James Nichols
The offseason so far has been filled with excitement, with plenty of big-name players on the move. There are still several marquee names available on the trade block, and the New Jersey Devils are hoping to get involved.
They got started even before the draft by arming themselves for the offseason.
Sunny Mehta made his first big splash by trading Simon Nemec and Maxim Tsyplakov to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a substantial haul of draft capital. The deal netted the Devils two first-round picks (both top-10 protected) in 2027 and 2028, along with a second-round selection at 35th overall in 2026.
That move had many wondering if Mehta was going to emulate his mentor, Bill Zito, and flip those high-value assets for something even greater.
After all, the Florida Panthers reeled in Brady Tkachuk.
Yet that didn’t happen. After dealing Nemec and adding a few depth pieces via trade, the Devils are no better off than they were a few days ago. In fact, one could argue they might even be a bit worse with Nemec out of the picture.
So, how did we get here?
12th Overall
The 12th overall pick was in play leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft and even while on the clock.
However, the Devils ultimately held onto it and selected Alexander Command out of Sweden.
The team had made it clear they were willing to move the 12th overall pick—and more—to bolster their top six. Yet they couldn’t find a suitable match in a market with sky-high prices.
On draft night, names like J.J. Peterka, Mason McTavish, and Pavel Dorofeyev were all traded. The Devils certainly possessed the assets to compete for those players.
Still, it appears Mehta is aiming higher. Peterka and McTavish were both players who regressed last season and commanded premium prices, while Dorofeyev might have been a solid addition for New Jersey, but perhaps not at the price of the extension that came with him at $77 million.
Alex DeBrincat & Jason Robertson
It comes as no surprise that Mehta has inquired about both Alex DeBrincat and Jason Robertson. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he hadn’t.
However, there’s been no traction on either front, for different reasons.
On DeBrincat, the Devils showed interest, as previously reported. The Detroit Red Wings, however, prefer to keep the winger, given their struggles to generate even-strength goals—something DeBrincat excels at.
Despite their Dylan Larkin situation, Steve Yzerman doesn’t appear interested in acquiring futures. If DeBrincat is moved, it will likely be because Detroit couldn’t turn down an overwhelming offer.
Robertson, on the other hand, appears to be a man on the move.
The Devils reached out before details emerged that Robertson had turned down an eight-year offer by the Seattle Kraken with an average annual value of $15 million. The return package was expected to be massive. Although the Devils have the assets it’ll take compared to the Tkachuk trade, this perhaps would have cost even more than that.
Until Quinn Hughes signs with the Minnesota Wild, there’s still a chance. The Devils need to preserve some of their trade capital.
What Robertson’s price is now remains unclear. It may not have changed. Only if Stars GM Jim Nill becomes more flexible—knowing he could lose Robertson for nothing—will the Devils likely circle back.
Dylan Larkin
It has been 24 days since Larkin requested a trade, yet he remains the captain of the Red Wings.
Larkin’s full no-trade clause makes the situation complicated for Yzerman, but perhaps benefits the Devils.
The longer this drags on, the less likely it seems he lands with the Minnesota Wild, despite the speculation. We already know he won’t be heading to Florida after they acquired Tkachuk. That leaves the Vegas Golden Knights, who simply lack the cap space to make a deal with Detroit work.
So there must be somewhere else.
Two sources told New Jersey Hockey Now that they believe New Jersey is a destination Larkin would accept a trade to. However, it is not at the top of his list.
The appeal in New Jersey is obvious: Larkin has close ties to the Hughes family and would have the chance to play alongside his Team USA teammate and golden goal scorer, Jack Hughes.
That would almost certainly mean shifting Jack to the wing, as Larkin is statistically the stronger center of the two.
Regardless, a Hughes-Larkin-Jesper Bratt line feels like a win for everyone.
Don’t get too excited, though. We’re still dealing with Steve Yzerman.
Johnathan Kovacevic
I’m not quite sure where the Johnathan Kovacevic rumor originated this weekend, but it was making the rounds enough that it became hard to ignore.
The claim was that Kovacevic invoked his full no-trade clause to nix a potential deal with the Dallas Stars.
Except it’s not true. Kovacevic was never asked to waive, and no such deal existed.
Carry on.
Nico Hischier
Nico Hischier’s extension is not a matter of if, but when.
As previously reported by Pierre LeBrun, the Devils and Hischier’s camp have cleared the major hurdles in negotiations. It’s now just a matter of crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s.
That same sentiment was echoed to New Jersey Hockey Now before the weekend. It would come as no surprise to see a Hischier extension finalized in the very near future—possibly as soon as July 1.
Free Agency
There won’t be any free agents available who can step straight into New Jersey’s top six and immediately become an unquestioned threat.
That said, the Devils could address some of their depth scoring issues in free agency.
Viktor Arvidsson is a name that has been widely speculated, and there does appear to be legitimate interest. However, given the lack of quality depth in this upcoming free-agent class, the Devils won’t be the only team pursuing him.
One source told New Jersey Hockey Now that with such a weak UFA crop, trade activity is expected to pick back up this week.
The Devils still want to add a top-six forward and remain active in the market. That’s precisely why Mehta flipped Nemec for high-value draft capital.
Let’s see what the immediate future holds.
