Devils make fascinating GM hire that could be home run

The New Jersey Devils wasted no time in hiring their next general manager. Less than two weeks after parting ways with Tom Fitzgerald, the Devils made the first general manager hire of the offseason on Thursday evening when they announced the hiring of Sunny Mehta as the team's new decision-maker. 

It is an absolutely fascinating hire that has the potential to be a home run for a Devils team that has underachieved over the past few years. 

Sunny Mehta is already the NHL's most fascinating general manager

To get a sense of what Mehta is all about, all you have to do is read one of the last paragraphs of the press release announcing his addition to the front office.

Mehta studied Jazz Guitar and Studio at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music, where he graduated in 2000 and later received his master’s degree in data science from City University of New York. Following his graduation, he ventured out as a professional musician in New Orleans and later as a poker player in Las Vegas. Mehta has co-authored two best-selling books on poker strategy: Professional No-Limit Hold ‘Em, Volume 1 (2009) and Small Stakes No-Limit Hold ‘Em (2007).

Not exactly the most traditional path for an NHL general manager, which might lead you (or critics) to the question of, "but what does he know about hockey?"

The answer to that question is quite a bit.

After being an NHL writer and analytics expert for several years, Mehta started working as a consultant with NHL teams a decade ago and eventually worked his way into a front office role with the Devils during the NHL's first big wave of analytics hires around the league. He eventually worked his way up to assistant general manager of the Florida Panthers, and was a key part of a front office that built the roster that went to three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning two of them, over the past three years. 

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice recently gave Mehta high praise for his work with the team's coaching staff and the amount of information their data department provided. 

Mehta is not the first general manager with a primarily analytics background to be hired in recent years. Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky was a scientist and sports blogger before working his way into NHL front offices and eventually getting their general manager job. 

Given his work with the Panthers, the success he experienced there and the objective approach he can bring in the Devils front office could be in good hands. 

The Devils job was always going to be an attractive one this offseason, mostly because there is a good core of talent in place. Even though the team missed the playoffs this past season (and in four of the past six seasons), the presence of superstar forward Jack Hughes gives them a cornerstone player to build around, along with talented forwards Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier.

What makes Hughes such an intriguing player to build around is that he is in the prime years of his career, already one of the best players in the league, and is signed to a bargain contract over the next few years that only pays him $8 million per season against the salary cap. Given his production and talent he should probably be a $12-14 million player.

The presence of Hughes and his younger brother, Luke Hughes, also makes the Devils a likely landing spot for their other brother, superstar defenseman Quinn Hughes when he reaches unrestricted free agency after next season. 

The Devils also have significant salary cap flexibility and a good prospect pool that should allow them to contend sooner than later if they can make the right moves.