James Nichols
Sunny Mehta was brought in as general manager to be bold and he certainly has the opportunity to do that this summer via New Jersey Devils trade.
Mehta’s background suggests he’s willing to take chances as a former professional poker player, an options trader, and even ventured out to become a professional musicial.
So, why wouldn’t he at least try to acquire Quinn Hughes?
You know the story. Quinn’s the big brother. Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes are locked in with New Jersey long-term. Getting all three together in New Jersey would be insane—the kind of thing fans have been daydreaming about for years.
It was almost a reality in the 2025-26. Ultimately, former GM Tom Fitzgerald fumbled the opportunity and it didn’t happen.
Thus, Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin swooped in and ran the ball back for a touchdown. The Wild believed Quinn to be one of, if not the final piece of the puzzle to finally lift a Stanley Cup.
Yet, Minnesota was eliminated by the inevitable Colorado Avalanche last night.
With a new guy in charge, many are wondering if Mehta can pull off what the old front office couldn’t.
Quinn’s still under contract in Minnesota through next season. He’s coming off another big year, and the Wild are by no means in “sell” mode.
But contracts eventually expire, situations change, and family pulls hard. That’s why this story won’t die.
The Bold Part
If the Devils are serious about this, it’s most definitely going to cost more than just prospects and picks.
Let’s preface this by saying I’m not advocating the Devils should or shouldn’t do this. All I’m saying is this is the kind of bold move Fitzgerald wouldn’t go near.
The Wild’s ultimate downfall in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs may come down to one very obvisou thing. They have no center depth.
In New Jersey, the Devils have a frontline center who has the same exact contract expiration as Quinn with nearly identical cap hits for the remainder of their deals.
Yes. We’re talking about the captain. Nico Hischier.
Hischier’s been the heart of the Devils. He’s a reliable, two-way center who leads by example. Trading him for a defenseman—even one as good as Quinn—would feel uncomfortable at first. But cap math is cap math. Quinn is going to want big money on his next deal. Hischier is due for a big raise himself. Something has to give if you’re trying to fit three Hughes brothers under one cap while trying to build a contender.
A deal that actually gets Minnesota’s attention might look something like:
- Devils send: Nico Hischier, Simon Nemec (or Anton Silayev), a first-rounder this year, and maybe another piece
- Devils get: Quinn Hughes
It’s a massive offer. You’re giving up your captain and a young NHL defenseman that has a top-four ceiling.
However, you’re getting arguablly the best defenseman in the NHL.
Perhaps bold doesn’t even cover it.
Would Mehta Do This?
We’re talking about a move here with a magnitude of 10.
It’s not unfamiliar territory for Mehta, however. You have to remember, Mehta didn’t call the final shots with his former club, the Florida Panthers. However, he played a key role in assisting GM Bill Zito with crucial moves that ultimately landed them back-to-back Stanley Cups in the last two seasons.
One of those moves? Having the foresight to move Jonathan Huberdeau and Mackenzie Weegar in exchange for Matthew Tkachuk.
In hindsight, that trade ultimately changed the trajectory of the Panthers as bubble threats to legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.
It was the ultimate gamble that saw the Panthers cash out, TWICE.
So no, don’t put a a bold move like this past Mehta. The history suggests calculated risks are in his DNA.
Would It Even Work?
On paper, adding Quinn next to Jack and Luke would be ridiculous. The passing, the power play, the ability to control games from the back end—it would inevitebly force the Devils to lean back into their strengths, but on steroids.
Consequently, you’d be thinning out the center position and the already diluted prospect pool at the same time. That doesn’t mean Mehta can’t figure out another 2C solution, but it won’t be easy—they don’t grow on trees, especially one like Hischier that is undoubtedly 1C quality. If it doesn’t turn into a Cup window fast, you’re left regretting it for years.
Mehta’s background in analytics and poker means he probably looks at trades differently than the last guy. Less emotion, more expected value. Whether that leads to swinging big on something like this in his first few months on the job… who knows.
Right now it’s all smoke. No real traction that I’ve heard beyond the usual offseason whispers. But this kind of boldness is what the former regime was missing, and it’s what the Devils’ ownership is hoping Mehta will bring to the table.
The offseason’s young and Mehta’s just getting started. However, he’ll undoubtedly want to make his mark on the roster.
