The Leo Carlsson offer sheet and subsequent signing changed everything. It raised the asking price for everyone this summer, and for some teams, it forced them to change the way they operated, including handing out contracts with an average annual value over $20 million. 

Many hockey fans associate the rising salary cap with a higher ceiling. With the cap going up, stars will cash in big in the future. However, the floor is also higher now, with depth players suddenly earning $7 or $8 million AAV.

The New Jersey Devils are in a good position to handle a rising cap. Most of their star players are locked into long-term deals. That said, a handful of players will benefit from a rising cap in both the short and long term, especially if they step up. 

The two Devils playing out the final seasons of their contracts are depth players. However, both can work their way into full-time roles and, more importantly, become valuable parts of the roster who must be re-signed. 

Cody Glass is a fourth-liner. However, he can prove why he’s an ideal fourth-line center to have on the roster as someone who has improved defensively but has also developed a scoring touch. 

The Devils acquired Declan Chisholm this summer to be a depth defenseman, someone who can fill in on the third pair if the injuries pile up. However, like Glass, he’s entering his prime and, at 26, can have a career year that forces the Devils to re-sign him. 

The good news for general manager Sunny Mehta is that both players are making under $2.5 million AAV and won’t drive up the asking price. Jonas Seigenthaler, on the other hand, might when he heads to free agency in 2028. He’s been a steady blueliner for the Devils and only has a $3.4 AAV. Even at 31, he’ll be a defenseman teams will target, and the Devils might be looking at a deal in the $7 million AAV range or higher. 

Another player who heads to free agency soon and could earn a big payday is Anthony Mantha, who the Devils gave a two-year contract to this offseason. If he keeps up the offensive production, he’ll prove to the league that he can score in any situation, and it will allow the veteran forward to bring in one more big contract. 

Dawson Mercer is the player to watch, with a $4 million AAV that’s been a bargain for the Devils in recent years. He’s 24 and has been a pivotal part of the forward unit, playing throughout the lineup and making a big impact offensively. Another big season from him can put him on offer sheet watch (and with a $9 million AAV or more). 

Amadeus Lombardi was acquired this offseason, and the 23-year-old winger is expected to make his NHL debut on opening night. He’s the rising young forward to watch because he has all the skill to become a middle-six player, someone who can ask for $6 million or more per season. The Devils are giving him a shot, and Lombardi is eager to make the most of it. 

It’s worth adding that the Devils drafted Alexander Command in the 2026 first round. Eventually, he’ll join the Devils on an entry-level contract. He’ll remain under contract for a few seasons but then become an RFA they must address. 

The big winner from a rising cap is Jack Hughes. While he’s under contract for the next four seasons, he’s the next star in the lineup who is due for a big payday. His $8 million AAV is viewed as a team-friendly offer.

If he has his best four seasons from now until his contract is up, it will put him in the range of some of the highest-paid players in the league. And by 2030, the price for a top-line center will be much different, possibly high enough for Hughes to increase his AAV by $20 million. 

Speaking of Hughes, his brother Quinn Hughes, while not on the Devils now, is poised for a big deal, assuming he doesn’t sign an extension with the Minnesota Wild (which, at the time of this typing, he hasn’t). The Cale Makar contract is a good reference point for Hughes, and the offseason ahead can allow him to have an AAV in the same range. 

Which Devils do you think benefit the most from a rising cap? Feel free to comment below!