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The New Jersey Devils have signaled a win-now approach with the acquisition of star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck from the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. General manager Sunny Mehta's bold move underscores the team's expectation to return to the playoffs in the spring of 2027, and anything less would be considered a failure.
Through the first 10 games of an 84-game season, the Devils rank second in the NHL in expected goal differential (+11.36, or +1.136 per game) but third-worst in goals saved above expected (-9.36, or -0.936 per game). The goaltending duo of veteran Jake Allen and Nico Daws, who is now Winnipeg-bound, has combined to allow 6.0 goals above expected. For comparison, Hellebuyck, despite having a down year by his standards in 2025-26, still saved 5.5 goals above expected across 57 games. Given this context, New Jersey's 6-4-0 start can be seen as an underperformance, one that Mehta has reasonably attributed to goaltending.
However, the Devils also sent forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad to Winnipeg in the deal. In addressing the goaltending issue, Mehta may have created a new problem: forward depth. Mercer's versatility and complementary style could be sorely missed. In 2025-26, he teamed with center Nico Hischier and winger Timo Meier on the team's most productive and reliable line. Together, they played a team-high 476 minutes across 54 games, posting an expected goal differential of +8.2. Mercer scored 20 goals and added 22 assists that season and currently holds an ironman streak of 420 consecutive games dating back to his NHL debut in 2021.
This season, Mercer was replaced by newcomer Luke Evangelista on the Hischier-Meier line and mostly skated on the third line with center Evan Rodrigues and winger Anthony Mantha. Mercer has yet to score this season, recording four assists in 10 games as a Devil. Bjugstad, a bottom-six veteran center, averaged just 10:00 minutes of ice time in 26 games with New Jersey last season after being acquired from the St. Louis Blues in early February 2026. He underwent surgery for a torn left pectoral muscle in September and is currently on long-term injured reserve, with an expected return in early 2027.
With productive top two lines—Arseny Gritsyuk and Jesper Bratt centered by Jack Hughes on the top line, and Evangelista and Meier centered by Hischier on the second—head coach Sheldon Keefe must find the right combination to anchor the bottom-six forward lines. Bottom-six forwards are often overlooked but are crucial components of a winning team. They provide short bursts of energetic, physical, defensively sound play, disrupting possession and generating scoring chances through aggressive forechecking rather than end-to-end skill. They are also relied upon for penalty-killing duties.
Rodrigues, mentioned earlier, won two Stanley Cups as a versatile bottom-six forward with the Florida Panthers. Mantha set career highs in goals (33) and assists (31) with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, and at 6'5" and 240 pounds, he is an intimidating presence and a prototypical third-line spark plug. Wingers Connor Brown and Stefan Noesen are grit-and-sandpaper types, willing to serve limited roles on the fourth line and as penalty-kill specialists.
With the Devils' forward depth suddenly looking thin, the top priority for these aging veterans is to stay healthy and productive. With Mercer and Bjugstad out of the picture, center Cody Glass and 23-year-old rookie Amadeus Lombardi have a chance to secure expanded roles as bottom-six stalwarts. Glass played sparingly in 70 games last season but recorded career bests in goals (19) and faceoff win percentage (57.9%). Lombardi, meanwhile, has yet to score his first NHL goal in eight games this season but has three assists, two of which came in the Devils' 7-1 rout of the Rangers in their home opener.
Key Analysis
The Hellebuyck trade addresses a glaring weakness in goal but leaves the Devils' forward group vulnerable. Mercer's departure removes a reliable two-way presence and a key contributor on the Hischier line, while Bjugstad's absence further depletes the bottom-six. The team's success now hinges on the health and performance of aging veterans like Rodrigues and Mantha, as well as the readiness of younger players like Glass and Lombardi to step into larger roles. If the forward depth falters, the Hellebuyck acquisition may not be enough to propel New Jersey back into the postseason.
Originally reported by yahoo.