Offseason Checklist: New Jersey Devils
The offseason has arrived for half of the league’s teams that aren’t taking part in the playoffs plus those who have already been eliminated. Accordingly, it’s now time to examine what they will need to accomplish over the coming months. Next up is a look at New Jersey.
It’s safe to say this season didn’t go as planned for the Devils. Believed to be a team primed for a bounce-back year, it ultimately didn’t happen. As a result, there’s a new GM in town as Sunny Mehta has taken over from Tom Fitzgerald. Mehta has elected to keep head coach Sheldon Keefe around, taking one big item off their checklist. Here are some other things they’ll likely be looking to go over the coming months.
Decide Nemec’s Future
Things have gone well for two of the top three picks from 2022. Juraj Slafkovsky, the top pick, has become a top-line winger in Montreal while third-overall selection Logan Cooley looks like a fixture in Utah’s lineup for the long haul. But things haven’t gone as well for the blueliner selected between those two, Simon Nemec.
After getting into 60 games as a rookie in 2023-24 while averaging nearly 20 minutes a night of playing time, it looked like Nemec had made it. But things went in the wrong direction the following year, resulting in him spending more time in the minors than in the NHL. He became a full-timer on the roster this season and returned to his rookie-season usage while chipping in with 26 points in 68 games. That’s a step in the right direction, no doubt, but is he on his way to being a core piece like the other two?
The answer to that is uncertain, which is also an apt way to describe his situation in New Jersey. Nemec is a pending restricted free agent and with the rapid escalation of salaries, it’s fair to say he’ll be eyeing a significant raise from the $855K base salary he had this season. Potentially anticipating a tough negotiation, Fitzgerald was listening to calls on the youngster at the trade deadline with no deal coming to fruition. Nemec, meanwhile, had expressed frustration about his role in the past with recent conflicting reports suggesting that he might still be unhappy with his situation.
With how things went up and down on his rookie deal, it’s hard to see both sides agreeing on a long-term contract at a cap hit that’s comfortable for everyone. A bridge deal makes sense; AFP Analytics pegs a two-year bridge deal checking in around $4.4MM per season which is still on the higher side for someone who wasn’t a regular not that long ago. But, in this cap environment, some of these future bridge contracts are going to be on the high side.
If Mehta isn’t sold on Nemec’s upside or they’re too far apart in contract talks, a trade could still be on the horizon. A 22-year-old high pick who’s a right-shot defenseman is bound to have considerable trade value and he’d undoubtedly yield a strong return. Is that more valuable to the Devils than what they believe Nemec will be able to provide? They need to decide the answer to that this offseason.
Work On Hischier Extension
When Nico Hischier signed a seven-year, $50.75MM extension after his sophomore year in 2018-19, the move seemed a little risky. The salary cap was much lower back then, bypassing bridge contracts wasn’t as widely common as it is now, and a 47-point showing in his sophomore year wasn’t necessarily screaming ‘big contract’. That deal has certainly worked out quite well for New Jersey and with the captain set to enter the final season of that deal starting in July, he will be eligible for a contract extension at that time.
Hischier has only surpassed the 70-point mark once in his career (when he reached 80 in 2022-23) but he has notched between 60 and 69 points four times in the last five seasons. That type of offensive consistency is quite coveted, especially for centers. Meanwhile, he has been a Selke Trophy finalist and finished fourth in voting over the past five years as well. That type of defensive consistency is also quite coveted. Between that and the projected salary cap spikes, the 27-year-old is heading for quite a sizable raise on his next contract.
What type of price tag could he plausibly fetch? Let’s start by looking at the cap percentage. When he signed his current deal, Hischier received 8.9% of the cap. Forecasting that against the projected 2027-28 Upper Limit of around $113.5MM, that would put him at $10.1MM per season. Considering his current contract had four RFA years on it (his next one won’t have any) and his status in the league as a strong two-way center, it’s fair to say $10.1MM feels like the absolute minimum. Adding a million or two more to that number is a very realistic possibility. If Mehta doesn’t want to pay that (which would be a surprise, given his importance to the team), someone else undoubtedly will.
With Hischier signed through next season, this isn’t something that necessarily has to be completed this summer. But with a mid-September cutoff for an eight-year extension (when the new CBA fully kicks in), that stands as a bit of a pressure point for negotiations. And if the two sides are so far apart that a trade becomes likely (not a likely scenario), it’s better to know that now than in-season. But even with it not necessarily being overly urgent, expect this to be a big item on their summer checklist.
Clear Defensive Logjam
In the NHL, from a roster-building perspective, there are good problems to have and bad problems to have. The state of their back end is a good one. When their defensive group got fully healthy midseason, Keefe found himself rotating a few quality blueliners in and out of the lineup. That wound up seeing Dougie Hamilton get scratched with some scathing comments coming from his agent soon after, fueling trade speculation although a move never got across the finish line.
In fact, for all of the viable trade speculation surrounding their blueliners in the second half of the season, no moves were ultimately made. The logjam ultimately resolved itself when Brett Pesce landed on injured reserve right before the deadline but there’s no denying that the logjam still exists. New Jersey has $34.9MM committed to six blueliners next season, per PuckPedia. That doesn’t include Nemec so if Mehta doesn’t make a move, there’s a very good chance that the Devils will have the most expensive back end in the league next season. With less than $12MM in cap room and several roster spots to fill, moving out a defenseman works on multiple fronts.
The state of the market should work in New Jersey’s favor. Yes, other teams will know that they probably need to shed a defenseman but with the UFA class not exactly yielding a bumper crop of quality options, demand is going to outweigh supply. That should put Mehta in the driver’s seat to elicit a strong return.
It could be Hamilton getting a fresh start while clearing at least part of his $9MM cap charge off the books. It could be Nemec moving somewhere where he has a chance to play a bigger role to try to grow into the player his draft slot warranted. It could be Johnathan Kovacevic, the type of quality depth defender that stabilizes things on the third pairing but is now paid (at $4MM per season) to play a bigger role than that. All three are right-shot pieces, the side in even higher demand. If new management wants to shake up the team a bit, this is a logical spot to try to do so.
Add Firepower
Offense has been hard to come by under Keefe’s watch. They had a drop-off of 24 goals in his first season behind the bench while dropping from 12th to 20th league-wide in that department. This season, there was a similar-sized dip in scoring as they went down another 14 tallies while finishing 27th in goals scored. In two years, they’ve gone from a slightly above-average team offensively to one of the weaker ones while shedding nearly half a goal per game in the process.
Suffice it to say, this is a problem that needs to be addressed. With Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Hischier, they have some quality pieces. Timo Meier has been more hit than miss since being acquired but he could still be part of the solution while Dawson Mercer, extension-eligible himself this summer, is a solid secondary piece. There’s a decent foundation to work off here.
Adding a top-six forward would certainly put them in the right direction toward trying to even get back to the middle of the pack. But beyond that, they need some more firepower in the bottom six. Evgenii Dadonov, a UFA pickup last summer, wound up being a flop, Nick Bjugstad had just two assists in 26 games after being acquired near the trade deadline, and Maxim Tsyplakov, added in the Ondrej Palat trade, had four points in 49 games between the two teams. Upgrading one or two of those lineup spots would also go a long way in helping their fortunes.
This is where clearing the defensive logjam should help. At a minimum, they’d shed enough cap space to afford an extra addition of some consequence up front. In a perfect world, it’d come in the same trade. That way, their remaining cap space could be deployed toward upgrading the back half of the forward group, allowing them to hit both parts here. That won’t turn them into a high-end offensive squad but even getting closer to the middle would be a big boost to their playoff odds next season.
Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images.
Afternoon Notes: Stone, Devils, Korczak
The hole in the Vegas Golden Knights lineup will remain as they head into Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. Winger Mark Stone will miss his fifth-straight game with a lower-body injury sustained in Game 3 of the second round, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic. He had three goals and seven points in nine playoff games prior to his injury.
Stone continues to fill a top role with the Golden Knights when healthy. He finished the regular season with 28 goals and 73 points in 60 games – a full-season pace of 39 goals and 100 points. Vegas has bumped Pavel Dorofeyev up to the top-line, and added Brandon Saad to the lineup, in Stone’s absence. Dorofeyev has excelled, with six goals and seven points since Stone went down. Saad has two assists, including on the opening goal of the Western Conference Finals. Vegas will continue to bank on their production while Stone targets a Game 3 return.
Other notes around the hockey world:
- The New Jersey Devils have picked up their third-year option with the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder per a team announcement. New Jersey began their affiliation with the Thunder in the 2017-18 season, two seasons after the club relocated to the city in place of the Stockton Flames. Adirondack has made the postseason in five of their seven seasons in partnership with the Devils, going as far as the Conference Finals twice. They were knocked out of the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs in a first round series that went to seven games and featured three overtimes. Their lineup was led by Devils’ defense prospect Jeremy Hanzel and goaltender Jeremy Brodeur, son of Devils legend Martin Brodeur.
- Former New York Rangers prospect Ryder Korczak will continue his career in Slovakia’s top league. He has signed a one-year contract with HC Slovan Bratislava of the Tipsport Liga per a team announcement. Korczak spent last season on a one-year deal with Vlci Zilina. He finished the year with a team-leading 21 goals, and 44 total points, in 52 games played. The 2021 third-round pick was unable to continue his scoring spark into the AHL. He racked up 35 points in 117 games across two seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack – and 10 games with the Syracuse Crunch. Korczak was a premier junior scorer, racking up 246 points in 248 games across six seasons in the WHL. He seems to have found the same spark overseas and should move into a key role on a Bratislava squad that finished second in Slovakia this season.
Director Of Player Development Meghan Duggan Leaves For PWHL GM Role
New Jersey Devils director of player development Meghan Duggan has been hired as general manager of PWHL Hamilton, one of the new expansion teams joining the highest level of professional women’s hockey. The hire means Duggan will leave the Devils organization after a half-decade in her player development role. Hailey Salvian of The Athletic notes that Duggan has had some association with the PWHL during her time in New Jersey, serving as special consultant to the hockey operations staff and as a member of the league’s player safety committee.
As a player, Duggan was a highly-decorated captain of the U.S. National Team. Her career in hockey operations began on the coaching staff of Clarkson University’s women’s hockey program in 2014-15, and she coached there for two seasons while also playing in the now-defunct CWHL and NWHL, precursor leagues to the PWHL. In 2021, she was hired by the Devils as director of player development. It seems likely that the Devils, led by a new GM in Sunny Mehta, will look to fill Duggan’s former role at some point this summer.
- Former Devils minor-league defenseman Reilly Walsh has signed a one-year contract extension with KHL club Barys Astana. The 27-year-old blueliner was a third-round pick of the Devils at the 2017 draft. A near point-per-game defenseman while he played college hockey at Harvard, Walsh developed into a quality offensive top-four defenseman at the AHL level. He crossed the 40-point plateau twice and had a total of 159 points in 304 career AHL games. Walsh scored 32 points in 70 games for the Ontario Reign in 2024-25, but with over 260 games at the professional level, he was no longer considered a “development player” by the AHL’s development rule, a factor that has prompted many quality AHL players to take contracts overseas. He signed with Astana and played very well there in 2025-26, scoring 16 goals and 46 points, tied for the team lead in scoring with Mike Vecchione, a fellow AHL veteran who left the North American pro ranks last summer.
These Mid-Season Contract Extensions Have Not Aged Well
This year has been unique for in-season contract extensions, as a rising salary cap put pressure on teams to lock up their pending free agents before they could even sniff the open market. What once looked like a promising free-agent class in the summer of 2026 quickly turned into a very thin market void of big names and impact players. Some of those extensions were signed with players who had thrived in previous years and/or started the season well, but faltered after signing their big new contract, leaving teams in a tough spot heading into the summer. Here are five contracts that the signing teams would presumably like to have back.
The first player on our list could very well turn things around next season, and that is Dallas Stars defenseman Thomas Harley. The 24-year-old inked an eight-year, $84.7MM contract extension at the end of October ($10.587MM AAV), and it made perfect sense at the time, as Harley was the 15th-highest-scoring defenseman in the NHL over the previous three seasons, with 105 points in 166 games, and played a solid defensive game as well. However, he struggled this past season, posting his lowest offensive numbers in three years and struggling to drive play. Harley lacked a solid partner for much of the year, but given his new salary cap hit, the hope would be that he could overcome that obstacle, especially considering Dallas doesn’t have the cap space to really look at upgrades on their back end. Harley has plenty of time to turn things around, and he likely will, but Stars management has to be a little nervous about the deal they inked and the long-term ramifications if Harley can’t get his game back next season.
Sticking with Western Conference defensemen, Jake Walman of the Edmonton Oilers was a colossal disaster after signing his seven-year, $49MM extension with the team. The 30-year-old had been terrific after a trade from the San Jose Sharks, but after signing his extension in October, Walman began to struggle and never returned to his form for most of the season. Walman’s signing was made because Oilers management believed he was a good fit for the team’s style, with his solid first pass and heavy shot. But many of the warts in Walman’s game became evident as the season went on. He isn’t physical, he turns the puck over too much, and he doesn’t play a full season. These issues aren’t exactly unique, but for a player being signed to a $7MM AAV, you’d hope he would give you more than 21 points a season, something Walman has done just once in his NHL career. A big issue for the Oilers and Walman is that his contract will take him from his age 30-37 seasons, and at this point he is a finished product. It’s clear Edmonton overpaid to retain his services.
Moving up front, the Winnipeg Jets were quick to re-sign their captain Adam Lowry to a five-year, $25MM contract extension in late November. The deal looked fine at the time, though there were concerns about his age, as he was 32 at the time of signing, and five years is a long time for a player who plays the way he does. Lowry remains a solid shutdown center who can skate, outwork his opponents, and tilt the ice in the Jets’ favor. But given his age and style of play, it’s fair to wonder how much longer he can serve as a Jets top-nine center before his body breaks down and he is relegated to fourth-line duties. It’s a tough spot for Winnipeg because Lowry is a heart-and-soul player, but five years for him is a long time, and it’s a contract the Jets would probably like to renegotiate. Given the history with Lowry, the Jets would no doubt love to keep him in the fold, but at a lower cap rate.
Another late-October extension (two years, $12MM) was New Jersey Devils goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who had a decent first season with the Devils but was awful in his second year. The timing of this one was particularly peculiar, as Markstrom was off to a very slow start in October 2025, posting a 5.13 GAA and a .830 SV% in just four appearances. He was also coming off a lower-body injury and was 35 years old at the time, making the timing of the signing even stranger. Obviously, the Devils were concerned he might go on a heater and raise the price tag, but that never happened as Markstrom struggled through much of the year, finishing with a 3.07 GAA and a .883 SV%. Those numbers are clearly concerning, but the silver lining is that Markstrom has a history of struggling through a season and bouncing back the following year to get into Vezina Trophy contention, so a bounce-back season in 2026-27 can’t be discounted. However, for now the Devils must be looking at Markstrom’s $6MM AAV and wondering how much lower the number could have been or whether they should have gone in a different direction.
Finally, we have Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot, who inked a three-year extension this past January worth $3.85MM per season. The 35-year-old has his strengths, as he is reasonably good at skating and can move the puck. He’s also incredibly physical, playing on the edge much of the time and displaying a high level of orneriness in the defensive zone. But that is where his strengths wear off, and his weaknesses are becoming more glaring as he ages. Chiarot has been a drain on whoever he is paired with, particularly on the possession front, and he has posted the worst Wins Above Replacement score for two consecutive regular seasons (as per hockeystats.com). Chiarot can still be an effective defenseman in the NHL, but not in the top four, and that’s where Detroit may need to deploy him once again next season.
None of these contracts are going to be especially crippling to a team, but they do show how quickly the shine can wear off a high-priced extension and how much pressure teams are under to extend their players, thanks to a rising salary cap and many teams’ possession of additional cap space, chasing a few available players.
Latest On New Jersey Devils, Simon Nemec
May 22nd: Following up on his update from yesterday, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now can confirm that Nemec has not requested a trade from the Devils and has been in contact with Mehta as recently as this week. Presumably, someone from the organization or Nemec’s representation contacted Nichols regarding the conflicting reports from Slovakia.
May 21st: Earlier this morning, a report from Simon Chop and Stefan Bufan of Denník, a Slovakian outlet, indicated that defenseman Simon Nemec has requested a trade from the New Jersey Devils. Nemec has been involved in trade rumors for the past year or so, and the article indicated that the new General Manager, Sunny Mehta, hadn’t yet contacted Nemec or his representation about a new contract.
However, in a subsequent article, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now shared that sources indicate Mehta has already contacted Nemec about a new contract, indicating that part of the original report is unfounded. Additionally, a similar situation occurred with Nemec last offseason. The former second-overall pick clarified that it stemmed from a bad translation, and he had no intention of leaving the Devils.
Furthermore, a trade request would be a stark contrast from the tone Nemec set at his end-of-season availability only a few weeks ago. Prompted about his upcoming restricted free agency, Nemec responded with, “I’d love to sign here.” Unless there was a dramatic turn, which technically could have happened since New Jersey hired Mehta, Nemec appears committed to the Devils moving forward.
Nonetheless, this does not mean Nemec will not be traded this summer, nor does Mehta contacting him indicate that the new regime won’t explore the possibility. It’s no secret that New Jersey is seeking a top-six forward, particularly on the right wing, and Nemec is the best trade chip they have in their arsenal.
Afforded more ice time due to the long-term injury to Luke Hughes, Nemec had a solid season, scoring 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games, averaging 19:40 of ice time per game. His possession metrics improved considerably, but that could be attributed to playing on one of the strongest possession teams in the league. New Jersey finished with a team CorsiFor of 52.0% this past season, the 10th-best in the league.
Although it’s unlikely that Nemec will ever challenge for the scoring lead among defensemen, right-handed top-four defensemen are always in high demand throughout the league. If they do make him widely available, the Devils should have no shortage of suitors.
Still, they are in a solid bargaining position, and New Jersey would do well to remember that. Even though he’ll be more difficult to move, the Devils could trade Dougie Hamilton and his $9MM salary, and pivot to targeting Alex Tuch or Anthony Mantha to alleviate their need in the top-six. Unless they can acquire a top-tier talent like Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs or Drake Batherson from the Ottawa Senators, it might be wiser for New Jersey to keep Nemec and explore other options to enhance their top six.
Photo courtesy of Ed Mulholland of Imagn Images.
Devils Announce Coaching Changes, Sheldon Keefe To Stay
The New Jersey Devils announced today that Goaltending Coach Dave Rogalski has been relieved of his duties, and Assistant Coach Sergei Brylin will assume a new role within the organization.
With Sunny Mehta getting to work on transforming the team, along with his new assistant Braden Birch who was hired earlier this month, it’s the first step in what will be more changes after a disappointing campaign.
Rogalski, 45, got started at St. Cloud State in 2010, eventually mentoring current Capitals netminder Charlie Lindgren. Jumping to the NHL in 2018 with the Blues as a development coach, his organization took home the Stanley Cup the next year. Moving along to goaltending coach with the Devils for the 2020-21 season, he held the role ever since. Somewhat synonymous with the team as a whole, New Jersey has declined in that department, most visibly with Jacob Markström‘s 3.07 goals-against-average and his .883 save percentage, both his worst marks in a decade. Jake Allen, with ties to Rogalski since St. Louis, performed better but also experienced slight statistical declines year-over-year.
On the other hand, Brylin is much deeper connected within the team, playing 765 games as a Devil from 1994-2008. The Russian center helped New Jersey take home three Stanley Cups as a relentless two-way player who epitomized the Devils in that era. Upon retiring from the KHL, he promptly returned to the franchise, starting out with the AHL’s Albany Devils in 2012 and being promoted to assistant coach for the big club a decade later as part of Lindy Ruff‘s staff. Surviving the split and transition to Sheldon Keefe‘s tenure, Brylin was more involved with player development, not directly heading either of their special teams units.
A legend of the team, Mehta is showing loyalty and acknowledgement of his presence in the organization, keeping Brylin around in a new role which is not known at this point. James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now confirmed that the former player won’t retain any sort of coaching capacity.
With the departures aside, today’s news confirms that Keefe will stick around with two years remaining on his contract. Eager to assemble his own staff, it’s unfair to judge the 45-year-old for his shortcomings after a season so lost to injury, however, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of leash he has if things don’t turn around quickly next fall.
Timo Meier Has Been A Massive Disappointment For The Devils
When the New Jersey Devils acquired forward Timo Meier in 2023, they hoped to land a power forward who could reshape their top six and provide 40 goals a season. At the time, Meier looked like that player, and New Jersey gave up assets to the San Jose Sharks, believing he would become a core member and ride shotgun alongside Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. In addition to trading away significant assets, the Devils committed financially to Meier long-term with an eight-year contract worth $70.4MM ($8.8MM annually). The results weren’t great to start. Meier had just 14 points in his first 21 games with the Devils and just four points (two goals and two assists) in 11 playoff games. Now, just three years into that contract, Meier has been less of a top-end power forward and more of a streaky depth scorer who struggles with turnovers.
New Jersey has been a major disappointment over the past two seasons. While Meier has been relatively consistent, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations when he was brought in and signed long-term. In the five years prior to the trade, Meier had topped 30 goals three times and had become a 65-75-point player. Since the trade, he’s been a 25-goal scorer and a 50-point player. These numbers, while respectable, aren’t what the Devils were hoping for when they made the moves.
The Devils obviously want to get back to the playoffs with their current roster, but many of their top-paid players have struggled to live up to their price tags. Meier is hardly alone in his struggles, but he just finished fourth in Devils scoring, despite being the highest-paid forward.
Now, you could point to some of the injuries and to the inconsistency hampering Meier’s production, but the cause is likely much deeper and involves both individual and team issues.
For Meier, he simply has not elevated his play since the trade to New Jersey and has not been as physically imposing as he was with the Sharks. Many predicted that Meier would become the Devils’ net-front presence and use his size to score many goals in front of the net, but Meier hasn’t become that player despite playing through his prime over the past few years.
Meier also hasn’t built chemistry with his teammates or settled into his role. Some of that can be blamed on his lack of momentum on his own, but there have also been lineup and coaching changes, along with other external factors that could be keeping Meier from getting comfortable with the Devils.
While Meier’s offensive numbers have been respectable, perhaps the most troubling aspect of his game is on the defensive side, where he lacks attention to detail in his own end and is often guilty of turning the puck over. These warts in his game would be forgivable if Meier were producing more offense, but unfortunately for New Jersey, that has not been the case.
Meier was brought in to help change the Devils’ trajectory, but, unfortunately for New Jersey, it appears the trajectory has gone the other way, which, given the talent on the roster, seems to be a shock to most people. It’s hard to label Meier a disaster, but when compared to the costs to acquire and retain him, there is little doubt that the Devils would love to have both the trade and the contract back as a do-over, and it’s likely a series of moves they wouldn’t repeat.
At this point, it’s unlikely that Meier takes the next steps that the Devils were hoping he would take when they acquired him. And with the failed trade, among other failed moves, New Jersey has brought in a new management group, and it should be interesting to see how they assess the fit with Meier and whether or not they see him as a long-term fixture. There could be an interesting dynamic with a new GM and management team: a possible trade, or they could see him in a different role with the Devils. Back with San Jose, Meier was often a focal point of the Sharks’ offense; however, in New Jersey, that is less often the case, as the Devils have better forward depth and more offensive players than the Sharks did 3-4 years ago.
There is also the possibility that Meier re-captures his offensive game this year after a tumultuous season off the ice last year. Meier took a personal leave of absence mid-season after posting 10 goals and 12 assists in his first 26 games (a 70-point pace). After returning from his leave, Meier tallied eight goals and three assists in 34 games, roughly a 26-point pace over a full season. Curiously, Meier’s shooting percentage dropped from 11.9% in those first 26 games to 5.9% in the 34 games following his return. There are many reasons that could happen (bad luck, for one), but it’s hard to imagine him shooting that poorly over another stretch of play.
With a new management group in place and five years left on his contract, it will take some time before Meier’s fate is ultimately decided. For now, given his contract status, it’s hard to imagine the Devils moving him to another team. But this summer could be one of urgency in New Jersey, with Hischier’s contract entering its final season and a lot of disappointment surrounding the team. What that means for Meier remains to be seen, but if he does become a trade chip, he would be a buy-low candidate who should generate some interest among teams looking for help in their top six.
Devils Hire Braden Birch As Assistant General Manager
The New Jersey Devils have made their first front office hire under new General Manager Sunny Mehta. According to a team announcement, the Devils have hired Braden Birch to serve as the team’s Assistant General Manager and General Manager of the AHL’s Utica Comets.
Like Mehta, Birch is departing from the Florida Panthers organization to work in New Jersey. The Panthers hired the 36-year-old ahead of the 2016-17 season as a special assistant to General Manager Bill Zito. After his lone season as a special assistant, he was promoted to the team’s Director of Hockey Operations with a specialization in salary cap management.
Aside from that, the only connection he has to the Devils organization is through Mehta. Given that Mehta had been Florida’s Assistant General Manager for the last several years, it’s more than likely that the two worked closely together in their roles and have a good working relationship.
In the announcement, Mehta said, “Braden will be an extremely valuable addition to our senior hockey operations group. His blend of on-ice experience, management background, and intellect will serve him well in his new role. Braden will work to bolster all areas of our operation, and I look forward to him joining our existing front office, where his personality and work ethic will fit in excellently.”
Regarding Utica, Birch will have his work cut out for him. The Comets haven’t qualified for the Calder Cup playoffs since the 2022-23 season, losing on the last day of the regular season to the Rochester Americans this year. The team did a quality job on defense, but Utica was one of only six teams to not register 200 or more goals throughout the regular season. Birch will likely target offense this offseason on the free agent market to ensure that the Comets find their way back to the postseason in 2026-27.
Devils Won’t Retain Dan MacKinnon, Chuck Fletcher
The Devils will not renew the contracts of assistant general manager Dan MacKinnon or senior advisor Chuck Fletcher for next season, the team announced Friday.
They’re the first changes instituted in New Jersey’s front office by Sunny Mehta, who was tapped as the franchise’s sixth general manager in team history last month after they fired Tom Fitzgerald 10 days prior. The moves, of course, come after the Devils limped to the finish line for their sixth playoff miss in the last eight years.
Mehta, who was hired without a president of hockey operations as oversight, will officially have virtually unfettered reign with Fletcher no longer serving as essentially a GM emeritus on staff. The 59-year-old had been working with Fitzgerald over the last two seasons after being fired as GM of the Flyers in 2023.
It likely won’t take very long for Fletcher to find some type of work if he wants to stay in the league. A Stanley Cup winner as the assistant GM of the Penguins in 2009, Fletcher has consistently worked in the league in some capacity since being tapped as an AGM for the Panthers at their point of inception in 1993. He got his first GM gig on an interim basis with Florida in 2001-02 before re-emerging as GM of the Wild from 2009-18 and again with the Flyers from 2018-23. Between jobs, he was an AGM with Anaheim and Pittsburgh while being in charge of their respective AHL franchises.
MacKinnon has had significantly more of a day-to-day impact in New Jersey in recent years. The 51-year-old also has oodles of experience, first joining the Predators as their director of scouting back in 2000. He was picked up by the Penguins in a similar role in 2007 – working with Fletcher there – and was part of their 2009 and 2016 wins before joining New Jersey as their director of player personnel. MacKinnon’s tenure, which began under Ray Shero’s administration, saw him promoted to AGM and senior VP of hockey ops in 2019, both titles he held up until today, before adding AHL GMing responsibilities in 2021.
It’s not clear what replacements, if any, Mehta intends to bring in yet. His inner circle now consists of executive vice president Martin Brodeur, advisor Andy Greene, and AGM Kate Madigan.
At Least Eight Teams To Carry Overage Penalty Into 2026-27
The NHL adds contract performance bonuses to the salary cap hit of each team at the end of the season. Any price over the salary cap is carried over to the team’s cap hit in the following season. Performance bonuses are broken up into two categories. A-level bonuses are paid out for reaching set numbers of goals, assists, points, plus-minus, or time on ice per-game. End-of-season accolades, such as an All-Star or All-Team nomination, are also A-level bonuses. B-level bonuses are worth up to $2MM and can include leaderboard rankings, minimum stats reached, or award wins. More details about performance bonuses can be found on PuckPedia.
At least NHL teams will carry an overage penalty into the 2026-27 season per PuckPedia. That number is down from 11 in the 2025-26 season and 15, an NHL record, in the 2024-25 season. This year’s list includes:
New York Islanders: $3.5MM
The Islanders paid out every last bit of rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer‘s potential $3.5MM performance bonus. He was awarded $1MM for his per-game scoring and ice time, then earned an additional $2.5MM by finishing in the top-10 of defensemen scoring. The Islanders utilized long-term injured reserve to exceed the salary cap at the end of the season. That will leave all of Schaefer’s performance bonus as overage headed into next season.
Colorado Avalanche: $2.29MM
Colorado lands an overage penalty thanks to Brent Burns‘ performance on an age-35+ contract. Burns had a potential for $4MM in performance bonuses on his deal and earned $3MM of that by playing in 10 games this season. Colorado utilized LTIR earlier in the year but finished the season with a little more than $700K in cap space. That space will help offset the cost of Burns’ bonuses just a bit, though Colorado will still carry a penalty into 2026-27.
Dallas Stars: $2.08-$3.08MM
The Dallas Stars paid out $80K in bonus to Justin Hryckowian for reaching 70 games this season. Captain Jamie Benn also earned $2MM of a potential $3MM in bonuses for playing in 50 games. That includes appearing in the season finale, which netted him $500K on its own. Benn has the potential to earn an additional $1MM in bonus – $500K each if Dallas wins the Western Conference Finals and Stanley Cup. That will sit the Stars with just over $2MM in overage currently and the potential for $3MM if they win it all.
Montreal Canadiens: $1.93-2.07MM
The Montreal Canadiens finished the year with less than $50K in cap space, in part thanks to their mid-season acquisition of Phillip Danault. Rookie Ivan Demidov landed $1MM in bonuses, of a potential $2MM, for his per-game scoring and ice time totals. Oliver Kapanen also earned $250K in bonuses for his per-game totals. He could earn an additional $137.5K if he is named to the NHL All-Rookie Team – a feat that seems unlikely with rookie forwards like Demidov, Beckett Sennecke, Benjamin Kindel, and Jimmy Snuggerud also in the running. Montreal also paid out $400K in bonuses to star defenseman Lane Hutson for a variety of reasons and $80K to rookie goalie Jacob Fowler for reaching 10 games. They will sit just shy of $2MM in overage penalty and could crest that mark if Kapanen earns all-team honors.
Ottawa Senators: $0-1.41MM
The Ottawa Senators will have to sign some big checks if they go on a playoff run. They have already paid out $1MM to Claude Giroux, and $750K to Lars Eller, for playing in 60 games and reaching the postseason. Giroux will earn an additional $500K if Ottawa wins in the first round – a cost that would be absorbed by their end-of-year cap space. But Giroux and Eller will also be eligible for $250K in bonuses if Ottawa wins the second round, and Giroux can net an additional $500K for wins in each of the Eastern Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals. That will leave Ottawa with four potential outcomes: no overage penalty, $414K in overage penalty (third-round loss), $914K in overage penalty (Stanley Cup Final loss), or $1.414MM in overage penalty (Stanley Cup win).
New Jersey Devils: $1.25MM
The Devils paid out two bonuses that pushed them into the red. Young defenseman Simon Nemec earned $750K in bonuses for his scoring, plus-minus, and ice time per-game totals. Winger Evgenii Dadonov landed $500K for scoring at least one point, $250K for playing in 10 games, and an additional $250K for reaching 20 games. He did not play in his 20th game of the season until March 29th, earning the 37 year old a late-season chip. Now, the Devils will carry more than $1MM in overage penalty into next season.
San Jose Sharks: $918.7K
The San Jose Sharks finished the year with $4.8MM in cap space but still land on the list of overage penalties. Much of that is thanks to their young stars. Macklin Celebrini earned every bit of his $3.5MM in potential bonuses with his franchise record-setting scoring. Will Smith earned $1MM, and William Eklund earned $450K, in bonuses for their scoring and ice time per-game. Those marks also earned Sam Dickinson $250K and Collin Graf reached his contract cap of $500K in bonuses. That amounts to $5.425MM, pushing the Sharks into the red for next season.
Edmonton Oilers: $250K
The Edmonton Oilers will face their second-straight season with $250K in overage penalty next year. This time, it is a result of rookie Matthew Savoie, who earned $250K with his ice time per-game. Edmonton finished the year utilizing LTIR to exceed the salary cap.
Florida Panthers: $150K
Defenseman Jeff Petry earned $150K in bonuses for reaching 50 games played with the Florida Panthers before the Trade Deadline. He earned an additional $60K for reaching 60 games, though that bonus came after his trade to the Minnesota Wild.
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