Would the New Jersey Devils get to contention longer if they draft a prospect 12th overall or trade the pick?

The New Jersey Devils are not rebuilding. That may be the most important thing to understand as the 2026 NHL Draft approaches.

This is not a franchise sitting in the lottery because it lacks stars or because it is years away. The Devils did not get here because the cupboard is bare.

They fell into an off year. Injuries, inconsistency, and stretches where things simply did not go right dropped New Jersey into a position playoff caliber teams rarely find themselves in:

Now, they hold the 12th-overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. That changes everything.

New Jersey cannot think like a rebuilding franchise. They have to think like a contender. And that creates the biggest philosophical question of the offseason:

Do the Devils make the pick?

Safe players help fill out rosters. Safe players survive an 82-game season. Safe players become useful NHL contributors. But Stanley Cup teams are not built on safety alone. They are built on players who can change a series.

That is the real question facing general manager Sunny Mehta and assistant general manager Braden Birch. Do they keep 12 overall and take a swing on upside? Or do they use it as a premium asset to improve the roster now?

That decision becomes even more complicated when you factor in New Jersey’s cap structure.

Arseny Gritsyuk has already shown enough offensive touch to become part of New Jersey’s secondary scoring conversation moving forward. If the Devils believe he can become another wave of offense behind the stars, that may lessen the urgency to force a scoring winger at 12.

Then there is Simon Nemec. Nemec is not simply another young player in the pipeline. He is expected to become a major long term part of New Jersey’s blue line core. Any future extension for Nemec changes the Devils’ cap math and may influence how the organization views veteran money on defense.

And then there is the biggest contract layer of all: Nico Hischier.

This is the AFP Analytics piece that matters for your article:
Nico Hischier’s current deal:

$7.25M AAV
Signed through 2026-27
Eligible for an extension this summer
UFA after next season if nothing gets done  

Current outside projections tied to AFP Analytics modeling have Hischier landing roughly in the range of eight years and $11 million, give or take $500,000 higher or lower.

That is a massive jump from his current cap hit, but it reflects the rising NHL cap and Hischier’s value as a true two-way top-line center, captain, matchup driver, faceoff player, penalty killer, and consistent 30-goal threat.  

The Devils captain remains one of the foundational pillars of this franchise, and future long term planning around Hischier impacts every major roster decision.

That is where the Dougie Hamilton conversation becomes fascinating. It's almost likely that Devils GM Sunny Mehta moves Hamilton. Not because Hamilton is not still a productive offensive defenseman, but because this is exactly the kind of asset management question modern front offices ask.

Hamilton still brings offense and puck movement from the blue line, but he is also a major cap commitment and on the back side of his prime years. A front office led by Mehta may ask a very simple question: Is Dougie Hamilton more valuable on the roster or as a premium asset that helps reshape the team?

If Hamilton is moved and New Jersey gets a legitimate haul back, whether that means NHL help, futures, or cap flexibility, the pressure on the 12th overall pick changes dramatically.

Suddenly, the Devils may not have to use that pick as a trade chip. They can keep it, or they can take a swing. They can add another premium upside player while still addressing the current roster.

That may be one of the cleanest outcomes possible. That is where the board becomes fascinating. If a defenseman unexpectedly slides, players such as Keaton Verhoeff, Chase Reid, or Carson Carels become serious conversations.

Verhoeff projects more like a Colton Parayko type of modern two way defenseman, blending size, reach, and mobility.

Reid feels closer to a Brett Pesce meets Brandon Carlo playoff defender, someone whose structure becomes more valuable when games get heavier.

Carels flashes more of a Devon Toews style transitional defenseman, quietly driving play and helping tilt possession.

But if the Devils believe they still need another offensive wave, the conversation shifts.

Elton Hermansson, a 6 foot 1 sniper, feels more like a Tyler Toffoli or Tomas Tatar type of finisher, a winger who punishes teams with timing and release.

Oscar Hemming offers another offensive swing, with a profile closer to a Dawson Mercer with more finishing upside.

Then there is Nikita Klepov.

At 6 foot and 180 pounds, Klepov’s NHLe climbing into the high 30s, paired with a 22 percent star probability and 62 percent NHLer probability, makes him one of the more volatile but fascinating swings in New Jersey’s range.

Stylistically, he feels like a Pat Verbeek-type direct scoring winger with shades of Evander Kane in playoff-style offense. That matters in playoff hockey. Because playoff hockey gets ugly.

That may ultimately be the Devils’ philosophical decision. Because the Devils are not rebuilding. They simply had an off year and fell into an opportunity teams in their competitive tier rarely get.

But whatever they do, it has to serve one purpose: Building a Stanley Cup team.

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