The New Jersey Devils will be looking to upgrade their center depth this offseason. They have two top centers in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. But behind these stars, the team has struggled in the 3C and 4C spots.
Internally, the Devils have Erik Haula, Dawson Mercer, Curtis Lazar, and Justin Dowling. Haula has regressed and shouldn’t be relied on as the regular 3C. Lazar and Dowling are 4th liners who have not done enough to impress.
Although there’s some belief that Mercer can succeed as a 3C, an external option would make more sense given Mercer’s already had plenty of opportunities at center. His versatility is important when it comes to center injuries, but keeping him at wing and bringing in someone new is a better option.
This offseason, the Devils should target a 3C or at least a 4C upgrade, depending on other moves made and the salary cap. Here are three centers the Devils could target in free agency this summer.
1. Ryan Donato
An option for a 3C who makes sense for the Devils is Ryan Donato. His name came up a lot during trade conversations. Ultimately, the Chicago Blackhawks held on to him for the rest of the season, and now, free agency is on the horizon.
The 29-year-old can play center or wing, with experience on Connor Bedard’s wing. He can also fit in up and down the lineup. Donato’s versatility is key, and he had a great season in Chicago. In his first 30-goal season, he had a career-high in goals, assists, and points in 2024-25. Donato also had 14 power-play points.
Depth scoring is an area of need for the Devils, so Donato’s offensive explosion this past season is especially enticing. A lot of teams in need of a middle-six forward have their eyes on Donato. If he is available and the Devils want him, they’d have to go all in.