What are the priorities on Devils’ summer shopping list?
The New Jersey Devils’ first-round exit from the playoffs was one of the more predictable outcomes. Facing off against the second-seed Carolina Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division, the Devils bowed out in just five games. Despite the heroics of Jacob Markstrom – he was arguably the best goalie of the first round despite only having one win to show for it – the Jack Hughes-less Devils were no match for Carolina.
If we were to rewind the clock to last summer, the Devils were one of the sexy picks coming into the 2024-25 campaign. In addition to bringing in new head coach Sheldon Keefe, the Devils corrected course on their blueline by reinjecting veterans in Brendan Dillon and Brett Pesce after losing similar pieces on the blueline in 2023. Jake Allen and Markstrom formed a brand new goaltending duo that was in desperate need of an upgrade, and the forwards were supposed to take the next step.
While the Devils did impress during the season’s first half, they were one of the more disappointing teams down the stretch following the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. Had it not been for the pillow fight of a playoff race in the Eastern Conference, we may have seen the Devils fall outside the playoff picture; fortunately for GM Tom Fitzgerald, the New York Islanders and New York Rangers did not make things difficult for the Devils to secure the third seed in the Metropolitan Division. Be that as it may, the Devils’ hardships coming down the stretch did not go unnoticed by the club’s front office, which is why Fitzgerald ultimately stood pat (aside from minor acquisitions in forward Cody Glass and defenseman Brian Dumoulin) at the NHL Trade Deadline. After the injury to star forward Jack Hughes sidelined him for the season, it was clear to those in the front office that giving up a first-round pick to bolster the club for this year’s playoffs would’ve been malpractice, as one team source said to me a few months back.
So where do the Devils go from here?
Prior to the injury to Jack Hughes, the Devils were on the lookout to bolster their center ice position. With Hughes and captain Nico Hischier holding down the top-six pivot positions, the Devils wanted upgrade their third line down the middle. Erik Haula was the guy to start the season but bounced around the lineup, while Dawson Mercer was also used in that role. Overall, Fitzgerald was shopping around right up to the deadline but ultimately went the cheaper route in acquiring Glass as opposed to the other big names the Devils were rumored to be linked to.
According to team sources, the Devils showed interest in Scott Laughton (ultimately traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs), Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators and Brayden Schenn of the St. Louis Blues. None of those three names was a rental, which was imperative for the Devils if they were to give up a first-round selection to bring in a player at the deadline, a source said. The Hughes injury ultimately had the Devils punt on the idea of going “all in,” as attempting to go for it without your top dog was probably not the most enticing option.
Speaking with sources close to the situation in New Jersey, it sounds like the plan is to revisit the pre-deadline plans and look to bolster the forward group. With Jack Hughes returning to health in time for next season, it will be a reset for Fitzgerald and the Devils to once again take a crack at being an authentic Stanley Cup contender like many pundits expected going into this season. The free agency pool isn’t much to write home about, but if the Devils are prepared to spend big dollars, a name like Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers would be the ideal fit for them. Not only would Bennett lock down the 3C hole with ease, but his physical, tenacious brand of hockey is exactly what the Devils need up front. Many of the New Jersey forwards are cut from the same cloth, so adding a player like Bennett would do wonders for the Devils’ overall makeup up front.
Bennett, who is set to turn 29 in June, had a career year with 51 points this season. As arguably the biggest name on the market, Bennett should score a new contract in the $7 million to $8 million range at a max term of seven years. According to capwages.com, the Devils project to have $21 million next season; allocating a third of that available cap space to Bennett would be a hefty commitment.
But before the Devils can worry about making a big splash in free agency, some internal house cleaning is at the forefront of Fitzgerald’s plan. According to a team source, re-signing defenseman Luke Hughes is the top priority for the Devils before doing anything else this summer.
Hughes, 21, is set to become an RFA and has quickly blossomed into one of the most integral pieces on not just the Devils’ blueline – but team as a whole. Tallying 44 and 47 points in the last two seasons, respectively, Hughes is on track to become a top-tier blueliner; perhaps not to the same level as his brother Quinn with the Vancouver Canucks, but maybe a notch below. According to a source, the Devils are open to any type of deal with Luke Hughes, whether it be a bridge or a long term one.
If the Devils are to explore a long term deal, I imagine the Owen Power contract with the Buffalo Sabres is the general ballpark that we could see it land. Power signed a seven-year contract with a $8.35 million AAV one month before turning 21 years old. The Sabres thought they were getting in front of the deal by signing him a year before he was due a new contract, so it isn’t apples to apples compared to the Devils’ situation with Luke Hughes. There’s a case to be made that Power’s offense hasn’t been where it needs to be, though the flip side of that argument is that he has been held back on an oversaturated Sabres’ blueline. The cap is set to skyrocket over the next few seasons, so perhaps the Hughes camp could ask for more, but in general I could see a Power-type deal as a potential landing spot for both sides; they could always go to eight years to bring down the AAV.
The Devils have work to do this summer, both in the way of house cleaning and looking to upgrade the forward group, but both things are crucial to execute properly if they hope to get back to being in the Stanley Cup conversation in a year’s time.
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