Luke Evangelista arrives in New Jersey with a lot of buzz around where he belongs in the Devils’ forward group, and the easy answer has been the top line with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier. That’s a workable fit. But there’s a stronger case to be made for a different setup, one that puts Evangelista next to Jack Hughes.
Evangelista is the kind of top-six winger who can handle major minutes, but the appeal of pairing him with Hughes goes beyond simply slotting him into the first line. The two players share a similar style: speed, puck control and the ability to dictate the pace. That kind of overlap could create real chemistry, and it would force opposing coaches to spend some time thinking about how to deal with them.
That doesn’t mean Hischier would be a bad match for Evangelista. It just means the Devils might get a more dangerous overall look by keeping Hughes and Evangelista together and shifting Anthony Mantha onto the top unit with Hischier and Meier. That alignment would give New Jersey a more balanced top six.
There’s also a bigger reason this pairing stands out. Evangelista has the kind of scoring upside that suggests 20 goals, maybe even 30, but reaching that level would have been tougher in Nashville.
The Predators simply didn’t have a center with the kind of dynamic game Hughes brings. Ryan O’Rielly is a great player, but he is not Jack Hughes.
That difference matters. Hughes gives Evangelista the kind of high-end support that could help unlock the winger’s full ceiling, which is exactly why the Devils moved quickly when the chance came along. If you’re Sunny Mehta, why wouldn’t you pull the trigger?
New Jersey used the pieces it received in the Simon Nemec deal, and the Colorado Avalanche’s first-round pick is essentially viewed as a second-rounder. In that light, landing Evangelista for basically two second-round picks is the sort of move a team makes without hesitation.
Sheldon Keefe may well start by putting Evangelista with Hischier, and that would be perfectly fine. But if the Devils want the most explosive version of their lineup, Hughes and Evangelista should be the ones skating together. It makes too much sense.
In Other News...
Devils Are Betting On Overlooked Talent To Deliver This Season
Sunny Mehtas offseason approach in New Jersey has a familiar feel for anyone who watched his work with the Panthers. The Devils are leaning into a talent-identification model that values players other teams may have overlooked, betting that the right environment can turn promising pieces into much more. Thats how names like Amadeus Lombardi, Declan Chisholm and Luke Evangelista have entered the conversation, with each beginning to show signs that they can become more than depth options at the pro level.
The more interesting part for the Devils is how that same logic applies to the roster already in place. Timo Meier, Dawson Mercer, Arseny Gritsyuk and Luke Hughes all have the kind of upside that could reshape the teams ceiling if the next step arrives this season, while offseason addition Anthony Mantha is expected to build on the scoring touch he showed recently. For New Jersey, the gamble is clear: if enough of these players move from potential to production, the payoff could be a much deeper, more dangerous lineup than the one that finished last spring. [Read more 🡒]
Dawson Mercer Faces A Bigger Devils Season Than Fans Realize
Dawson Mercers 2025-26 season was the kind that quietly matters a lot in New Jersey: he stayed in the lineup every night, posted 42 points with 20 goals and 22 assists, and handled 18:14 of ice time while helping the Devils get through the grind of a full schedule. For a player still only heading into the next stage of his career, that was the sort of all-around year that reinforces why the organization has leaned on him so heavily.
Now Mercer heads into the final year of his contract with a different kind of pressure. He is expected to slide into a bottom-six role as new addition Luke Evangelista pushes into the top six, which means Mercer will have to keep producing while adjusting to a smaller offensive lane. At the same time, he is chasing career markers like 500 NHL games and extending an ironman streak that has become part of his value, making this season about more than just where he fits in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
Anton Silayev May Be Ready Before The Devils Have Room
Anton Silayevs path to New Jersey is shaping up to be a patient one, even if the 20-year-old defenseman has already given the Devils plenty to like since going 10th overall in the draft. For now, the expectation is that hell spend the coming season developing with the Utica Comets, where he can get reps and adjust to the pro game without the pressure of forcing his way into an NHL lineup.
The challenge, of course, is that the Devils already have three established left-side defensemen in place, which leaves little obvious room for Silayev to jump straight in. Injuries could always change the equation, and the organization will keep an eye on how quickly he adapts, but the more likely route is a season of growth in the AHL before he starts pushing for a permanent spot in New Jersey. [Read more 🡒]