The New Jersey Devils turned over their forward unit, certainly the bottom six, that is. The Luke Evangelista acquisition is just the latest example as they land the 24-year-old winger from the Nashville Predators. 

Like many of the moves new general manager Sunny Mehta made, this trade adds depth with the chance of being much more than that. The Devils have multiple new faces heading into the season, and while none stand out per se, each move can be categorized by how it will help moving forward. 

The Devils know what they are getting in Jesper Boqvist, a forward who spent his first four seasons with them. While it’s not much, the Devils can count on depth when Boqvist is in the lineup. 

There’s an argument that Anthony Mantha is a risky move because of his recent injury history and his age (he’ll be 32 when the season starts). His return from the injury gave Mehta more confidence in the signing, especially since he scored 33 goals and played 81 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

The Devils know what they are getting in Mantha. Sure, it’s unlikely he’ll score 33 goals again, but he can reliably add 20 goals and 50 points to the offense. The key is finding a fit in the top six and finding out whether he fits better alongside Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier.

It’s worth adding that the Devils also signed Riley Tufte to a two-way contract. Tufte is a veteran at the American Hockey League level who can fill in for a few games at the NHL level and provide depth. He’s a 6-foot-6, 230-pound power forward who can score, making him a reliable fourth-line option in case of injuries. 

Amadeus Lombardi has yet to play an NHL game. Yet, he’s the skater who can become a difference-maker on the Devils. He’s coming off a breakout year in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, and at 23, he’s just starting to hit his stride as a pro. The Detroit Red Wings didn't see a future for him in their lineup but the Devils do, or at least are willing to bet on the upside. 

It’s hard not to think of Lombardi in the same vein as Sam Reinhart, albeit to a lesser degree. Just as he was rounding out his game with the Buffalo Sabres, the Florida Panthers acquired him at a cost-effective price (Devon Levi and a 2022 first-rounder went the other way). Reinhart became an elite two-way player on the Panthers' Cup-winning teams. Mehta might have had the trade in mind when he acquired Lombardi, considering his time in South Beach and those types of deals the team loved putting together. 

He might have had the Reinhart trade in mind with Evangelista as well. He’s 24 and developing a playmaking touch, with 44 assists last season (he had 45 assists in the previous two seasons combined). 

The floor for Lombardi and Evangelista are depth options. The ceiling is in the top six, and it’s what makes both of them exciting and gives the Devils a bright outlook heading into this new era. 

When the Devils traded Jacob Markstrom in the offseason, they received Boqvist and Evan Rodrigues as part of the return. While many hockey fans overlook Rodrigues, he was an integral part of the Panthers' success. 

Rodrigues was a regular in the top six and often took the Reinhart line up a notch. He could score but was a steady presence on the offensive end. More importantly, he played at another level in the playoffs with 15 points in the 2024 and 2025 runs as a player who could create offense but also make the most of open looks. 

He’s the player who can take this forward unit to the next level. If he’s the glue in the top six, the Devils are one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. At the same time, there are reasons to question whether the Rodrigues addition can flop. After all, he’s 33, never had over 45 points in a season, and was on a star-studded team that could make him look better than he truly is. It’s the calculated risk Mehta is willing to take in an offseason full of them.