James Nichols
Everything is under evaluation with the New Jersey Devils for GM Sunny Mehta, until they aren’t. On Friday, Mehta’s made his first changes as the Devils GM who has control of hockey operations.
The team announced on Friday that the organization will not renew the contracts of Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Dan MacKinnon and Senior Advisor to the President, Hockey Operations and General Manager Chuck Fletcher.
Mackinnon also served as the general manager of the Devils’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Utica Comets.
The move marks Sunny Mehta’s first fingerprints on the organization—a significant front-office shakeup for a Devils team that has underperformed in consecutive seasons despite high expectations built around its young core of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Luke Hughes. Both executives had been key figures in hockey operations during a period that included the 2023 first-round playoff appearance but ultimately fell short of sustained contention.
MacKinnon joined the Devils in 2020 and rose to Assistant GM, playing a central role in draft decisions, player development, and contract negotiations. Fletcher, a veteran executive with prior GM experience in Philadelphia and Minnesota, was brought in during the 2023-24 season to provide senior guidance to President of Hockey Operations to former GM Tom Fitzgerald.
In its statement, the Devils thanked both for “their time, dedication and efforts” and wished them success in future endeavors. The organization did not provide additional details on the reasons for the non-renewals or immediate plans for replacements.
The decision leaves Mehta with holes to fill beneath Mehta as the team enters a critical off-season. It also signals a new direction for the Devils who were expected to be at the top of the NHL standings in the 2025-26 season, yet ultimately failed to make the playoffs.
