The New Jersey Devils began training camp on Thursday and are ready for the new season to get underway. There’s plenty of excitement thanks to a new-look front office, multiple additions to the forward unit, and Jesper Bratt becoming an assistant captain. 

It will be interesting to see what the Devils look like as the season plays out. Right now, it’s anyone’s guess whether it's a top team in the Metropolitan Division to another rough season that signals it’s time for a rebuild. Even with a significant offseason, there are lingering questions about the Devils, with the answers presumably coming as the season gets underway. 

The first skate saw Anthony Mantha playing on the Jack Hughes line with Jesper Bratt on the other wing. Mantha was a big add this summer, a power forward who looks to add scoring to the top six, and he’s playing alongside two of the Devils' most skilled players. 

The other big offseason acquisition was Luke Evangelista, who the Devils landed in a trade with the Nashville Predators and recently extended for the next five seasons. He’s a playmaker who is skating on the Nico Hischier and Timo Meier line. 

The surprise of these lines is that the Devils are mixing and matching the skill sets in their top six. Mantha is a power forward who, at first glance, looks like the ideal winger for the Hischier line, while Evangelista is a skilled winger who can skate, making him a fit alongside Hughes. However, head coach Sheldon Keefe is putting contrasting skills on the same line, hoping it works out. 

These lines are subject to change. Keefe is getting a feel early on, and the lines can shuffle up by the time the season starts. That said, it’s fascinating to see this route and how the Devils are building their forward unit. 

There’s a Connor Hellebuyck elephant in the room. With the star goaltender holding out of the Winnipeg Jets training camp, everyone wonders which team will acquire him. The subsequent question is whether the Devils will make a run at him.

Right now, it looks like they are happy with the group that they have. The Jake Allen and Nico Daws tandem is worth giving a chance; it’s how both Keefe and general manager Sunny Mehta sounded on Thursday afternoon. However, this is the position that can let the Devils down. It’s one part of the offseason that is unresolved or at least a question mark. 

There’s a chance Mehta is keeping his cards tight to the vest. Not many saw the Evangelista trade coming, and it came as a shock, so maybe a Hellebuyck trade blows everyone away right before camp. That said, all the signs point to the Devils rolling with the Allen-Daws duo for now. 

The entire offseason has been building up towards the season and the anticipation around the new-look Devils. “It's really exciting to taste the food after you’ve spent some time cooking,” Mehta stated on the first day of training camp. After a summer of moves, Mehta, like the Devils themselves are excited to see whether this works. 

Mehta brought in multiple forwards, some of whom are expected to be in the American Hockey League but can turn into pleasant surprises. Will Mantha fit in the top six, or was his big season with the Pittsburgh Penguins a fluke? Is the Evangelista bet poised to pay off or flop? Can Evan Rodrigues become a key veteran presence that the Devils have lacked over the years?

A theme of the offseason for Mehta was to add under-the-radar players who can not only add depth but also become star-caliber players. Once the season gets underway, the Devils will know just how valuable some of the big names are. 

Last season was supposed to be the breakout season for Luke Hughes. The young defenseman, establishing himself as a top-pair, point-producing option, would change the dynamics of the Devils. Interestingly, his point production has gone down in back-to-back seasons, with 47 points in 2023-24, 44 in 2024-25, and 35 in 2025-26. 

This can and should be the big season for Hughes. He’s 23 and hitting his stride as a defenseman. Plus, on the offensive end, he’ll have plenty of help from the forwards that the Devils added this summer. 

Speaking of the forwards, there’s a chance the Devils have one of the best third lines in the NHL. On Thursday, Rodrigues, Dawson Mercer, and Arseny Grityuk were on the same line, and all three forwards can become key parts of the offense this season. Together they can form a potent third line that’s tough to stop. 

Anton Silaev is the prospect who was in the spotlight during the rookie camp. The bigger-bodied defenseman is playing in North America for the first time in his career, and he showed flashes, especially on the defensive end. However, Silaev’s timeline to make the NHL team is different, as he’ll likely spend the season with the Utica Comets before joining the Devils. 

In the meantime, the young borderline NHLers are what stand out for the Devils. Amadeus Lombardi is the high-upside player who was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings, while Ben Steeves is a winger who plays above his weight. The Devils are eager to add more depth to their system, and they have a few forwards who can do just that. 

This is a season where all the pressure shifts to Keefe. The front office gave him all the help needed to make this team playoff caliber if not better. Now, Keefe must make the most out of what he’s been given. 

This is where Keefe can prove he’s a good coach. He built a reputation as a great hockey mind going back to his days in the Ontario Hockey League and the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. This season, his innovative systems can stand out, especially with the versatility in the forward unit. 

If not, the Devils will turn on him, starting with the fans, then the players. The question is how patient Mehta will be with Keefe if the Devils are struggling. He wants to use that bullet wisely, but with a chance to make a big hire and find the right coach to reflect his hire, Keefe will have a short leash.