The New Jersey Devils are heading into the 2026-27 season with a very different feel around the organization than they had a few months ago. After a disappointing year that missed the mark, the franchise answered with real change, and the early returns give them reason to believe the reset is working.
At the center of it all is Sunny Mehta, who took over as general manager in April and wasted no time putting his stamp on the team. The Devils had spent too long looking reactive, and Mehta has already shown he’s willing to make the kind of decisions that can actually shift a direction.
That started in goal, where New Jersey’s struggles were a major talking point all last season. Rather than waiting for things to sort themselves out, Mehta traded Jacob Markstrom and brought in veteran David Rittich, while also showing confidence in Nico Daws to compete for NHL minutes.
Whether Daws opens the year as Jake Allen’s backup or not, the Devils have clearly changed the look of their goaltending setup.
Mehta has also made sure the team’s foundation stays intact. Captain Nico Hischier signed a five-year extension, keeping one of the NHL’s best two-way centers in place as the face of the franchise. That deal removes any uncertainty around the captain and reinforces how strongly New Jersey wants to build around its leadership group.
Arseni Gritsyuk is part of that picture too. The Devils signed him to a three-year extension after his move to North America, securing a young winger who quickly became part of the long-term plan. It’s the kind of move that matters because it keeps another offensive piece under control as he continues to develop.
The roster also looks deeper than it did before. Evan Rodrigues joins the mix as a dependable veteran who brings playoff experience, leadership, and the ability to move around the lineup while still contributing offensively.
Jesper Boqvist’s return adds another familiar option, one who knows the organization and can give the coaching staff more flexibility. He may not be the flashiest name on the board, but his speed, versatility, and familiarity with several teammates make him a useful piece.
Then there’s the addition of Anthony Mantha, who gives New Jersey a different kind of threat. He’s coming off the best offensive season of his career, with 33 goals and 64 points in 81 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
That production shows he can still drive offense at a high level when healthy. At 6-foot-5, he brings size, finishing touch, and the kind of net-front presence the Devils have long been missing from their forward group.
He can fit with Jack Hughes, work alongside Hischier, or move around depending on injuries and matchups, which gives the Devils more options than they had before.
That flexibility matters because it eases some of the pressure on New Jersey’s top stars. It also helps address a long-running issue: the need for forwards who can win battles, create traffic, and still score. Mantha checks those boxes.
The bigger picture is stability. With Hischier locked in, the Devils are closer to having the kind of core that successful teams build around year after year.
That allows management to focus on adding the right support pieces instead of constantly replacing key players. It also signals belief in the foundation already in place.
There are still obvious hurdles ahead. The Metropolitan Division is still one of the NHL’s toughest, and the goaltending questions won’t go away until the results start showing up on the ice. But after a summer of changes, the Devils finally look like a team with a clearer plan.
If Mehta’s first offseason is any indication, New Jersey isn’t just trying to recover from last season. It’s trying to build something stronger for the years ahead.
In Other News...
Quinn Hughes Just Gave Devils Fans Another Reason To Dream
Quinn Hughes still has a contract for next NHL season, but the bigger question hanging over his future is what comes after that. For now, the defenseman is spending his summer in New Jersey and New York while training camp is only about six weeks away, a detail that only adds to the sense that this situation is moving toward a decision point instead of drifting quietly into the fall.
Minnesota can still keep Hughes in the fold with a long-term extension, yet the lack of an official deal has kept the door open to a very different outcome. If the Wild decide not to lock him up, they could end up treating him as a premium rental, which would only intensify the speculation around a player whose next move could reshape the market and give Devils fans plenty to watch as the offseason winds down. [Read more 🡒]
New Study Puts Devils Fans In The NHL Loyalty Spotlight
A new survey from Casino Guru took a different kind of look at fan devotion, asking 4,000 sports fans how far theyd go when a lottery jackpot was on the line. Hockey came out looking especially steadfast, with NHL followers ranking as the most loyal group overall, and the results only got more interesting when the answers were broken down by team and geography.
Among that crowd, Devils supporters stood out at the top of the leagues loyalty chart, with 16% saying they would never stop backing the team no matter how large the prize might be. The study also found plenty of room for regional contrast, with fans in places such as Tennessee, Massachusetts and Georgia showing less attachment, a reminder that loyalty can look very different depending on where the team sits in the sports landscape. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Just Lost The Trade Target Fans Wanted Most
Jason Robertsons new deal in Dallas changes the board for teams still looking to make a splash, and it matters in New Jersey because the Devils were among the clubs keeping a close eye on the market. A one-year, $12 million contract not only settled his arbitration case, it also took one of the most appealing names out of circulation, which leaves fewer premium options for a team still trying to round out its forward group.
For the Devils, the bigger issue is that the search is not really over. They still have a hole in the top six and need at least one more impact forward, which is why the remaining endgame becomes so important. Dylan Larkin is viewed as the last premium option, while Elias Pettersson and Steven Stamkos stand out as possible pivots if New Jersey has to shift course again. [Read more 🡒]