Sunny Mehta Is Reshaping Devils’ Identity This Offseason

The Markstrom trade was even more of a home run, since the Devils shed his $6 million cap hit while also upgrading their secondary scoring in Boqvist and Rodrigues. In his previous stint with New Jersey, Boqvist proved to be a reliable depth scorer. But this time around, his penalty kill abilities and playoff experience will be invaluable, all at an incredibly affordable cap hit of $1.5 million.

Similarly, Rodrigues is a 30-40 point player who can switch between center and wing as needed. With one year left in his contract, he’s the perfect low-risk move that could yield high rewards. And as a two-time Stanley Cup champion with 41 career playoff points, he could prove to be a helpful addition in the Devils’ quest to become contenders.

Focus on Young Talent

Another important facet of Mehta’s retool involves young talent, used either as a trade asset or to bolster the team’s prospect pipeline. For example, the return for Nemec and Tsyplakov was conditional first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, prospect Etienne Morin, and the 35th overall pick in this year’s draft. They traded that pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for 37th and 119th overall, which they ultimately used to draft Matias Vanhanen and Lavr Gashilov.

His first draft class as GM only cemented Mehta’s focus on acquiring the next generation of Devils’ talent. The approach for selecting players was a team effort, according to Chief Amateur Scout Mark Dennehy. The process involved input from a wide range of departments, including analytics, scouting, psychology, and strength and conditioning.

The 2026 NHL Draft resulted in seven picks for the Devils; one goalie, one defenseman, and five forwards, all with high projected ceilings. What all these players have in common is a high level of competitiveness, grit, and two-way abilities. Instead of prioritizing size or strength, Mehta searched for prospects with a high hockey IQ who could fulfill future needs within the organization.

Previously, Mehta’s draft models have proven successful. In fact, he served as the Devils’ Director of Hockey Analytics during the 2016 Draft, and his statistical projections had Jesper Bratt in the third overall slot, per Peter Baugh of The Athletic (from ‘A model, upside and a draft-day slide: How the Devils landed Jesper Bratt before he was a star,’ The Athletic, 4/20/25). His expertise with selecting future talent cannot be understated, after pushing for the team to acquire a franchise-defining player.

New Direction for 2026-27

Mehta’s moves so far have been smart choices, influenced by analytics and focused on optimizing the current roster. He relieved the organization of Markstrom’s $12 million extension, freeing up enough cap space to pursue more pressing needs. With the first day of free agency behind them, the Devils now have just under $8 million to target a starting goaltender and tie up loose ends, per PuckPedia. 

Last season was filled with frustration and inconsistency, but Mehta is welcoming a new era of Devils’ hockey. By using a unique combination of advanced statistics and probability, Mehta has been making informed decisions that can potentially shift New Jersey’s franchise in the right direction.

Their core is officially locked in now that Hischier signed a five-year extension, but additional roster reshaping can take the team to the next level. Once their retool is complete, the Devils will have the opportunity to become serious competitors and take the league by storm. All that’s left to do now is see how the rest of the offseason plays out.