On paper, the Devils' forward corps is much improved from what it was in 2025-26 -- the speed-centric, skilled core group now has four lines of depth that possess similar traits. Most would argue that the Devils don't necessarily have the horses on the back end to keep up with the lineup up front, though, even when taking into account the expected growth from Luke Hughes. Dougie Hamilton is a strong puck-mover, and Declan Chisholm has some unbelievable wheels that should help aid New Jersey's offense when he gets more comfortable in the lineup. Still, it seems as though there's a disparity between the lineup up front and on the blue line in this regard.
Sunny Mehta disagrees.
I was fortunate enough to sit down with New Jersey's General Manager for a brief interview, where I asked him about this topic in particular. Mehta pushed back on the notion of having a stay-at-home crew, saying the following:
"I don't know if I agree with that characterization. Luke clearly has a ton of offensive ability, Pesce has a lot of two-way elements that are somewhat underrated; I think Dougie is an extremely offensive defenseman, and I think that Chisholm -- you know, it's only been a sample size of two games, but clearly his skating alone makes him a threat transitionally and up the ice. So, I mean, that alone is four out of our six defensemen... And then even Siegs; he makes more plays with the puck than I was expecting."Sunny Mehta
Of course, that differs completely from the consensus opinions on the Devils' defense and is a testament to what could be if everything pans out correctly. Perhaps it is true that New Jersey's middling offensive impact by defensemen was more a product of the system than individual talent. If that's the case, then it's smart to see how the season unfolds before drawing a conclusion.
Admittedly, if Luke continues along his trajectory and stays healthy, a lot of these concerns are alleviated. Perhaps, though, the other members of the Devils' blueline do indeed deserve a bit more credit for their puck-moving capabilities. After all, Sunny knows the roster and their capabilities better than anyone.
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