The New Jersey Devils are facing an interesting training camp. This is Sunny Mehta’s first training camp as the general manager of his favorite franchise. He comes in with experience building Stanley Cup rosters in Florida, and he has already made huge strides in keeping the Devils roster in a place where it should be able to compete.
However, there are a ton of players on this roster. The training camp competition is set in stone, and there will likely be no place for the Devils to have some of their young guys competing for NHL time. That said, the current waivers situation might make that conversation even harder.
For those unaware, the NHL decides who is and is not waivers-exempt, meaning they can freely move between the NHL and AHL without requiring the waiver process. When a player goes on waivers, all 31 other teams have a chance to “claim” that player if they plan to keep him on the NHL roster. To get them to go down to the AHL, they would once again have to put that player through waivers.
The Devils have gained and lost due to the waiver process. Just last season, they lost Luke Glendening to waivers when he was claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers. However, the famous waivers attempt always happens at the end of training camp. This is when teams try to sneak decent young players through while other teams have their rosters set in stone.
This season, the Devils have some very interesting names that are no longer exempt and are eligible for the waiver process. These are the five that stand out.
1. Nico Daws
This one is probably pretty obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning. The Devils decided to move forward with a three-goalie rotation between Jake Allen, David Rittich, and Nico Daws. The former third-round pick is the high-upside play here, but if he didn’t show his NHL chops in training camp, theoretically he could start the season in Utica. However, he would have to go through waivers first. He had to do the same thing last season and he got through, but the intrigue of the three goalies has put a bigger spotlight on him. He was also the subject of trade rumors this offseason, so teams are probably paying more attention to his whereabouts this time around.
2. Amadeus Lombardi
This is where things get interesting. Amadeus Lombardi is a player whom Sunny Mehta has shown a lot of interest in. He traded a fourth-round pick for the guy this offseason despite having no meaningful NHL experience to date. Still, the player has a lot of upside and could be a diamond in the rough in the right situation. However, there really isn’t room on the Devils roster for him without an injury or Sheldon Keefe forcing it to make it happen. The Devils will likely do what it can to make him work as this is a priority addition for Mehta this offseason.
3. Collin White
Colin White is another surprising name that joined the Devils this offseason after a really good effort in the AHL last season. He was over a point per game for the San Jose Barracuda and has multiple seasons in the NHL. Most Devils fans, we assume, aren’t familiar with his game. Well, he’s 29 years old, and he hasn’t been waiver-exempt in a long time. He was actually claimed by the Montreal Canadiens in February of 2024 after starting the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Will White make it through waivers this time? It’s an interesting question.
4. Vladislav Kolyachonok
Another recent addition by Mehta, Vladislav Kolyachonok is one of those players that the new GM hopes is a surprise addition to the roster. There are some who have the opinion that he has a real chance to make the NHL roster, and if the Devils somehow decide to go with two extra defensemen, it’s definitely possible, but if the Devils come out of training camp healthy, it seems much more likely that the team keeps Declan Chisholm as the extra (or a starter, which many believe is also a possibility) with an extra forward and an extra goalie making up the 23-man roster. Without an injury or a trade, it’s likely the 25-year-old will have to pass through waivers to stay in the Devils organization.
5. Topias Vilen
While most of these others might not be a terrible surprise, this one might shock some people. Topias Vilen has been one of the few Tom Fitzgerald draft picks that have shown anything at the next level. He’s been a decent defenseman for the Utica Comets, and he even got a few chances with the Devils. This season, if they truly think he can grow into something more, he will have to get through waivers first. Mehta re-signed Vilen this offseason to a one-year deal, so there’s clearly a desire in the organization to keep him around. He’s only 23-years-old, so of all the players on this list, he’s the one we know the least about when it comes to what his prime is going to look like, but the Devils are hoping they can get him past waivers so they can see it for themselves.
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