3 players you don’t realize aren’t with New Jersey Devils anymore

Several New Jersey Devils players have moved to the "alumni" section of the organization this summer. While some are obvious, like Erik Haula and Tomas Tatar, but others fell under the radar.
Justin Dowling, Vancouver Canucks v New Jersey Devils
Justin Dowling, Vancouver Canucks v New Jersey Devils | Elsa/GettyImages
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The New Jersey Devils have made moves this offseason to strengthen the roster for the 2025-26 NHL season. Among the changes were decisions to let several players walk in free agency. 

Tomas Tatar is off to Switzerland, Curtis Lazar signed with the Edmonton Oilers, and Nathan Bastian remains unsigned. It seems unlikely Bastian will be back in Jersey next season, although it’s not a sure thing. He might be a player who is forced to accepte a PTO somewhere.

There are other players you might not have noticed who aren’t with the Devils anymore. They’ll be on new teams next season, whether it’s in the NHL or in the AHL. Here are three players you didn’t realize are no longer with the organization.

Justin Dowling
New team: New York Rangers

The Devils let veteran center Justin Dowling go in free agency this summer. He signed a two-year deal with the rival New York Rangers. The 34-year-old was with the Devils for two seasons. He is more of an AHL player than an NHL player, although he moved into an NHL role when needed.

Dowling spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL but saw significant time in the NHL in 2024-25, appearing in 52 games throughout the season. He ended up being a more predominant depth piece than expected due to injuries to Devils centers, becoming a familiar part of the fourth line.

Moving on from Dowling was the right decision for the Devils. Center depth has been an area of weakness for the team, and he wasn't the answer. Devils fans are fine with seeing Dowling end up in New York.