one top-six spot up for grabs, unless Sheldon Keefe decides Mantha is better used as complementary scoring lower in the lineup. The competition for that role should be intense.
Last season, Connor Brown ended the year alongside Jack Hughes, and the results were strong. Brown-Hughes-Bratt logged 240 minutes together at 5v5, according to Natural Stat Trick.
In that stretch, the Devils owned just under 56% of the offensive chances, 54% of the expected goals, and 52% of the high-danger chances.
Arseny Gritsyuk was right there with Hughes from an analytical standpoint, and the counting stats were even better. In 142 minutes together, the pair helped produce eight goals while allowing only five.
That’s why Gritsyuk looks like the best bet to be the breakout player this season.
Last year, Gritsyuk put up 13 goals and 31 points in 66 games. It was a rocky rookie season at times, with an injury mixed in and some offensive inconsistency, but there was plenty to like in his game. He still fired 149 shots, more than two per night, even with uneven usage.
His shooting percentage came in at under nine percent. In the KHL, he had typically sat in the 10% to 11% range.
If he had finished last season at 10.5%, he would have scored 16 goals. With 16 games missed, that would have been a respectable outcome.
The Devils would love to see him get past the 20-goal mark this season. Defensively, he already looks comfortable, which was the part many expected to take the longest. Since that side of the game has come so naturally, he can spend more of his energy pushing his offense.
Whether he winds up with Hughes or on the third line with Cody Glass, Gritsyuk has the ingredients to become New Jersey’s breakout name this season. If everything breaks right and he stays healthy, his ceiling could reach 30 goals.
In Other News...
Devils Future Goalie Picture Just Got More Intriguing Overseas
A Russian goalie with some NHL buzz is adding another layer to the Devils long-term picture, even if his path to North America is not exactly opening anytime soon. Alexander Smolin has drawn league interest, and that matters for a Devils organization that is always keeping tabs on the next wave of possible crease help, especially when the future behind it can shift quickly from one season to the next.
For now, though, the overseas route appears to be the key part of the story, because Smolin is not in a hurry to leave the KHL. That leaves New Jersey in the familiar position of watching from a distance, weighing what kind of goalie market might develop later while the broader Eastern Conference landscape keeps its own moving pieces in place. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Add A New Voice To A Position That Keeps Defining Them
The Devils have added another layer to a part of the organization that has become central to how they build. Leo Luongo is joining New Jersey as Head of Goaltending Excellence, a role that puts him in charge of goaltending development while also linking him with the teams goalie coaches and scouts. It is the kind of behind-the-scenes hire that can shape more than one roster cycle, especially for a franchise that has made the position a point of focus.
Luongo arrives with coaching experience across the QMJHL, AHL, Swiss leagues and the Florida Panthers organization, where he worked in Goaltending Excellence and player development. He will report to the Devils EVP and Head of Hockey Operations and be involved with both current and future goaltenders in the system, which gives this move a broader reach than a standard staffing addition. [Read more 🡒]