With training camp for the New Jersey Devils set to open in less than a week for rookies and then veterans, the roster picture is starting to sharpen - and so is the pressure. The Devils have added more depth up front, the competition for jobs is going to be fierce, and there’s still chatter that another move could be coming before the 2026-27 season begins.
That buzz is only getting louder around the goaltending situation. Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request became public at the end of August, and his agent, Ray Petkau, released a statement on his behalf after months of speculation around the Winnipeg Jets’ No. 1 goalie.
Statement from Connor Hellebuyck: pic.twitter.com/hW8sNw1LJi
- Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) August 27, 2026
New Jersey has been mentioned as a leading candidate to land the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, and the fit is obvious on paper. The Devils currently have Jake Allen, Nico Daws, and David Rittich on the roster, but there’s no clarity yet on who starts or whether all three even make the final group. Daws, in particular, has never settled into a full-time backup role.
That uncertainty is why a Hellebuyck pursuit keeps coming back into the conversation. The cost would be steep, though. A proposed package from The Hockey Writers included Daws, Dawson Mercer, Seamus Casey, and a first-round pick.
Still, if New Jersey pulled it off, the impact would be immediate. Hellebuyck would give the Devils the kind of established starter they haven’t had in a long time, along with a level of stability in net that could change the entire feel of the team. Sunny Mehta has already shown he’s willing to swing big, and landing Hellebuyck would take an already strong first offseason as general manager to another level.
The Devils’ newest forward is already embracing the move. Luke Evangelista appeared on NHL Network on Thursday and said he had been getting ready to head back to Nashville when his agent called with news of the trade. New Jersey sent first- and second-round picks in the 2028 NHL Draft to bring him in, a move that adds another option to a top-six group that now looks much deeper.
“I’m so excited about the idea of coming to Jersey, playing for an elite squad, and making a playoff push,” said Evangelista. He also said his talks with Mehta and head coach Sheldon Keefe quickly eased any questions he had about where he fits.
The Devils have clearly targeted players they believe are underappreciated, and Evangelista fits that mold. He posted a career-high 56 points last season and has built a reputation as a sharp passer and smart creator.
“I pride myself on that vision and the hockey IQ, setting my teammates up for success…But I feel like becoming that dual threat, being able to have that playmaking option as well as being a threat to put the puck in the net, I think that’s just going to elevate my game.”
- Luke Evangelista
He said this season is about taking another step, helping his linemates and becoming more dangerous around the net. Projections have him lining up with either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes, which gives him a prime chance to make an early impression with Devils fans.
Timo Meier is also drawing attention away from the rink. A new YouTube feature, “Greetings From Switzerland: Timo Meier Returns Home,” followed the Swiss winger back to Herisau, where he spends his summers reconnecting with family and decompressing after the NHL season.
The video shows Meier moving through the Swiss countryside and the village he calls home in the offseason. It also includes a tour of his jersey collection, from his first soccer sweater to his most recent Team Switzerland jersey, along with childhood photos and other memorabilia from his early hockey days.
His youth hockey camp, which just finished its seventh year, is part of that summer routine as well. Meier said being able to connect with young players means a great deal to him.
“As an athlete, you have that possibility to come in and make their face light up, it’s something that I don’t take for granted and try to really do it as much as I can. It means a lot to me,” said Meier.
The feature also includes appearances from his childhood best friend, trainers, teammates, parents and sister, all reinforcing the same message: Meier’s bond with the game runs deep, and he has never lost touch with where he came from.
In Other News...
Nico Hischier Revealed What Made Him Commit To The Devils
Nico Hischier didnt waste any time when it came to locking in his future with New Jersey, agreeing to a five-year, $58.5 million contract extension on the first day he was eligible. It was a fitting move for a player who has been one of the Devils most steady voices and most dependable performers over the past five seasons, growing into the captaincy while helping anchor the franchise through a period of change.
In discussing the decision, Hischier pointed to his commitment to the Devils and the recent shifts around the organization, including the arrival of new general manager Sunny Mehta. For a player of his stature, the timing underscored how much faith he has in where the team is headed, and it also hinted at a broader belief that the Devils next chapter could be even more compelling than the last. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Already Face A Big Question With Their New Winger
Luke Evangelista is already giving the Devils something to think about well before his first season in New Jersey even gets going. The winger arrived from Nashville with a fresh start and a contract situation that immediately puts him on a different timeline than the rest of the roster, since he is heading into the final year of his deal. For now, Evangelista says he is not worried about extension talks, which is a reasonable place for a new player to be in, but it also means the Devils are set to spend the season watching both his fit and his future.
For a team trying to settle into its next phase, that kind of uncertainty can matter just as much as production. New Jersey did not bring in Evangelista for a long-term mystery, but his situation adds another layer to a summer already full of league-wide movement chatter, including renewed discussion about whether Sidney Crosby even leaves Pittsburgh at all. The Devils cannot control those bigger narratives, yet they do have to manage the one in front of them, and what happens with Evangelista over the coming year could decide whether this trade looks like a short-term boost or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres May Have One Path Left To Contender Status
Goaltending chatter around the Devils has become part of the offseason conversation again, and Connor Hellebuycks name is sitting near the center of it. New Jersey already knows the shape of the problem: a team with enough talent to think bigger, but with no margin for error in net if it wants to close the gap on the Easts best clubs.
The Winnipeg Jets goalie has been floated as a possible fix for several teams, and the Devils are one of the more logical fits because of where they are in their timeline. The question is whether New Jersey decides to make a real push for a proven answer, or whether it keeps looking for a less dramatic path while Buffalo and Carolina are also weighing their own needs in goal. [Read more 🡒]