All articles tagged with #new jersey devils
Barrett Hayton’s one-year offer sheet from New Jersey was matched by the Utah Mammoth, keeping him with the team; while Shane Wright of Seattle was floated as a potential target, his metrics are mixed—strong defensive impact but underwhelming offense—making him a poor fit for Sunny Mehta’s puck-centric Devils, so they’re likely to avoid Wright.
The Utah Mammoth matched Barrett Hayton's one-year, $4.775 million offer sheet, keeping Hayton and blocking a Devils trade for at least a year. New Jersey now has about $9.6 million in cap space and six first-round picks over the next four drafts to pursue a top-six forward, either via trade or a one-year free-agent deal. Target options discussed include Pavel Zacha (former Devil, UF A after this season, around $4.75M), Tomas Hertl (big cap hit with potential retention), and Anthony Mantha (6’5” winger with scoring ability).
Florida Panthers acquire goalie Jacob Markstrom and forward Angus Crookshank from the New Jersey Devils for Evan Rodrigues, Jesper Boqvist, and Ben Steeves, a deal tied to Sergei Bobrovsky’s looming departure and aimed at a cap-friendly, competitive goaltending tandem with Akira Schmid. The move gives New Jersey cap relief and depth with Rodrigues and Boqvist as it pursues a broader retool. Analysts grade Panthers a B and Devils a B+, noting Markstrom’s age and recent form as risk but potential upside and a prudent, market-efficient reshaping of two rosters.
New Jersey used its 35th pick to trade for 37th and 119th, selecting Matias Vanhanen of Finland from the Everett Silvertips (WHL) at 37. He posted 21 goals and 66 assists (6 PIM) in the WHL season, with 12 goals and 12 assists in the playoffs, and had six assists in seven World Juniors games. Described as a fast, transition-based playmaker with strong vision who excels at finding teammates and going to the net, his shot is viewed as a weakness and he may need to add size and refine his defensive game. The Devils see him as a potential third-line playmaker who could develop alongside Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes, possibly with a future NCAA move to aid his development.
The New Jersey Devils selected Alexander Command with the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a 6'1" 187-pound Swedish two-way center from Örebro HK U20 known for a high motor, strong defensive play, and scoring potential. Analysts compare him to Nico Hischier and see him as a long-term fit behind Hischier and Jack Hughes, offering forechecking, physicality, and two-way versatility that could push him into a third-line center role as he develops.
The New Jersey Devils traded defenseman Simon Nemec and forward Maxim Tsyplakov to Calgary for defenseman Etienne Morin, two conditional first-round picks, and a 2026 second-round pick. The first-round picks depend on Calgary acquiring certain picks from Vegas (2027/2028) and Colorado (2028/2029). Morin, 21, spent last season in Calgary’s minor-league system, while Nemec was the Devils’ 2022 No. 2 overall pick and Tsyplakov joined from the Islanders in January 2026.
Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion known for his ferocious playoff play, has died at 60. Over a 1983–2009 career, he won Cups with Montreal (1986), New Jersey (1995, 2000) and Colorado (1996), and earned the 1995 Conn Smythe Trophy; tributes flowed from teams and peers, noting his competitiveness and loyalty, while the cause of death was not disclosed.
Claude Lemieux, a feisty four-time Stanley Cup winner who starred for the Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche, has died at age 60.
Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup winner who helped the New Jersey Devils win in 1995 and also starred for the Canadiens and Avalanche, has died at 60, reportedly by suicide at a Florida family business; lauded for clutch playoff scoring and a feared agitator, he finished with 80 postseason goals and remains a defining, controversial figure in NHL history, with tributes from teams and a note on mental health resources.
The New Jersey Devils named Sunny Mehta as their general manager, returning him to Newark after roles with the Panthers and the Devils in analytics leadership. An analytics-driven executive and former Devils analytics director, Mehta inherits a young core and a roster likely to see changes ahead of the 2026 draft, including potential moves involving Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier as he rebuilds the team.
Sunny Mehta was named the New Jersey Devils' general manager, replacing fired Tom Fitzgerald. The 48-year-old analytics-focused executive spent six seasons with the Florida Panthers as assistant GM and head of analytics, helping lead the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025; he previously held roles with the Coyotes, Devils and Capitals. Mehta returns to a Devils team with a young core and a stated goal of returning to the playoffs and contending for the Stanley Cup.
Penguins head to the Prudential Center for a 7:00 PM ET game against the Devils, broadcast on SportsNet Pittsburgh with radio coverage on 105.9 The X and the Penguins app. Pittsburgh (40-22-16) has fared well against New Jersey in recent years and sits amid a high-scoring season (277 goals, second in the NHL) under coach Dan Muse. Key players to watch include Rakell on an eight-game point streak (10G-3A in that span), Crosby nearing 30 goals, and Erik Karlsson heating up with 29 points in the last 21 games, with Chinakhov contributing 33 points since joining the Penguins as Pittsburgh eyes a strong stretch run.
The Carolina Hurricanes host the New Jersey Devils in a Metro Division matchup on March 28, 5:00 p.m. ET, after a rare three-day break. Carolina is 45-20-6, Devils 37-32-2, with potential lineup notes including Shayne Gostisbehere’s return and a goalie decision between Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen. The game airs on FanDuel Sports Network, with Canes aiming to build on recent form before Sunday’s rematch vs Montreal.
Scott Wheeler slots the New Jersey Devils at No. 22 in his 2026 NHL prospect pool, noting a lack of a true elite forward but strong goaltending depth and a solid group of defensemen and depth forwards. The ranking marks a five-spot drop from 2025, reflecting the organization’s emphasis on development over standout top forwards, with notable names such as Mikhail Yegorov (goalie), Anton Silayev, Seamus Casey, Shane Lachance, Topias Vilén and Lenni Hämeenaho among the depth.
Jack Hughes notched his fourth career hat trick as the New Jersey Devils defeated the New York Rangers 6-3 at Prudential Center, aided by a perfect 3-for-3 on the power play and a late third-period surge that included an empty-netter; Nico Hischier scored the go-ahead goal in the third as New Jersey capitalized on its special-teams opportunities.