The Devils are staring at a cap puzzle that keeps getting more complicated, and Quinn Hughes sits at the center of it.
New Jersey wants him. Hughes wants New Jersey. But until he officially signs an extension in Minnesota, the Devils are left waiting, checking in with Bill Guerin, and building their plan around the possibility that Hughes eventually becomes available.
That kind of uncertainty changes everything. Hughes is carrying a $7.85M AAV this season, but his next contract is expected to land in the Cale Makar neighborhood if he signs max term.
The Devils have just $3.85M in space right now, and while a trade could create room, the bigger issue is next summer. They’re projected to have $32.33M in cap space, but Hughes alone could take up $21M+ of that once the cap ceiling jumps.
And that’s before New Jersey starts chasing anything else.
Connor Hellebuyck has been tied to the Devils, and it’s easy to see why. Their goaltending fell apart last season, they just traded their starter away, and Hellebuyck fits cleanly with their USA Olympic core. Add Hughes to that mix and the Devils suddenly have star power everywhere - along with a stack of expensive commitments.
Bill Guerin also didn’t offer much when asked if he was convinced Quinn Hughes wants to play in Minnesota beyond this season.
He declined to answer. The speculation keeps rolling.
Bill Guerin got asked if he was convinced that Quinn Hughes wants to play in MIN beyond this upcoming season.
He declined to answer. pic.twitter.com/dESWHRuoGy
- Devils Insiders (@DevilsInsiders) August 31, 2026
That’s why Jesper Bratt keeps popping up in the conversation.
Bratt is a major player - 22 goals and 71 points last season, 88 the year before, still just 28, and signed at $7.875M through 2030-31. He’s the kind of winger every contender wants: productive, reliable, and locked into a strong contract.
He’s also one of the few Devils pieces that could move without tearing apart the team’s core identity.
New Jersey would rather deal Timo Meier first, but if the mission is to bring in the Hughes brothers and land a top goalie, Bratt is the name that makes the cap math work. He’d also bring back a stronger return than Meier in this kind of framework. Moving him would open a lane for Arseni Gritsyuk, while giving the Devils the flexibility they’ll need once Hughes and a top goalie are on the books.
Edmonton, meanwhile, has the kind of package New Jersey would have to take seriously.
Isaac Howard is the headliner. He’s a young American scorer who just won the Hobey Baker, made the AHL All-Star Game as a rookie, and looks ready to take off. He’d bring speed and pure offense to the Devils’ wing group, and he could fit on a third line with Cody Glass and Connor Brown.
Trent Frederic helps the money work and gives New Jersey a rugged, flexible winger who can steady the middle six while Howard develops.
The full offer looks like this:
Trent Frederic
Isaac (Ike) Howard
2028 1st round pick
2029 1st round pick
2028 3rd round pick
Oilers receive:
Jesper Bratt
That’s basically three firsts, a third, and a roster player, which lines up with the kind of return recent winger blockbusters have produced.
If New Jersey wanted a young defenseman instead, Edmonton could include Spencer Stastney or another prospect, but the Devils already have a solid young defensive pipeline. The bigger draw is the cap relief and the chance to redirect money toward Hughes and a top goalie. Howard adds a cost-controlled, dynamic scorer with real upside, which makes the whole package easier to swallow.
For Edmonton, the appeal is straightforward. Bratt is a proven top-six winger who can keep up with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. He’s a pass-first player, so there’s some overlap with those stars, but his pace and vision still fit perfectly in Edmonton’s offense.
The market for high-end wingers gives this kind of ask some real teeth. Mason McTavish brought two firsts.
JJ Peterka brought two firsts. Brady Tkachuk brought three firsts and a second.
Bratt has out-produced all three over the last two seasons, even if he’s older and less physical than Tkachuk. With his contract and production, he sits comfortably in the “three firsts plus” range.
That’s why the Oilers’ pitch makes sense on both sides. Edmonton gets immediate help for a Cup run, while New Jersey gets the breathing room it may need before Hughes’ next deal lands. The Devils would be adding a young scorer, draft capital, and the flexibility to reshape the roster around the Hughes brothers and a true No. 1 goalie.
For the Oilers, it’s a clean fit. They get a bona fide top-six winger who can skate with McDavid or Draisaitl and raise the level of any line he joins.
Maybe Bratt isn’t the perfect stylistic match. That doesn’t really matter.
He’s a high-end player, and in a Cup window, that’s the part that counts.
If Quinn Hughes ends up pushing his way to New Jersey, the Devils are going to have to make a major move to handle the cap squeeze. Jesper Bratt is the obvious candidate, and Edmonton has the kind of offer that would force them to think hard.
In Other News...
Devils Finally Appear Headed For The Jersey Fans Wanted
The Devils look set to get something closer to the look many Jersey fans have wanted for years. According to information shared by hockey jersey insider icethetics, the club is expected to receive a predominantly black Hometown Remix jersey for the 2026-27 season, a color scheme that would lean into the teams darker branding in a way that previous alternate looks have not.
The rumored design is said to include an unbordered red logo and subtle striping inspired by the devil tail, with an official reveal anticipated in October 2026. What remains unclear is how often New Jersey would wear it and whether the NHLs Hometown Remix program is a one-season experiment or something that sticks around beyond that first run. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Brown Just Put Devils Fans On Notice For Next Season
Connor Browns first season in New Jersey gave the Devils plenty to like after he arrived on a four-year deal, then backed it up with 18 goals and 43 points in 75 games. It matched his career-best point total and, for stretches after the Olympic break, he looked like much more than a checking-line addition, skating in a larger offensive role alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt.
The question now is how much of that late surge can carry over. Brown may not hold onto top-six minutes for long, especially as he moves into his mid-30s, but his work in a bottom-six role still projects as a useful part of the lineup. For a Devils team trying to keep its depth moving in the right direction, that kind of versatility could matter just as much as the scoring burst did last season. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Still Stuck With A Roster Problem Fitzgerald Can't Easily Fix
The Devils have spent recent months trying to reshape the roster under new management, and that effort has already brought a series of trades and acquisitions meant to give the club a cleaner path forward. But even with those changes, the front office still has to work around a contract structure that makes simple moves far more complicated than they might look from the outside.
New Jersey carries a mix of no-move, full no-trade and modified no-trade clauses, the kind of protections that can quickly narrow Fitzgeralds options when he tries to adjust the roster. The Hockey News recently ranked the Devils among the NHL teams with the most restrictive contract clauses, with only four clubs placed ahead of them, a reminder that the hardest part of the reset may not be adding talent but finding enough flexibility to keep building. [Read more 🡒]