Grading the New Jersey Devils' draft week moves
JP Gambatese breaks down Sunny Mehta’s work, be it at the draft or on the trade market.
By JP Gambatese (@JP_Gambatese)
It’s been a busy week for GM Sunny Mehta and the New Jersey Devils, with a big trade, a few minor moves, and the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
With that in mind, let’s grade each their work over the last seven days:
Trading Simon Nemec to Calgary: A-
The first – and biggest – transaction of the last week came on Tuesday, when Mehta sent right-handed 22-year-old defenseman Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames in exchange for two first-round picks (Vegas’ in 2027 and Colorado’s in 2028), the Rangers’ second-round pick in 2026 (35th overall), and prospect Etienne Morin.
Before diving into the package the Devils received in return, it should be noted that Nemec was antithetical to Mehta’s goal of having players who “help win hockey games.”
Yes, when the puck was on his stick in the offensive zone, he was dynamic as a shooter and facilitator, but the reality is that the defensive hiccups in his overall game were extremely worrisome and a reason to believe the offense didn’t matter all that much.
Furthermore, it was reported he was looking for a contract in the $9 million AAV range, something the Devils simply had no interest in offering.
As far as the package goes, the value is all in the picks, with Morin likely being a career minor leaguer.
The first-rounders will be later in the draft, considering the teams they originally belonged to, but the second-rounder was very early on and resulted in a strong pick later on in the week.
For the Devils, I would expect that these firsts will eventually be used as trade capital for impact – it’s clear that the goal is to compete both now and long-term.
Instead of sending Nemec in a package for a win-now piece – something many would have liked to see – this move gave them the flexibility to acquire multiple pieces over the course of the next couple of seasons.
First-rounders have legitimate value, and the Devils now have two more of them.
