The New Jersey Devils did not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. It was a bitterly disappointing campaign for a team with undeniable talent on the roster. However, they were unable to put it together on the ice. This led to some major changes this offseason.
The biggest change this summer came at the top of the front office. New Jersey fired Tom Fitzgerald as general manager after a disappointing season. A failed attempt to trade for Quinn Hughes also did not help matters.
In Fitzgerald's place is Sunny Mehta. Mehta is a native of New Jersey and was previously a part of the Devils front office. He helped build the NHL's first fully functioning analytics departments in New Jersey. He is also credited with urging the team to draft Jesper Bratt back in 2016.
Mehta did not waste time once he took over. The Devils traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames during the offseason. They also traded Jacob Markstrom to the Florida Panthers. New Jersey went on to sign Anthony Mantha and, more recently, trade for Luke Evangelista.
A lot has happened in New Jersey ahead of the new season. The Devils are going to be an interesting team this season. How Mehta approaches building this roster will be worth monitoring throughout the year.
However, there is one more move left to be made. And they should do their best to make that move before the 2026-27 NHL season.
Devils should swoop in on Connor Hellebuyck trade saga
The Devils have one of the cheapest goaltending rooms in the NHL. Jake Allen makes less than $2 million and enters the season as the projected starter. Behind him, veteran David Rittich and prospect Nico Daws aren't making beacoup bucks themselves.
This trio has some potential, to be fair. Allen has been a reliable hand for the Devils over the last few seasons. Daws has upside that could be realized this season. And Rittich is a solid depth option who could play a spot-starter role if needed.
However, none of the goalies are true starters. Allen easily has the most experience as a starter in his career. However, it's been nearly a decade since he's handled a full starting goaltender workload. With him being up there in age, it's fair to wonder if he can hold it down. Especially now that the season is 84 games long, instead of 82.
The Devils have an opportunity to massively improve their goaltending for the season ahead. The Winnipeg Jets are in the middle of a tense situation with Connor Hellebuyck. Hellebuyck publicly requested a trade from the Jets last month. He did not report to training camp, and the team has suspended him as a result.
It's a tense situation in Winnipeg, and it may be best for the two sides to part ways sooner rather than later. New Jersey could certainly swing the trade that pries the former Hart Trophy winner out of Manitoba this season.
Whether the situation with the Jets brings down the asking price remains to be seen. In any event, the Devils are certainly positioned to swing this sort of trade. Adding Hellebuyck certainly makes them a playoff contender. Perhaps the new environment could correct his playoff woes, as well. A dialed-in Hellebuyck in the postseason is a frightening thought for any opposing team.