It’s no secret that the New Jersey Devils are in the market for a top-six upgrade. Since drafting Jack Hughes first overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, they have been working on finding the right winger for him. Since then, they’ve tried Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri, Pavel Zacha, Wayne Simmonds, Janne Kuokanen, Yegor Sharangovich, Andreas Johnsson, Dawson Mercer, Ondrej Palat, Timo Meier, Tyler Toffoli, Erik Haula, Jesper Bratt, and most recently, Connor Brown. There has been no consistency in Hughes’s linemates in the seven years he’s been in the league.
Straight up, that is too many linemates for a star player. If the Devils are going to win anything, there needs to be some consistency in their top six.
The Devils have been treating Hughes like the Pittsburgh Penguins treat Sidney Crosby, but people forget how long Crosby played with Chris Kunitz. They had years worth of chemistry. Hughes has no chance to build that when they keep trading his linemates. Outside of Bratt, Hughes’s most consistent linemates have been Sharangovich and Palat.
And that’s why the top-six target is so crucial. We’re now on GM number three who is trying to solve the Jack Hughes linemate issue.
Sunny Mehta seems like a competent GM. Devils fans were very excited when he was hired from the Florida Panthers front office. He brings legitimate fandom for the Devils and a Stanley Cup pedigree from his time with the Panthers. That’s the perfect combination.
However, many are already losing patience as the Devils continue to be on the sidelines watching the biggest deals. The Devils traded Simon Nemec for three draft picks and a prospect. They made some minor league and depth moves, as well.
The trade for that elusive top-six player has not gone through. And now, many of their proposed targets are off the table. Pavel Dorofeyev, Jordan Kyrou, JJ Peterka, Mason McTavish, William Eklund, Valeri Nichushkin, and Brady Tkachuk have all been traded. Robert Thomas and Matthew Knies have apparently been taken off the board. The pieces are starting to dwindle.
Two of the most interesting teams involved in selling top-six forwards are the Dallas Stars and the Detroit Red Wings. Of course, the Red Wings’ interest has a lot to do with Dylan Larkin, but the team captain is apparently not the only one gaining traction. Fellow star forward Alex DeBrincat is reportedly at least in rumors.
The Devils have been tied to Jason Robertson, at least loosely, while they figure out the right price for acquisition and his next contract. He is obviously the best forward available right now, but we can’t pretend the Devils are the favorites to get him.
However, the Devils have been tied to Alex DeBrincat directly.
David Pagnotta: Re Red Wings: Some teams are poking around on Alex DeBrincat...I believe New Jersey...Buffalo - NHL Tonight (6/26)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) June 28, 2026
DeBrincat would fill that need the Devils have had for a Jack Hughes linemate. He is a scoring machine and will pull focus off of Hughes. Defenders will be looking to watch for one-timers, giving Hughes more space to get into a scoring range.
Many have been down on the option because of DeBrincat's size. Putting him on a line with Hughes would make this one of the smallest top lines in the game, but when the two players are as skilled as Hughes and DeBrincat, it doesn't matter.
DeBrincat is also just 28 years old. He has plenty more prime left to go. The Devils were tied t DeBrincat when the Ottawa Senators traded him to the Red Wings back in 2022, with rumors saying the Devils were looking for a star player to trade their second-overall pick. It didn't work out, and DeBrincat never made the playoffs with the Red Wings.
With the Devils, he does feel like the piece that takes them over the top. He has only played nine playoff games in his career with Chicago, Ottawa, and Detroit, which is a little concerning, but the Devils need to find a way to fix the top six. If Robertson is not the right fix based on price, then the Devils could easily pivot here.
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