The New Jersey Devils announced on April 18 that Sunny Mehta has been named the team’s sixth general manager, ending a period of uncertainty following the conclusion of their season. Mehta, a New Jersey native, will be formally introduced at a press conference next week.
The appointment comes as the team reflects on a season that fell short of expectations. Players and staff are now entering the offseason after months of structured routines and competition. The transition marks an opportunity for reflection and preparation for changes under new leadership.
Team captain Nico Hischier addressed the high standards within the organization, saying, “The expectations’ve been high for us for a few years, which is good. That’s what you want. And obviously, when you’re not getting there, it sucks. And we didn’t deserve it… But the expectation will be the same as this year, next year. I think even higher, to be honest.” Connor Brown also commented on areas needing improvement: “Some major growth needs to be done,” he said before expanding further on how adversity affected performance during key stretches of the season.
Hischier finished with over 1,000 faceoff wins out of more than 1,800 attempts this season—the only player in the National Hockey League to do so—while Cody Glass contributed by taking defensive zone draws to support his teammate’s workload.
Injury updates indicate that Arseny Gritsyuk expects to recover in about six weeks from an arm injury; Jacob Markstrom is prioritizing rest over international play; Stefan Noesen had knee surgery but anticipates readiness for training camp; and Luke Hughes has begun rehabilitation following an upper-body procedure. Jack Hughes expressed relief at entering an offseason healthy after previous summers focused on recovery: “More golf this year than the last couple of summers… I’m excited for that.” Defenseman Johnny Kovacevic revealed he is expecting his first child and shared his progress returning from knee surgery: “It took maybe 15, 20 games to really get to a point where I felt like I was me again…”
Several players will participate in upcoming international tournaments held in Switzerland—including Hischier, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Timo Meier—while others such as Markstrom and Simon Nemec have opted out due to health or contract considerations.
As Mehta prepares to take charge ahead of next season’s preparations, both management and players are focused on meeting heightened expectations moving forward.
