A successful New Jersey Devils retool must start with the right pick at the NHL Draft

The New Jersey Devils gave their fans some hope with a four-game winning streak to give them an outside chance at a late-season playoff push. Then the 3-0 loss on Sunday to the Detroit Red Wings was a reality check. The season, as fans have seen all season, is a lost cause, and everyone is wondering what comes next. 

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This team will likely retool this offseason or, at the very least, make a move or two and try to contend next season. The question is how they do it and do it well. That starts with the draft and nailing a top pick that they are projected to have. 

The Prospects to Watch

The Devils, at the time of this typing, would end up with the eighth pick. Assuming they don’t collapse or have a late-season surge, they’ll be in the five through 10 range. It’s not Gavin McKenna, Ivar Stenberg, or Chase Reid territory. That said, they can still land an elite talent in that range and someone who can contribute right away. 

The player who comes to mind is Caleb Malhotra. The center for the Brantford Bulldogs in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) looks like a star. Yes, the Devils have centers, notably Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, but adding Malhotra, who is playing like a pro and handles himself that way, would do wonders. 

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Along the same theme involving centers, Tynan Lawrence might slide to the Devils. He’s a player many project to the top five, and considering the lack of elite centers in this class, someone might reach on him. That said, he can fall into the Devils' lap and be that difference-making player in the lineup. 

Then there are some names to keep in mind for the defense spot, something that could become a need if the Devils trade Dougie Hamilton, Simon Nemec, or both. Albert Smits turned heads at the World Juniors tournament, and Keaton Verhoff is another name to watch, a projected top-five pick who might slide. 

Nothing says misery to a fanbase quite like mock drafts at this time of the year (for New York Jets fans, the regular season is mock draft season). That’s not the goal of looking ahead in the Devils case. What is the goal of showing that with one pick, they can suddenly turn things around, especially in a draft with a few NHL-ready prospects? 

How The Devils Can Build Off The Pick

The New York Islanders leaned into a retool last offseason. It started with the draft and landing the top pick (and generational talent) Matthew Schaefer. They also traded Noah Dobson ahead of that draft for two first-rounders that were used to snag two more prospects who are taking time to develop. 

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The Islanders built around the young talent while keeping the core intact with Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, and Ilya Sorokin still leading the way. With that group, Schaefer came in and made a lot of changes. The Devils can similarly flip Simon Nemec for a middle first-round pick, and it can work out for them. Sure, the Devils will be far from contention, yet this gets them closer. 

Where The Devils Must Make More Changes

The change at the general manager (GM) is the biggest move of the summer. Tom Fitzgerald has mishandled a great situation, and to add to that, he hasn’t drafted well in years. On top of that, the Devils have a farm system where the players take a step back and don’t develop. This team doesn’t have a system in place to bring in young talent, and it’s a bad sign for a retool. 

The Devils must find a GM who can clean up the mess. They need their version of Don Waddell or Mathieu Darche. It’s hard to say who that should be and who the next up-and-coming GM is who can provide that vision (Jason Spezza is a name I’d keep in mind). 

The other layer of things is the head coach. Sheldon Keefe might go as well if the Devils clean the house. That said, there’s a good case to keep him around at least for one more season, the same way the Islanders kept Patrick Roy and the Buffalo Sabres kept Lindy Ruff. Eventually, the Devils' new GM will want to bring in their guy, but that’s a longer-term question. 

The Devils still have plenty of things to take care of before they are back in Cup contention. That said, with the right moves and winning the draft, they can be back as early as next season.