The New Jersey Devils' eighth general manager is no stranger to the team. For Sunny Mehta, being a fan and, now, an employee, is familiar territory.
Mehta spoke about his emotions at his first team press conference.
“This is where I’ve always wanted to be,” Mehta told NJD.tv. “This is where I grew up. This is my heart.”
Mehta worked for the Devils from 2014 to 2018. He became the Director of Hockey Analytics for the Devils, establishing the NHL’s first full-time hockey analytics department.
However, Mehta’s ties to the Devils started well before his formal employment.
As a child, Mehta moved to New Jersey in 1982 and quickly became a dedicated Devils fan.
During his first press conference with the team, he recounted an early memory of going to a Devils practice with NJD.tv.
“I remember a puck came over the glass. I was looking around for it, I was just a little kid,” he said. “Then I saw it, and I went to grab it, and a bigger kid came and snatched it before I could get it. But Chico Resch saw the whole thing. He was on the ice as a goaltender, and he motioned to my mom. So, she picked me up over the glass, and he reached over and gave me a puck. That was definitely an awesome moment.”
Mehta won two Stanley Cups with the Florida Panthers and shared his message with New Jersey Devils fans.
“I’d really, really like to thank the Devils fans. I’ve heard, read, and felt your support in recent times here, and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it,” he said. “As many of you know, I have been with you for 40 years. It’s really not an exaggeration when I tell you this is my dream job."
The Devils concluded the 2025-26 regular season on April 14th, falling to the Boston Bruins.
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