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[New Jersey Devils]

An All Too Early Guess at the New Jersey Devils 2025-26 Lineup

Just two guys who are going to be regulars for the Devils in 2025-26, no big deal. | Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

With the first couple of days of free agency behind us, and some new faces joining the New Jersey Devils, today we make some summer predictions at how the team could line up come opening night and some rationale behind it all.

The New Jersey Devils have been making some necessary additions to the team this summer. They re-signed Jake Allen before he could hit the free agent market, brought in Evgenii Dadanov and Connor Brown while also signing and re-signing a few depth pieces to bolster Utica. Combine that with Lenni Hameenaho and Arseny Gritsyuk joining the team on entry level deals and Juho Lammikko being brought in prior to free agency starting and the Devils will be looking very different in 2025-26.

To that end, today we’re going to predict how the team might look come opening night in October. There will be some possibly surprising choices, some unpopular decisions and maybe even a grouping that many haven’t been thinking of as possible, but just might work. I plan to provide a bit of insight and justification for each section; please remember these are just the opinions/guesses of one writer with no connections to the team and this is also for fun! No one knows what exactly will happen between now and the first game of the season, so this is just to predict what potentially could happen. Without further ado:

Top Six Forwards​

Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Evgenii Dadanov

Arseny Gritsyuk - Jack Hughes - Jesper Bratt

Rationale: Obviously the core four forwards are going to be a big portion of the top six, and as has been the case for the last couple of seasons, two are on each line, Nico’s line is going to get the harder match-ups, and I feel like Meier’s heaviness complements that nicely. Dadanov can play either wing and after putting up 20 and 20 for Dallas last season, I felt he was a better fit for this slot than the other acquisitions that will be discussed when we’re on to the bottom six.

With these lines, Jack and Jesper as the team’s most potent offensive weapons, can be freed up to face lesser competition (at least in home games) than Hischier’s line will. Joining them? None other than Gritsyuk, who is really kind of a wild card in this lineup. Maybe he’s a top six guy; maybe he’s a third line guy; maybe he doesn’t even make the team to start the season. There’s a lot that can happen here, but putting Grits with Hughes and Bratt could be the best way to set him up for success.

Bottom Six Forwards​

Paul Cotter - Dawson Mercer - Stefan Noesen

Ondrej Palat - Cody Glass - Connor Brown

Rationale: Mercer at center may not be an ideal option, but with the players remaining, I think it makes the most sense to move him back. Giving him, Cotter and Noesen lower slots in the lineup should see easier matchups and less pressure, which hopefully leads to consistent support scoring from them. The Devils can’t afford Noesen and Cotter to go cold for long stretches again in 2025-26.

I’m aware that with these lines, I may have possibly assembled the most expensive fourth line in the NHL. Firstly, Noesen and Brown could both move up in this lineup, especially if Grits isn’t ready or Sheldon Keefe wants someone (Noesen, not Palat) to bring a different element to the Hughes/Bratt line. Glass should do well in a limited role and is actually the cheapest center of the four. Palat is finally in the spot he belongs in here; if the Devils don’t trade him before the start of the season, there is zero reason why he should continue to get top six minutes. Brown is somewhat of just the odd man out here, which speaks to the depth the Devils should have on the right side this coming season. I think he and Glass being here shows the Devils did improve their forward depth and could have four lines that all contribute in some capacity.

Extra Forwards​

Juho Lammikko, Curtis MacDermid

Rationale: Lammikko is the actual odd man out starting in the press box, only because he’s either a C or LW and I don’t see the team sitting any of Palat, Mercer, Cotter or Glass to start the season. Good insurance, but not enough history of offensive production to draw in right away. MacDermid is here for...reasons? I’d rather use the fourteenth forward spot on Lenni Hameenaho, but I also don’t want Lenni as a healthy scratch. I don’t see both him and Grits with the big club (unless they both play huge in the preseasons) so let Hameenaho get big minutes in Utica and I guess management can be happy that they still have MacDermid around to punch a guy or two for the few times he draws in.

Defense​

Luke Hughes* - Brett Pesce

Jonas Siegenthaler - Simon Nemec

Brenden Dillon - Dougie Hamilton

Extra: Dennis Cholowski IR: Johnny Kovacevic

*= RFA needing new contract as of this writing

Rationale: A new deal for Luke will get done, and he and Pesce will resume their role of bring the pair that keeps bringing solid results in all zones. Luke is a premier offensive defenseman in the making and Pesce just seems to always make good decisions and to read plays correctly. They came back from injury together last season, played a lot of games together, and should be kept together. I don’t think many will argue with either of these choices here.

Now the second pair might get some arguments, but I think this is the way for the team to move forward. The absence of Siegs was noticeable when he was injured, and he came back and played like a warrior in the playoffs. For a guy who was supposed to play limited minutes, he wound up playing 27 in Game 3 and 32 in Game 5. Yes, both went to double overtime, but it goes to show how much the Devils need his strong defensive play. As for Nemec, his postseason play may have been his best as a Devil, and could be a sign of him truly coming into his own. He elected to skip the world championship this summer and is already training to make sure he’s ready for the NHL season I think 2025-26 sees Nemec live up to his #2 overall selection status.

That leaves Dillon and Hamilton as the bottom pair. Dillon is here to defend and kill penalties and he should be fine doing so in a limited role. Hamilton on the bottom pair might be controversial, but he should get time on PP2 and a reduced role might be best for Dougie after dealing with injuries for the past two seasons. Lesser competition might also be the best way to have him utilize his offensive skills as well.

Kovacevic’s return will lead to some debate as to who should come out, and it might depend on who’s banged up, or not playing well. We might see situations where Dillon comes out and four right handed defenders play. I won’t speculate on it more than that, but his injury did make it easier to predict who plays where and with who.

As per the extra spot? I debated this with myself for a while, as the Devils don’t really have a vet to be the “not every night” guy while Kovacevic is out. It came down to either Semua Casey or Dennis Cholowski. While I absolutely do not want to see Cholowski playing NHL minutes after his playoff performance, it makes more sense to have him in the press box than it does Casey. Hopefully Cholowski sees exactly zero games before Kovacevic is back and the Devils can waive him to Utica at that point. Casey meanwhile is still waiver exempt and should see big minutes on the top pair in Utica.

Goaltenders​

Jacob Markstrom

Jake Allen

Rationale: Didn’t want to forget the goalies, but after Allen’s new contract signing, this is a foregone conclusion. Same roles as last season for these two, hopefully with some better statistical results.

Your Take​

There’s still quite a bit of summer to go and the Devils could potentially make some more moves, be they depth acquisitions, trades or otherwise. If they don’t, however, I think this is a realistic, albeit somewhat hopeful, look of what opening night could look like. What are your thoughts on the projected roster; any changes you would make from the groupings I have? Do you see different players making the roster and others starting in Utica? Are you hoping as I am that Hameenaho and Gristyuk both impress so that then Devils can waive MacDermid? Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...guess-at-the-new-jersey-devils-2025-26-lineup

 

[New Jersey Devils]

What the Devils Are Telling Us With Their Free Agency Signings

Did Fitz cook? | Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Tom Fitzgerald spoke today about what the Devils did in free agency. He also left some things unsaid.

Day one of the NHL Free Agency Frenzy is in the books, and as expected, the New Jersey Devils didn’t exactly make a huge splash due to their limited amount of cap space.

That said, the Devils didn’t sit idly by and do nothing either, as Tom Fitzgerald was busy trying to make improvements to the roster.

It started with the Devils surprisingly keeping Jake Allen on a five-year deal for an AAV of $1.8M, solidifying their goaltending tandem for the 2025-26 season. It continued with the addition of a quality bottom six winger in Connor Brown, as the Devils signed him away from the Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers for four years and $3M AAV. Late Tuesday afternoon, they announced several AHL-level signings (Angus Crookshank and Calen Addison) and re-signings (Dennis Cholowski and Marc McLaughlin). They followed that up with another signing for the NHL roster as they announced they had signed Evgenii Dadonov for 1 year and $1M plus bonuses. That work continued today with an AHL level trade of Shane Bowers to the Sharks for Thomas Bordeleau.

I don’t think anyone who has been paying attention can be all that surprised by how the Devils approached free agency though. We’ve known for awhile that their salary cap situation was tight, and the only move the Devils were able to make during the lead up to free agency to create additional cap space was trading Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators. We knew they were going to have to hunt for bargains and they did. Stretching out the term on Allen’s deal got the AAV down to $1.8M, and utilizing performance bonuses for Dadonov (and allowing the Devils to potentially push that cap charge onto next year’s books) allowed the Devils to stretch their limited dollars further. It might be a disappointing approach to those who wanted to see the Devils take a big swing for a Top Six scoring winger or a legitimate third line center, but given the situation that the Devils put themselves in, improving around the edges was always going to be the more sensible approach this summer. Putting in work to improve a bottom six that was abysmal last season might not be glamorous, but in this case, it was necessary.

Fitzgerald spoke to the media earlier today, and I find the approach to free agency interesting as it tells us a few things about what he thinks about what the team is and what they need....both directly and indirectly.

I Guess Dawson Mercer Is The Third Line Center​

I still believe what I said a few weeks ago when I talked about the one thing championship rosters have, which is depth at center. It’s the reason why I was so adamant that the Devils come up with a solution at center behind Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. The bottom six doesn’t work unless you have a quality center on at least one of those lines.

The problem is that the rest of the league knows this too and the few quality external options at center dried up quickly. Most of them never so much as reached July 1, and the few who did get traded were part of larger deals, such as Nic Roy heading to Toronto as part of the Mitch Marner sign-and-trade.

Enter Dawson Mercer into the equation.

Mercer stepped in as the Devils second line center once Jack Hughes went down to a season ending injury and did a solid job with 6 goals and 4 assists in 20 games post-Hughes injury. Play generally went in the right direction with him in that position, as he had an xGF% of 51.88% over that span. Mercer has never been great in the faceoff dot, as he was barely over 40% last season, but he showed enough promise albeit in a small sample size where its plausible the Devils took a look around the league, saw how coveted centers would be, and came to the conclusion that maybe they should go with Mercer at center.

At least, I would hope that is the conclusion that the Devils came to. Because it would not appear that they’re going to pivot and sign (or trade) for a natural center. And when Fitzgerald was asked today point blank if the Devils were still looking to add a center, he deflected the question.

The Devils depth chart is getting a little crowded on the wing. Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, Ondrej Palat, Paul Cotter, Evgenii Dadonov, Kurtis MacDermid and Juho Lammikko are left-handed shots on the wing, while Mercer, Connor Brown, and Stefan Noesen are right-handed. But Bratt and Dadonov have typically played RW the last few years. Outside of maybe Lammikko or Cotter in a pinch, there isn’t anyone that I just listed where I would feel comfortable with if they were to move over to center for any prolonged stretch.

Still, having Mercer and the recently qualified Cody Glass as right-handed center options in the bottom six gives the Devils a little more balance with their top two centers being lefties. Mercer should get easier matchups than he saw one year ago playing further down the lineup. I don’t know if it’ll work, and I’d like at least one more winger/center option for when injuries pop up, but it would appear that Mercer is the answer to the “Who will be the 3C question” for now.

The Devils Know They Were Too Slow Last Year​

Aside from being middle six wingers, one thing Brown and Dadonov have in common is that both players can skate.

According to NHL Edge, Dadonov was in the 62nd percentile with a top skating speed of 36.24 kph and the 86th percentile of speed bursts over 32 kph with 149. Brown was in the 66th and 85th percentiles of those same categories, respectively. If I expand things out a little further with players expected to compete for bottom six roles, Cody Glass was in the 51st and 63rd percentile last season. Even Juho Lammikko was in the 68th and 80th percentile of those categories in his last full NHL season in 2021-22 with Vancouver.

I think Fitzgerald, who admitted at his presser today that the team is now faster, realized at some point last season that the Devils were too slow and played too slow, something that was all too apparent during the first round playoff series loss to Carolina. I noted back in April that the issue wasn’t so much that the Devils could handle Carolina’s forecheck, but more so that they couldn’t win footraces to loose pucks. They were always a step or two behind which is a big part of the reason why Carolina controlled long stretches of that series. The Devils lacked players who could push the pace, and that was before they lost Jack Hughes for the season and before they lost Luke Hughes in Game 1 of that series. I’m not saying that Brown and Dadonov are all of a sudden going to win a speed skating competition, but at the very least, they should be an upgrade over the players departing this offseason. Brown, Glass, and Dadonov are unequivocally better skaters than Tomas Tatar, Justin Dowling, and Nathan Bastian at this stage of their respective careers.

While the Devils did add grit, sandpaper, and were tougher to play against than in the previous year, they had gotten away from being a team that could kill you in transition and come after the opposition in waves. That was their identity and that was why they had success in 22-23. They got slower in the process trying to build a heavier, playoff-style team. The Devils made an effort to correct that this summer.

I’m not saying you don’t need to be able to withstand a heavier style of hockey, but you’re also not going to out-Florida Florida. It’s a mistake that Toronto and Edmonton made in their series against them once they tried to out-physical the Panthers. Florida laughed in their faces, brushed it off, and it ultimately cost those teams. I’m not suggesting the Devils are ready to beat Florida in a playoff series, but generally speaking, the Devils would be better suited playing their game, playing to their strengths, and playing to their identity rather than trying to emulate someone else’s.

Just a Little More 5v5 Offense Goes a Long Way​

Consider these two stats that Daniel Amoia pointed out.

Last quick note of the night:

Combined, last season #NJDevils Connor Brown & Evgenii Dadonov scored 27 of their 33 goals at even strength.

That’s what the Devils need. When healthy, their PP is already lethal.

— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) July 2, 2025​

Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown had 17 combined 5v5 goals after January 1st.

The #NJDevils got a *combined* total of 10 5v5 goals from six lineup regulars after that date, most of who won’t be returning.

Immediate improvement.

— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) July 1, 2025​

The Devils had one of the most productive power play units in the league last year, but had stretches where they couldn’t score at 5v5. A big part of the issue was that they just got nothing out of most of their bottom six guys. Tomas Tatar had 7 goals in 74 games, Nathan Bastian had 4 goals in 59 games, Justin Dowling had 2 goals in 52 games, Curtis Lazar had 2 goals in 48 games, and Erik Haula had 11 in 69 games (but a stretch where he didn’t score in 3+ months). I get that most of those guys aren’t on the roster to score goals, but it goes to illustrate why they were lacking offensively at 5v5. And its the main reason why none of those players are returning next season.

It’s not as simple as to copy and paste what Dadonov and Brown did elsewhere and just assume they’ll play to the back of their hockey cards now that they’re in New Jersey. But Dadonov has shown soft hands as well as a willingness to go to the dirty areas of the ice. He’s a guy who has been a consistent 20+ goal scorer in this league and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down. I’d be intrigued with him potentially playing on a line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt because Dadonov has shown an ability to create space for himself and get his shot off. And as for Brown, he’s not devoid of playmaking ability. He’ll score the occasional redirection goal. He can score off the backhand. These were smart additions by a front office looking for a little more offense once you get past the core guys on the roster.

The Devils were 26th last season in 5v5 goals with 149 despite being 15th in expected goals for. They were not a team that shot the puck well at all, finishing 27th in shooting percentage on all shot attempts according to MoneyPuck. I’m not saying the Devils did enough to catapult themselves into the Top Five of those categories, but did they do enough to be closer to league average? There should be some level of improvement adding Dadonov, Brown, and Arseni Gritsyuk to the lineup, and perhaps even more if guys like Dougie Hamilton and Timo Meier have better luck shooting the puck. That would go a long way towards getting the Devils back to the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.

There’s Probably Still Something Coming, Which Likely Means a Cap Dump Of Some Sort​

Tom Fitzgerald said earlier today that his top priority is getting Luke Hughes’ contract done. But he also suggested that he’s not necessarily done for the summer either.

Fitzgerald emphasized that getting Luke Hughes' contract done is his priority and "what I do with Luke Hughes will determine what else I possibly could do."#NJDevils

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) July 2, 2025​

I find that last part interesting due to the salary cap math.

Depending upon how one wants to finagle the Devils roster on PuckPedia’s Puck GM mode, the Devils have roughly $9.8M remaining in cap space. I got to that number by burying MacDermid, which the Devils seem reluctant to do, as well as a few other minor moves.

That’s probably not enough money for both Luke Hughes and Cody Glass unless the Devils plan on bridging Luke, which isn’t a good idea and is one that I won’t so much as entertain for these exercises. Never mind the fact that Fitzgerald said that Luke has indicated that he wants to be in New Jersey long-term, so they should work towards accomplishing that goal. The Devils need more space, but how can they get it?

The obvious move would be to find a taker for the final two years and $6M AAV of Ondrej Palat’s deal, which all of a sudden doesn’t look so bad when compared to some of the deals we’ve seen handed out in the last few days around the league. Palat was paid out his final signing bonus of $1M yesterday and has $8.9M remaining in actual salary owed over the life of his deal. His NMC also became a 10-team trade list on July 1. San Jose and Anaheim are currently under the floor as of this writing, and there are nine teams with at least $15M in cap space. If the Devils can clear Palat’s salary, they’d have enough space to add a player in that $3-4M AAV range to replace Palat.

The less obvious move might be one that I suggested a few weeks ago....trading Dougie Hamilton.

I don’t think its a coincidence that Elliotte Friedman threw this out there last week.

Friedman on 32TP: "Dougie Hamilton's full no-move becomes a 10 team list where he can be traded to on July 1, I think people are very curious to hear what New Jersey is going to do with that"

— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 27, 2025​

Hamilton still has value offensively and we just talked about the Devils trying to squeeze more out of this roster offensively at 5v5. But his cap number is what it is. RHD still have value in this league. And there’s a lot of teams out there with a healthy amount of cap space and nothing to spend it on. If the Devils were to flip Hamilton, not only would they easily have the money to take care of Hughes and Glass, but they could potentially turn around and be players on other trades.

We don’t know what we don’t know, so its tough to say whether or not Fitzgerald feels confident he can dump Palat or Hamilton if he needs to. But he probably knows whether or not he has that card in his back pocket, and Fitzgerald didn’t sound like a guy who knows he’s done for the summer. I suspect there is other stuff he would like to do and its contingent on the other factors that I’ve already pointed out.

UPDATE: 7/2/25 3:03pm ET - The Devils announced they have signed Cody Glass to a 2 year deal worth $2.5M AAV.

Our Glass is full for two more years. pic.twitter.com/LgDPoEO3TW

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 2, 2025​

This deal leaves the Devils with $6.094M in cap space, although that number is closer to around $8M once the team demotes Daws and MacDermid.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...re-telling-us-with-their-free-agency-signings

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 7/4/25: Holiday Weekend Edition

The Devils got their bottom six center in Cody Glass, but missed out on another third-line option in Pius Suter. | Photo by Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 7/4/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

Cody Glass re-signed with the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday:

Cody Glass, signed 2x$2.5M by NJ, is a defensive bottom six forward who bounced back from a horrible 2023-24 campaign to play simple and effective hockey. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/Wt3k47TQna

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 2, 2025​

After speaking with the media on Wednesday, saying he would speak with Luke Hughes’s representation after the holiday weekend, Tom Fitzgerald appeared on Sportsnet 590:

"[Luke Hughes is] someone we can lean on for heavy minutes...[We're] trying to evolve his entire game... the number one thing on my to do list is to get his name on a contract."#NJDevils GM Tom Fitzgerald on working to extend their defenceman with @Mattymar89 & @FutaMichael. pic.twitter.com/J23T9Vx5TS

— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) July 3, 2025​

From Tom Fitzgerald’s meeting with the press: what the team thinks of Dawson Mercer and how he needs to improve: [The Hockey News]

A historical piece on Evgenii Dadonov’s career path: [The Hockey Writers]

Sights and Sounds From the Devils Development Camp Scrimmage: [The Hockey Writers]

Hockey Links​

A coverup in Toronto? Why Vegas’s alleged dirty deal with the Maple Leafs might irk the Ottawa Senators, and how the Devils’ past factors in: [The Ottawa Citizen]

After a few days of deliberations, Nikolaj Ehlers has signed with the Carolina Hurricanes, giving the Devils’ rival an even more formidable group of wingers: [TSN]

Despite hitting free agency, Anthony Beauvillier returned to the Washington Capitals: [NHL]

From Gulitti — Brent Burns’s hope to finally win a Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche: [NHL]

Thatcher Demko is ready for the Canucks dressing room to take on a calmer tone than last season: [TSN]

Pittsburgh Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe claims that Kyle Dubas has been very active in trade talks:

Kyle Dubas said he would be active in trade talks. And from what I hear, this is very much the case today.

— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) July 3, 2025​

Pius Suter signs a very affordable deal in St. Louis:

Pius Suter, signed 2x$4M by STL, is an intelligent shut-down scoring centre who transcends his lack of size and especially speed to prevent chances against. Creates a lot of goals and scoring chances by getting to the slot and finding space. #STLBlues pic.twitter.com/MNJpPix0AH

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 2, 2025​

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...in-the-details-7-4-25-holiday-weekend-edition

 

[New Jersey Devils]

The Long Game: In a Rising Cap World, Player Development is More Important Than Ever

Shane LaChance and Cam Squires could factor into the New Jersey Devils as early as this season. | Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

As free agency showed the league, a rising cap does not just mean more money to play with to sign new players. It also meant that (almost) everyone else had enough cap space to re-sign their UFAs.

If you are tuned into social media, you have probably heard the claims.

“This Draft is going to be crazy. There are going to be so many deals made because everyone is at home!”

“Free agency is going to be wild. You’re going to see huge bidding wars!”

“There is going to be so much news this offseason. Watch out for the offer sheets!”

While these are not literal quotes, this has effectively been the mantra from hockey media on this offseason. And maybe I cannot blame them, because why wouldn’t a guy like Brock Boeser or Mitch Marner actually let themselves hit free agency for a bidding war? With how high the salary cap is reaching, players should see huge raises in average contracts from year-to-year, and maximum-term deals are almost certain to limit a player’s earning potential. But hockey players enjoy security more than perhaps any other North American sport because they know that they are one really bad day away from never getting another contract.

When TSN was watching the free agent board, concernedly pointing out that July 1 was only on track for a few hundred million dollars in contracts handed out, in comparison to the $1.1 billion in 2024, they did not follow the trend to its logical conclusion: teams simply had way more money to use in re-signing their pending free agents than ever before in the salary capped NHL. I think that this trend will not stop with this season. With the cap rising another $18 million over the next two seasons, teams will have even more money available to re-sign players, and having available cap space going into the offseason will be far less unique and valuable than it was five or ten years ago.

Many teams must instead turn to internal options if they went into this July hoping to sign a bunch of free agents to fill the holes in their roster. At this point, every roster in the league has weaknesses, and many teams are stuck in a loop of mediocrity, with only a few true tanking teams left. Even teams that were drafting in the top five this year may be trying to convince themselves that they can compete this season. The Islanders will give it another shot before they sell off more veteran forwards. The Sharks will try to take the next step with more of their top prospects hitting the NHL. The Mammoth will try to ride their very solid forward core into the playoffs. Barry Trotz will continue trying to convince himself that he made good choices to compete in Nashville. Of those top five teams, I think only Chicago has themselves set to purposefully tank another season, as they will turn to their prospects to fill out around half the roster.

The Devils had a solid start to the offseason despite their comparatively limited cap space. Re-signing Cody Glass and Jake Allen while adding Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov — for a grand total of $8.3 million against the cap (pending Dadonov’s bonus overages) was tidy work, even if they still need to make space in their cap situation to re-sign Luke Hughes. However, since the Devils will be looking within their own organization to fill their final roster spots through training camp and preseason battles, they probably do not have to move that much salary if they only want to re-sign Luke Hughes.

Everyone knows that the New Jersey Devils have a top prospect on the way in Arseni Gritsyuk. Devils fans know that they also have Lenni Hameenaho on the way, whether he starts this year in New Jersey or Utica. But, as James Nichols wrote this morning, Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils also believe they have an ace up their sleeve in Shane LaChance, who they acquired in the initially fan-maligned Trent Frederic trade. Gritysuk and Hameenaho are expected to be very skilled offensive forwards, but only LaChance projects to be a netfront menace at 6’5” and around 220 pounds. With Nate Bastian seeking employment elsewhere at the moment, having lost a lot of his offensive effectiveness due to a few injuries over the last couple seasons, the Devils should have their replacement in LaChance.

The only issue I take with the way some people have been selling LaChance over the last week (and I have been on that train since I saw him play in the Frozen Four) is that I do not believe he can play center right off the bat in the NHL. He played top-line wing in the Frozen Four, and I cannot think of a lot of college wingers that went on to immediately play fourth line center in the NHL. So, the Devils may very well see LaChance in that way, but I would be shocked if he was not first sent to Utica so he can actually play center before being thrown into that role at the NHL level. Regardless, it is not a need for now with Dawson Mercer, Cody Glass, and Juho Lammikko on the NHL roster. If the Devils want a fourth line right wing, though, I think LaChance can compete there right off the bat.

I would also like to point out Cam Squires, the team’s fourth round draft pick in 2023. After four solid seasons in the QMJHL, Squires played three games at the end of the year for Utica, where he had a goal, three assists, and a +4 rating. That is one nice first impression to make, and I think Squires should be one of the first names in consideration if the Devils ever have an injury in the middle of their forward lineup during the 2025-26 season. And while Matyas Melovsky had a few more points in the QMJHL, he is nearly a full year older than Squires. I think Melovsky is going to need more time in the AHL than Squires as a center and as a player who was nearly 21 at the end of his juniors career. Squires won’t be 21 until the end of the 2025-26 season, but already looks like one of the smartest players coming out of juniors.

This is where the department of player development, helmed by Meghan Duggan — a three-time Olympic medalist and former Team USA Captain — will make their money. The Devils are not really in a position where they can sell off their remaining prospects for immediate help: they cannot afford it against the cap ceiling. But if the Utica staff and player development crew can put players like LaChance, Squires, and Melovsky into a position to contribute to the team over the next year, that will put the Devils into a much better place, where they don’t have to rely on free agency to acquire veterans on the decline for secondary scoring.

Some might point out that the Panthers and Oilers did not rely on players on their ELCs to make the Stanley Cup this year. That is true, but not a lot of teams are going to get very far trying to copy a team led by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl or a Florida group that has the benefit of their players paying less in taxes than all but a half-handful of teams. The New Jersey Devils already did a great job of not falling into the trap of selecting a bunch of giant players with questionable career outlooks in the Draft this year, in hopes of matching Florida’s reputed physicality and extremely exaggerated size. But they also have to make sure they continue looking for low-dollar contracts such as those signed by Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov to fill middle six roles rather than handing out giant contracts like that given to Ondrej Palat prior to the 2022-23 season. Waiting for the perfect player, and not overreacting if he signs elsewhere, is essential in free agency.

Maybe the Devils don’t manage to sign any of the top free agents in 2026, who include Connor McDavid, Artemi Panarin, Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov, or Cale Makar. It will simply fall on them not to turn around and sign Alex Tuch and Mason Marchment (who are good players, but getting older) to long-term panic contracts if they miss out on every top guys. Thankfully, I trust Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Luke Hughes, Timo Meier, and Dougie Hamilton to give Devils fans a competitive team (note: they made the playoffs with two of those guys being hurt for a lot of last season) no matter who they sign, and those veterans already on the roster will give the team’s prospects shelter and room to grow on a team that hopes to compete for the Stanley Cup for years across the next decade. Since it won’t even be remotely surprising to me if none of the top five free agents next year sign with a new team, the Devils will simply have to continue playing the long game.

Your Thoughts​

What do you think about the rising cap and its effects on player mobility around the league? Do you think the trend of re-signings will reverse next year? Who do you think can make an impact on the Devils over the next year or two? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...nt-new-jersey-devils-nhl-free-agency-lachance

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 7/2/25: The Haul Edition

Jake Allen #34 of the New Jersey Devils tends net during the third period of the game against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 15, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Devils defeat the Bruins 5-4 in overtime. | Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 7/2/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

Tuesday’s haul:

Evgeny Dadonov, signed 1x$1M by NJ, is a veteran depth winger. He’s still reasonably speedy, passes the puck well, and contributes off the rush, but his ability to push play in the right direction is in doubt. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/dyip7O8dTe

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2025​

Connor Brown, signed 4x$3M by NJ, is a middle six rushing winger who did a lot better in EDM in year two than year one. Can carry the puck in transition and generate chances for himself and his linemates.His skating ability makes him an asset defensively at 5v5 and the PK. pic.twitter.com/dqpCNUy9EJ

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2025​

Jake Allen has signed a five-year contract to stay with the Devils, per @FriedgeHNIC pic.twitter.com/6c9RQCQoMU

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2025​

Added a few more names to the Black and Red family.

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 1, 2025​

Jake seems happy to be back:

“(The Devils) are headed in the right direction (…) checked a lot of boxes. I’m excited to finish my career here.”

- #NJDevils Jake Allen pic.twitter.com/YCZ6X8PlxL

— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) July 1, 2025​

Hockey Links​

Assessments and notes on free agent signings around the league: [ESPN] [The Athletic ($)] [Daily Faceoff]

BREAKING: Aaron Ekblad agrees to an 8-year extension with the Florida Panthers worth $6.1M AAV, per @PierreVLeBrun pic.twitter.com/FzsHhbD0xk

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 30, 2025​

Brad Marchand isn't going anywhere.

He has officially signed a six-year extension with the Panthers, reportedly worth $31.5M pic.twitter.com/ZoSWwXE5ne

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) July 1, 2025​

Vladislav Gavrikov has signed a 7-year, $7M AAV contract with the Rangers, per @PierreVLeBrun pic.twitter.com/snKrYDM6mL

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) July 1, 2025​

MILLER'S ON THE MOVE ️

K'Andre Miller is on his way to the @Canes along with an eight-year contract extension! #NHLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/mxhavCAdVp

— NHL (@NHL) July 1, 2025​

General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have agreed to terms with F Brock Boeser on a seven-year contract with a $7.25 million AAV. pic.twitter.com/DNfx2qjpWf

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 1, 2025​

As part of the sign-and-trade, Mitch Marner is signing an eight-year, $96M deal with Vegas, per @FriedgeHNIC pic.twitter.com/LVkI09BjJV

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 30, 2025​

CBJ and pending UFA Ivan Provorov are finalizing a 7-year contract at $8.5M AAV per season

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 30, 2025​

Stars have a new coach:

Welcome home, Head Coach Glen Gulutzan pic.twitter.com/gFI9essdpy

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) July 1, 2025​

Bob McKenzie says farewell:

The trade is one for none.

Which is to say I’m exchanging my semi-retired TSN life of the last five years — doing the World Junior Championships, NHL Draft Rankings, a handful of Toronto Maple Leaf broadcasts, TradeCentre and Free Agent Frenzy — for a fully-retired life of doing… https://t.co/5zqEmZS5Ct

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 1, 2025​

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/7/2/24460159/devils-in-the-details-7-2-25-the-haul-edition

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Cap Math: Ways the New Jersey Devils Can Afford to Give Luke Hughes a Max-Term Contract

Dougie Hamilton now finds himself in trade rumors, but that would be overkill in creating cap space for Hughes alone. | Photo by Aaron Baker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

With limited cap space to fit Luke Hughes onto the roster, the Devils will need to figure out a way to extend him without sacrificing the rest of the competitive core.

If you have seen the news this morning, Elliotte Friedman reported on the season finale of 32 Thoughts that Dougie Hamilton has been the topic of a few discussions between the Devils and other teams. Before you take that and run with it, this is the full quote from Friedman:

To me, the next biggest question for the Devils is Dougie Hamilton. He went from a full no move clause to a partial no trade. I’m just curious to see what happens. Uh, they paid him his bonus on July 1. I don’t have a great feel for it in terms of percentage chances that anything occurs with him. But I know his name was kind of out there a little bit. And I heard they’ve been talking to a couple teams. So we’ll see where that goes.

To me, this sounds like a low confidence level that Hamilton will actually be moved, but they at least have tried to see what Hamilton would get in return if moved. Jared brought that up as an idea a week after he wrote about trying to be aggressive with Quinn Hughes. Ever since Dawson Mercer and Ondrej Palat also found themselves on a Sportsnet trade list in early June (which I responded to, saying Mercer should not be traded), people around the hockey community — fans, writers, and reporters — have been trying to figure out who the Devils will sacrifice to create cap space for Hughes.

With $6,906,667 in cap space — or $6,931,667 if you exchange Casey on the active roster for Arseni Gritsyuk, as the Russian forward will certainly be on the team while Casey is sent to the AHL with the roster the Devils currently have — the Devils have options to cover the extra $1.1 million I would expect Hughes to ask for to match his older brother’s contract. The first is an idea that will be phased out of the NHL in the next collective bargaining agreement. Until September 15, 2026, it is a legal option in contracts.

Option One: Deferred Salary​

Last year, when the Devils took a contract negotiation with Dawson Mercer into September, John wrote an article on deferred bonus payments. In that article, he cited Seth Jarvis’s then-recently signed eight-year extension with the Carolina Hurricanes, who reduced his cap hit by $480,000 per season by deferring $15.67 million from the $29.24 million in signing bonuses in his contract. John also wrote a bit about how exactly the deferred payments are calculated, which depends on Secured Overnight Financing Rate, which is currently significantly lower than when Jarvis signed his contract. If I understand the CBA’s language correctly, deferring more of the bonuses early on in the contract will create more cap savings than deferring later years because the league would calculate that the present value in 2025 to be lower than the equivalent worth of a payment in 2033.

That could create some pause in the Hughes camp. But Luke Hughes would still get his money, and the Devils would be able to sign him. Using the Jarvis contract as a reference, Hughes could be offered an eight-year, $64-million dollar contract with, say $32 million in signing bonuses. If around $18 million of the bonus structure were deferred, the Devils would be able to bring Hughes’s cap hit to around $7.5 million, or a bit less than that. If the league office approved a similar contract for Jarvis last year, I think the Devils should go down this road if Luke Hughes is willing. Using PuckPedia’s calculator, if the Devils deferred $4 million from each of the first two seasons, $3 million of both third and fourth years, and $2 million from the fifth and sixth years, they would bring Hughes to a cap hit of $7,496,313 per season, if using the SOF rate of 4.4%. You can play with that calculator a bit — and rates have recently been on the incline — but the Devils can save a lot of headache with this kind of move.

Option Two: Run a 19-Skater Roster With Kurtis MacDermid As The Emergency Fill-In Until Kovacevic’s Return​

Using the $6,931,667 cap figure from having Gritsyuk on the roster over Casey, the Devils can get up to $7,731,667 in cap space by sending down extra forward Juho Lammikko. Lammikko, who was officially signed on June 15 to a one-year, one-way deal worth $800,000, does not project to be more than a fourth line player if he does make the roster. A wrinkle here is that Lammikko could refuse an assignment to the AHL and ask to return to the ZSC Lions, who had him under contract until 2028. However, anything should be on the table when it comes to creating cap space to keep the roster intact.

This option would involve a lot of Kurtis MacDermid. As you might recall, Big Mac was a defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings in his earlier days, topping out at 13:43 of ice time per night in the 2019-20 season (45 games). The Colorado Avalanche never gave him the same amount of run, maxing his ice time out at 8:20 per night in 2022-23 (44 games). NHL players do not make the league by accident, and Kurtis MacDermid is an NHL player because he is a protective presence whose decisions on the ice won’t absolutely bury his team like some of the goons that have been employed around the league over the years. Yes, his on-ice results are poor, but the more MacDermid has been asked to fill an enforcer role, the more his play has slipped. Perhaps if he is given a full role on the ice, asked to just play in the system that Sheldon Keefe is laying out for the team, he will do better.

He doesn’t need to turn into a starting-caliber defenseman in this scenario. He just needs to be able to suit up for 10-15 minutes a night, whether at forward or defense, and not be on the ice for a goal against. Whether he gets into the lineup for injury fill-in purposes or because the team wants an intimidating presence, MacDermid being able to be used in such a manner would allow the Devils to save an extra contract’s worth of cap hit for Luke Hughes’s extension.

Option Three: Place Johnny Kovacevic on LTIR at the Start of the Season​

Since Johnny Kovacevic is currently recovering from knee surgery, the Devils will not have him for the start of training camp. The only thing we have heard about that has been from Tom Fitzgerald in his recent meeting with reporters on July 2, when replied to a question about Kovacevic, saying “He definitely won’t start the season, but he’s doing great,” before the conversation immediately turned to adding speed to the roster. Doing great can mean a lot of things in hockey. He could be getting ready for a November return, but depending on the ligament that needed to be repaired and the severity of his injuries, it could be longer than a six month recovery. Then, factor in what could be weeks or a couple months of skating and conditioning, and we might not see Kovacevic until after the New Year. That is just the reality of knee surgery in the NHL.

If the Devils are not expected to have Kovacevic for at least several weeks in the regular season, they could place him on long-term injured reserve. Per PuckPedia, the two ways to maximize LTIR exception space is by being as close to the cap ceiling without going over it or by being over the cap by as close as possible to Kovacevic’s cap hit of $4 million. In the former case, the Devils would have their remaining cap space prior to using LTIR subtracted from Kovacevic’s salary, and the resulting number would be their LTIR exception, which they could use to have a replacement for Kovacevic in addition to actually filling their roster with press box players. In the latter case, if the Devils are $3.8 million over the cap with a full roster, placing Kovacevic on LTIR would allow them exactly that much temporary salary pool in exception for his injury. And, as PuckPedia writes,

Once a team’s initial LTIR pool is established, any additional players going on LTIR throughout the season have their cap hit added to the existing LTIR pool.

Say the Devils keep everyone, and don’t make any trades. By putting Kovacevic on LTIR, they can keep Nico Daws on the active roster without waiving him. They can have Juho Lammikko as an extra forward. They can have Calen Addison or Dennis Cholowski as an extra defenseman. They can have Kurtis MacDermid without using him as an emergency Swiss Army knife while Kovacevic is on LTIR. They would have until Kovacevic returns to figure out what they want to do with everyone on their roster, and could then revert to the combination of Options One and Two by waiving or trading Daws, Addison, and Lammikko to get back under the cap. Or, if someone gets injured (the Devils have plenty of candidates), they would be able to cycle LTIR even after Kovacevic fully returns to the team.

Option Four: Make a Trade​

It is probably not a great offseason to be Ondrej Palat, Dawson Mercer, or Dougie Hamilton. Every day, Devils fans are asking which one of these guys are going to be traded away to make room for the Luke Hughes extension. But, if matching his brother’s contract in total dollars paid is all Luke needs, I think the above shows that a trade might not even be necessary. By being creative and using the full extents of the CBA, all three of those Devils and Luke Hughes can be on the roster in September.

I do regularly say that, of those three, Ondrej Palat is my choice to get moved. Even if it involves a sweetener for a team to take his contract (though I think he would be a good fit for Pittsburgh in a hockey sense, and they have over $15 million in cap space with the lingering speculation about moving Karlsson, Rackell, or Rust), a roster that features Dougie Hamilton and Dawson Mercer is simply more likely to not only make the playoffs, but advance a round than a roster that features Ondrej Palat over one of those two players.

There is something to be said about having playoff performers rather than players who just get through the first 82 games. Ondrej Palat performed admirably in the first round against Carolina this year, but the disparity between his regular season and postseason performance leads me to question whether he literally takes it too easy in the regular season. Considering the Devils were not even that many points from missing the playoffs, the team needs to see more urgency from him in all games if he remains on the roster.

My biggest concern is with moving Dougie Hamilton. When Dougie played with either Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes at five-on-five in the 2024-25 season, the Devils outscored opponents 41-20: over a 2:1 rate. When Hischier and Hughes played without Hamilton, they combined to outscore opponents 54-51. Knowing how poor the goal margins were in the bottom six last season, the only way the Devils can guarantee making the playoffs is by maximizing the offensive output from their top centers. We hope that Connor Brown, Evgenii Dadonov, and Arseni Gritsyuk make an impact to make third-line results a lot better, but we have not seen it yet. What we have seen is that Hischier and Hamilton or Hughes and Hamilton are elite offensive combinations who dominate on a consistent basis. As our most clutch offensive producer, who consistently comes through in big situations where the Devils need a goal, Dougie Hamilton is the most irreplaceable player on the defense not named Luke Hughes. Simon Nemec might have two-way ability, but he is not there yet. Seamus Casey might score a few goals, but he is not 6’7” with elite awareness and years of experience playing with and against top NHL talent, with all the physical demands involved. Add in the question mark looming over Kovacevic, and I do not see how trading Hamilton would do anything but make the Devils take a massive step backwards.

Last Words and Your Thoughts​

With all that out there, I think the best path forward for the New Jersey Devils is taking advantage of deferred salary payments in the second-to-last offseason they will be legal. If that does not do enough to keep the Devils under the cap, the Devils should see how far they can get by playing with a limited roster and utilizing LTIR space if necessary. In the case that they need to clear enough space to give Hughes a contract more lucrative than his older brother, then a trade may be absolutely necessary. As I have said before, Ondrej Palat needs to be the first to go in that scenario, even if the Devils have to attach a draft pick to him. Making that kind of trade would also allow Tom Fitzgerald to seek out more help while avoiding the use of LTIR entirely, but we have to see what direction the team is actually leaning in. For now, all we have is low-confidence rumors and vague talking.

What do you think about the options that the Devils have to fit Hughes’s extension? What routes do you see the team going down? Do you think this will actually get done soon, or will it drag into August or September? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, and thanks for reading.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...x-term-contract-hamilton-palat-deferred-money

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 7/7/25: Dealing Douglas? Edition

Dougie Hamilton #7 of the New Jersey Devils takes the ice prior to Game Five of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center on April 29, 2025 in Raleigh, North Carolina. | Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 7/7/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

A notable name:

On 32T, Elliotte says the next biggest question (after Luke) for the #NJDevils is Dougie Hamilton. He knows his name has been out there a little bit, and he’s heard they’ve been talking to a couple of teams

— Alex Chauvancy (@AlexC_NJD) July 6, 2025​

Here’s the segment on 32 Thoughts, Devils segment at around 18:30 in: [Sportsnet]

With a Jacob Markstrom-Jake Allen goaltending tandem seemingly set for the near future, what does the future look like for Nico Daws in the organization? [The Hockey News]

“The Devils may need more scoring pop in their top six, but their depth scoring should look much better with Dadonov. He finished this past season with 20 goals and 40 points in 80 games, a stark contrast compared to last season’s Devils bottom-six players.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

Hockey Links​

A look at who’s still available on the UFA board: [Daily Faceoff]

“With so many teams unable to meet their needs in free agency this year, expect the trade market to continue to churn throughout the summer and into September when training camps open. With so few teams selling off established players — and only the Penguins seemingly in a traditional teardown — GMs will need to make more hockey deals in order to fill roster voids.” [The Athletic ($)]

“What’s the most devastating loss that sent the franchise back a couple of years/decades?” [r/hockey]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...in-the-details-7-7-25-dealing-douglas-edition

 

[New Jersey Devils]

MSG Networks Announce Don La Greca as New Jersey Devils Play-By-Play Announcer: Bill Spaulding Departs

Don La Greca is a seasoned radio host with many of connections in sports. | Paula Barbagallo/Special to NorthJersey.com

In a shock to fans, Bill Spaulding will not remain with the MSG crew moving forward. However, esteemed radio personality Don La Greca will be taking his place.

This was not the news New Jersey Devils fans were expecting this week.

After three seasons as the play-by-play announcer for the Devils on MSG Networks, Bill Spaulding has parted ways with the network. In his place, Don La Greca, host of “Don, Han & Rosenberg” on ESPN, will take his place. The reasons for this split between Spaulding and MSG have not been divulged, but Spaulding posted this goodbye on Twitter today, shortly after MSG Networks announced La Greca’s hiring.

A message to the Devils community: pic.twitter.com/jXhPV6Etrk

— Bill Spaulding (@BillSpaulding) July 7, 2025​

What I dislike so far about the news today is how MSG Networks went about announcing it. Without even acknowledging Bill Spaulding’s work — or even mentioning him — they announced his replacement. Bill was not a big hockey guy (though he did have some experience with college hockey) prior to being hired as the Devils’ play-by-play announcer. But he worked hard, absorbing a lot of the details of the game that he might not have had in September 2022, growing into a broadcaster that many Devils fans are unhappy to see leave the team.

Devils fans may recall the abrupt break between the network and Erika Wachter, which took many by surprise given Wachter’s well-received performance as the host of the broadcast. Wachter, who now hosts on NHL Network and MLB Network, is still missed by many in the fanbase. When the Spaulding-Daneyko-Salvador-Wachter team was split, the broadcast suffered as a result. I hope this move proves less disruptive to the broadcast’s chemistry, and I hope MSG does not disrupt the crew further by pulling Rachel Herzog after one year as their host. It’s important to let people grow into their roles.

In honor of Spaulding’s time with the Devils, I would like to point out a few of my favorite moments. There was Ryan Graves’s ridiculous game-tying goal against Edmonton in November 2022, which was followed by a game-winner by Jesper Bratt. He called Jack Hughes’s hat trick later that month. There was Damon Severson’s overtime goal against the New York Rangers on January 7, 2023. He called the wild back-and-forth game between the Devils and Blue Jackets, featuring a Luke Hughes coast-to-coast goal and culminating in a Timo Meier game-winner on December 27, 2023. Spaulding got to call both of Nico Hischier’s hat tricks against the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild. And of course, there was Simon Nemec’s overtime winner against the Carolina Hurricanes. There are some goals I have not been able to find on YouTube, but Spaulding certainly had his moments.

What’s Next​

Moving forward, fans of the New Jersey Devils will hear the voice of Don La Greca call the plays. If you live in the area and have ever listened to sports radio, you have probably heard La Greca on ESPN radio. For many years, he was Michael Kay’s co-host on the Michael Kay Show. This led into the Don, Han & Rosenberg show when Kay’s program was shortened to a two-hour timeslot to give Kay more time with his family. Now, I wonder to what extent La Greca will continue with his talk show duties, as their 3:00-7:00 hours will strongly conflict with NHL travel. The Devils’ release notes that La Greca will be on all MSG broadcasts.

You can see MSG Networks’ announcement of La Greca’s hiring below.

MSG Networks taps Don La Greca as Devils play-by-play announcer. @DevilsMSGN | @DonLagreca pic.twitter.com/l5oDRb0VUW

— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) July 7, 2025​

For those wondering about La Greca’s hockey acumen, Devils Insiders found a clip of La Greca calling a Devils goal on the New York Rangers radio broadcast. I think you can hear La Greca pull back his excitement at the play given the role he was serving in at the time, but he does have a good voice for hockey. La Greca even supposedly has a tattoo of the Stanley Cup with at least two of the Devils’ winning years on it. Passion is incredibly important for a hockey announcer, perhaps more so than most other sports, and La Greca will bring it for Devils fans. I am not at all worried about that in this case.

We’re excited to welcome @DonLagreca to the @DevilsMSGN family!

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 7, 2025​

Aside from his Devils fandom, La Greca will bring a level of gravitas to the broadcast booth that many fans will appreciate. He has been on the radio for many years, building connections around ESPN and New York sports media along the way. One of my hopes for his tenure as the play-by-play announcer for the Devils is that his name recognition and prior visibility gives the Devils more attention in the media. The Devils have been largely overlooked by national media for years, with noticeable derision when the team has been good. Maybe this changes that a bit.

In Bill Spaulding’s case, I hope he does not give up hockey. More than ever, national broadcasts are desperate for voices that are actually passionate about hockey, and I think ESPN or TNT should consider him for that role in the upcoming season. I have no idea if Spaulding has been in contact with possible employers about his future, but I think that would be a good one for him. With Kenny Albert already presumably leaving (or at least stepping back a bit from) TNT’s hockey team for MSG Networks in his new role with the Rangers, maybe something can happen there.

Your Thoughts​

I am sure that many of you have thoughts on this news. So, please, share away. I am still a bit in shock, even though I have been a fan of La Greca ever since I started listening to the Michael Kay Show when I was in middle school. I have no doubt we will feel his passion, but I am sorry to see Bill go. That said, please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...ay-by-play-announcer-bill-spaulding-departure

 

[New Jersey Devils]

What If Dawson Mercer Is Not The Third Line Center?

Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Will Dawson Mercer begin the season as the third line center? I’m starting to have my doubts.

The draft is over, free agency frenzy is behind us, and the New Jersey Devils mostly have their roster set for the 2025-26 season. It’s possible they make some other moves like trading Ondrej Palat or Dougie Hamilton, but aside from getting Luke Hughes’ name on a contract, there really aren’t many moves left to make.

So now that the pieces are gathered, the next question becomes, how do those pieces fit together? Gerard took a crack at that very question last week. Meanwhile, Jared gave us an overview of what Tom Fitzgerald and Devils management seem to think of the roster they’ve assembled after their free agency signings.

One of the most important decisions along these lines is figuring out the best option to slot in behind Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier on the center depth chart. The best teams are generally strong down the middle after all, so having star power up top and impressive depth further down the lineup is borderline mandatory if a team wants to compete for a championship. And when it comes to the all-important third line center question, Gerard, Jared, and a lot of the People Who Matter seem to agree:

The job is Dawson Mercer’s to lose.

Given the current state of the team, it’s not hard to see why this would be the consensus. After Fitzgerald decided not to address the position in free agency, the only players on the roster that have a credible shot at the 3C role are Mercer and the recently extended Cody Glass. Paul Cotter, Juho Lammikko, Shance Lachance, and the newly acquired Thomas Bordeleau (who still needs a new contract at the time of this writing) are the only other players who have even an outside chance at third line pivot duties. I really don’t see any of them challenging Mercer or Glass for the job though.

And while Glass looked promising after coming over at the trade deadline, he’s been a career fourth line center up to this point. Mercer, on the other hand, has been a fixture in the Devils’ top six since the day he got called up to the big leagues. Granted, most of this time has been spent on the wing, but either way, Mercer has spent very little time in a fourth line role in his career thus far. So it makes sense that Mercer would have the inside track to the 3C gig.

...and yet...

I’ll be honest, the original plan for this piece was to analyze just how ready Mercer is for the 3C job. I very much agreed with Gerard, Jared, and Devils fans everywhere who assumed Mercer was the logical choice for the role, so I wanted to see what we could expect from Mercer once the season starts.

But the more I looked into it, the less certain I became that Mercer really will be deployed as the third line center.

So what exactly is making me doubt that? Well let’s start with the simple fact that Mercer has largely been used as a winger in his young career. It’s true that he was drafted as a center, but since his debut at the start of the 2021-22 season, Mercer has spent a ton of time on the wing next to either Hischier, Hughes, Erik Haula, or various other centers. Mercer has gotten opportunities down the middle, but these opportunities haven’t exactly gone according to plan. John wrote about this back in January of 2024, concluding that Mercer was noticeably more effective on the wing than at center. And while we have about a season-and-a-half of new data since John wrote that, the numbers still largely show Mercer is more effective as a winger.

Speaking of his effectiveness as a winger, we all know Mercer had a phenomenal breakout season in 2022-23 playing mostly with Hischier and Tomas Tatar. In about 260 minutes at 5-on-5 together, that trio obliterated opponents to the tune of a 59.51% Expected Goals For%, and a 64.29% Actual Goals For%. They controlled puck possession and the scoreboard in dominating fashion. Individually, Mercer posted 27 goals and 56 points that year; very promising numbers for a sophomore campaign. And while he hasn’t been able to reach those heights in the two seasons since, Mercer has proven he can be a great complimentary piece riding shotgun in a top six role with Hischier.

He’s also proven this with Hughes as well. While Hughes does perform better without Mercer on his wing, the numbers for both of them together since the start of 2023-24 are still quite strong. Especially so this past season, when Hughes and Mercer posted a terrific 65.77% xGF% together. Yes the sample was small with just a shade under 70 minutes at 5-on-5 together, but as mentioned, they do have a longer track record of success when sharing the ice.

Then there’s Sheldon Keefe’s usage of Mercer this past season, which to me is the biggest reason why I’ve become skeptical that Mercer will get the 3C job. Going back through Mercer’s game logs at Natural Stat Trick, he began the season reunited with Hischier and Tatar for a stretch, then Meier replaced Tatar on the line for a while (Meier is the skater Mercer shared the most 5-on-5 ice time with this past season). After a run with Hischier and Meier, he played a lot of games on Haula’s wing, then spent much of December bouncing around the Hischier, Haula, and Hughes lines. There were a handful of games where Mercer got some run at center, but the vast majority of his first half was spent on the wing. Which isn’t surprising considering the Devils’ personnel at the time.

But there was something else that did surprise me a little bit, something I completely memory-holed. When Haula missed exactly a month from January 4th to February 4th, Mercer did shift to the third line at first...but not to play center. Instead he was on the wing while Justin Dowling skated down the middle. I could have sworn Mercer was moved to third line center when Haula went down, but I was wrong, that role went to Dowling instead.

After a couple weeks there, he moved back up to play with Hischier for a bit. Mercer finally got some time at center in the January 18th game against Philadelphia, slotting between Cotter and Brian Halonen. This didn’t last long though, as he was right back on Dowling’s wing during the next game. He stayed there until late January, when Hischier was injured in the January 25th contest in Montreal. In the three games the Devils played between Hischier’s injury and Haula’s return to the lineup, Keefe had no choice but to have Mercer center a line between Meier and Stefan Noesen.

When Haula returned, Mercer went right back to Haula’s wing until the Four Nations tournament. Once the Devils were back in action following that break, he played wing for Hischier, Haula, and Dowling until Hughes’ season ending injury on March 2nd finally forced him to mostly play center the rest of the way.

But while Mercer spent the vast majority of his time down the middle post-Hughes injury, he started to lose some playing time to the then-freshly acquired Glass. Glass’ first game with New Jersey was March 9th, and he played eight games from then until the March 24th game against Vancouver, which was Glass’ last one before missing some time due to injury. In those eight contests, Mercer got more 5-on-5 ice time than Glass in the first two of those games, then only 12 seconds more in the third, and in the final five games they played together before Glass’ injury, Mercer got less 5-on-5 ice time than Glass in all but one of them. It’s true that once Glass returned on April 5th, Mercer got more 5-on-5 time in every game the rest of the way. But this seems more about Glass’ injury maintenance than Mercer earning more ice time, as Glass went from averaging a little over 15 minutes per game to a little over 13 minutes per game.

So in the end, when you consider Mercer spending the bulk of his career on the wing, his past success with Hischier and Hughes, his struggles down the middle, the Devils’ need for another top six winger, and most importantly to me, Keefe’s utter refusal to play Mercer at center until he had no choice, I think Mercer is far less likely to start the season as the third line center than we all think. If Keefe was trusting Justin Dowling to center a line more than Mercer, that’s a pretty big indicator that Keefe does not trust Mercer down the middle.

As mentioned, given the roster construction, it seems hard to believe the Devils would keep Mercer on the wing. Yes they do need another top six winger, and Mercer has had success with Hughes and Hischier, but is Mercer truly the answer there? Plus this would mean Glass begins the season as the 3C, and while he wouldn’t be totally out of his depth in that role, he’s probably better suited on a fourth line. So if Mercer is in the top six and Glass is the third line center, then who would play down the middle on the fourth line? Well probably one of the names I mentioned above: Cotter, Lammikko, Lachance, or Bordeleau. Unless the Devils make a surprise trade for another center, that is.

I’m not even arguing that this would be the best way to deploy the lineup, for the record I think Gerard’s choices from last week were fine. I’m just pointing out that we might be getting ahead of ourselves here in assuming Mercer is a lock to center the third line.

So how would the lineup shake out with Mercer on the wing and Glass as the third line center? Perhaps something like this:

Jesper Bratt - Jack Hughes - Dawson Mercer

Timo Meier - Nico Hischier - Connor Brown

Evgenii Dadonov - Cody Glass - Arseni Gritsyuk

Ondrej Palat - Thomas Bordeleau - Stefan Noesen

Scratches: Paul Cotter, Kurtis MacDermid

Mercer gets stapled to a couple play drivers in Hughes and Bratt. Brown has experience playing up the lineup in a complimentary role from his time in Edmonton, so the coaching staff might think he would be a good fit on Hischier’s wing. On the third line, perhaps Keefe tries to see if countrymen Dadonov and Gritsyuk can find some chemistry together and provide playmaking and scoring punch while Glass serves as the transition driver and defensive conscience of the line. And on the fourth line, I plugged Bordeleau in there because I’m intrigued by his skillset and upside, but really he’s interchangeable with any of the contenders I listed for the 4C role.

Again, I’m not necessarily saying this is the way I’d do it. But considering how Keefe deployed Mercer last season, I get the feeling he really does not want to play him at center, so the lineup above might be closer to what we get instead. I also think it’s reasonable to believe that Fitzgerald is on the same page as Keefe, considering he acquired a couple players who can fill a depth center role in Lammikko and Bordeleau this offseason. Maybe he looked at the Florida Panthers winning a second title with a bargain bin fourth line and thought he could replicate that.

Who knows, maybe Mercer is the third line center after all and I just wrote a bunch of words for no reason. Maybe the simplest answer to the 3C question - filling the role with Mercer - really is the one the Devils go with.

Or maybe Keefe’s seeming preference for Glass over Mercer should be taken a little more seriously. And maybe Fitzgerald pivoting to qualifying Glass in the run up to free agency, ultimately extending him, and making moves to acquire depth center options like Lammikko and Bordeleau are indications that Glass is the 3C and Lammikko and pals will battle it out for the 4C position while Mercer remains on the wing. We’ll have to wait a while until we get answers, but it’ll be very interesting to see how this all unfolds.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...rd-line-center-for-the-new-jersey-devils-2025

 

[New Jersey Devils]

New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: Three Things I learned from Development Camp

Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Now that the camp is over, we learned a few things. This post covers what we know.

Devils prospect camp ended this past week. Let’s get into a few updates.

Cole Brown seems to be heading to Notre Dame​

This is not earth-shattering news. However, with Cole Brown earning the invitation to camp there was some speculation that the winger might be signing an ELC. That doesn’t seem to be happening. Per an interview on the Devils website, Brown has been traveling to Notre Dame to meet his teammates and is, in his words, “super excited” about it.

There is still an open question as to whether the Devils will retain his rights. Brown, a 20-year-old winger, who scored 33 goals and 70 points for the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL last season could use the added development in the NCAA. Whether he ends up in Utica in a couple of seasons fighting for a NHL role remains to be seen.

Conrad Fondrk is still injured​

The Devils first pick (in the 2nd round) of this year’s NHL draft has not yet fully recovered from his injury. Per Amanda Stein:

Conrad Fondrk, who the #NJDevils selected with their 1st of 2 second round picks this year, is here at camp but is still recovering from a broken leg and hasn't started skating yet.

He's here to get a feel for the club and be around for all the off-ice initiatives and meetings.

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) June 30, 2025​

Hopefully, Fondrk recovers in time for the season, where he will join goaltender prospect Mikhail Yegorov at Boston University.

Sigge Holmgren is healthy again​

The Devils 6th final selection of the 2025 draft, defenseman Sigge Holmgren, missed all last season due to a dislocated shoulder requiring surgery. So, when the Devils drafted him, perhaps no one was more surprised than Holmgren himself. In an interview with Simon Eld for Hockey Sverige.se translated from his native language, the young defender said, laughing:

At first I thought it was someone else with the same name. I didn’t have time to think much and didn’t really understand what was happening. ... I was sitting at home and was just going to put on a movie or something. I followed it a little bit now and then, mostly to see who I recognized. I knew it could happen (to get drafted), but I was more determined that it wouldn’t happen.

Per the interview, Holmgren had several aggravations to the injury before the surgery and is now 100% healed. A few teams had expressed interest to him during his missed season, but the Devils, apparently were not one of them.

Overtime​

Per tradition, teams Red and White had a 3 v. 3 scrimmage, which ended in a Chase Cheslock shootout goal. Shane LaChance scored the lone goal for Team Red. Defenseman Luke Reid potted one for Team White. In the shootout, goaltender Veeti Louhivaara sealed the win for White with this save.

Louhivaara makes the stop, Team White wins 2-1 pic.twitter.com/w3SYAcYPXm

— New Jersey Devils (@THW_Devils) July 2, 2025​

Your Take​

Post your thoughts below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2...-three-things-i-learned-from-development-camp

 

[New Jersey Devils]

DitD & Open Post - 7/9/25: A New Voice Edition

Don La Greca, the new voice of the New Jersey Devils, in a 2014 file photo. | Photo by Thomas Nycz/NHLI via Getty Images

New Jersey Devils & Related Hockey Links for 7/9/25

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

MSG Networks says farewell to Bill Spaulding:

MSG Networks taps Don La Greca as Devils play-by-play announcer. @DevilsMSGN | @DonLagreca pic.twitter.com/l5oDRb0VUW

— MSG Networks (@MSGNetworks) July 7, 2025​

# :

An industry source confirmed that MSG did not renew the contract of Bill Spaulding.

22 years after Ken Daneyko let lifelong #NJDevils fan Don La Greca drink out of the Stanley Cup, the duo will be working together on broadcasts. https://t.co/4kPwh6GhCz

— Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) July 8, 2025​

A message to the Devils community: pic.twitter.com/jXhPV6Etrk

— Bill Spaulding (@BillSpaulding) July 7, 2025​

Don La Greca talks here about his Devils fandom: [Devils NHL]

What teams might make sense as landing spots for Dougie Hamilton? [Infernal Access ($)] [Devils on the Rush]

Hockey Links​

Is a Panthers three-peat in the works? “The core is locked up. That’s bad news for people who have grown to hate the Panthers. They’re not going away. As we wrote on the night they won another Cup, this is a dynasty in the making.” [The Athletic ($)]

Tyler Johnson heads to retirement:

From undrafted to a 2x Stanley Cup champion with 747 games

Congratulations and wishing the best of luck to Tyler Johnson in retirement! pic.twitter.com/MLuz9UCtUN

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) July 8, 2025​

“The NHL Board of Governors and NHLPA’s full membership have both ratified the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which begins in 2026-27 and runs through the 2029-30 season.” [ESPN]

It’s the offseason!

Here is your 2025 Offseason Defenceman Ranking

Over 6.2K voters voted on over 500K head-to-head matchups. Here are the results.

1. Cale Makar
2. Quinn Hughes
3. Rasmus Dahlin
4. Miro Heiskanen
5. Zach Werenski pic.twitter.com/p4l1PYCK2Y

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 8, 2025​

Who are the top goaltenders in the NHL?

You voted.

Here is the 2025 offseason ranking of the top 32 goalies in hockey. pic.twitter.com/0ptPZuz7XM

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 6, 2025​

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

Source: https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/2025/7/9/24464136/devils-in-the-details-7-9-25-a-new-voice-edition