– NEWARK, New Jersey
On a brisk, ceremonious, mid-April day at Prudential Center, the New Jersey Devils welcomed their sixth general manager in franchise history, Sunny Mehta.
A energetic homecoming, Mehta once worked as a director of hockey analytics between 2014 and 2018 for the Devils. His ‘claim to fame’ was being a key advocate in drafting Jesper Bratt, a major piece of this current Devils team, in the 6th round of the 2016 NHL Draft. His conviction was solidified in his deep-rooted analytics model.
Growing up in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, Mehta reflected on recently looking through old photo albums with his family, “obviously, this has been a thrill for [them]”. He recounted a story about how he was gifted a Devils Starter jacket by the Devils front office today, this time, with the title of General Manager. Mehta took us down memory lane as he detailed attending Devils open practices as a kid, attending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2003, and quipping that Martin Brodeur was “hosed” when he did not win the Conn Smythe Trophy that season. Sentimentally, Mehta added: “this is my heart”.
Mehta will be put to the test early. Captain Nico Hischier, selected first overall by the Devils in the 2017 National Hockey League Draft, is not under contract beyond this, upcoming season. At what point does Mehta open negotiations on a potential extension or, under which circumstances might one of the most beloved Devils become trade bait? Dawson Mercer, selected 18th overall in 2020, is in the same boat. How important is it to Mehta to keep the homegrown Devils in Newark? “Specific players and personnel… that’s something I’ll think about and that will be part of the evaluation process in the off-season”. Non-committal.
A New York Mets fan, Mehta acknowledged he is aware of the bomb David Stearns, general manager of the Mets, detonated on the 2026 roster. The casualties? Three beloved, long-time, homegrown Mets: Pete Alonso (Baltimore Orioles), Brandon Nimmo (Texas Rangers), and Jeff McNeil (Las Vegas, Athletics). The fans are outraged and the production of “Stearns’ Mets” has amounted to, at posting, an 11-game losing streak.
Mehta told the gathered media he wants to make “smart, objective, and educated decisions.” So, in terms of roster construction, as a 40-year fan of the team, how will Sunny Mehta maintain objectivity when making difficult roster choices? With a smile, he acknowledged that “in some ways, that’s going to be hard”. But quickly added “I don’t think it’s a bad thing to care so deeply about the franchise you work for… It’s in my nature to be a somewhat objective person. I think the training that I’ve had from playing poker… I think that’ll serve me well”. A poker face will certainly serve him well during contract negotiations.
Handed a blank piece of paper and a pen in the interview room by Blitzer, Mehta was tasked to show, on that paper, how he would break down a given salary cap budget. The assessment was less about names, but more about at which positions Mehta prioritized spending on an NHL roster. He passed the test.
From Hischier’s exit interview: “nobody likes where we’re at right now, finishing the season short. We all need to be a bit pissed off. We don’t want this to happen again.” David Blitzer addressed the fans directly, thanking them for their patience and adding: “I assure you we are doing everything we can to bring this club and this organization back to what you all expect from us”. Calling it his “dream job”, Mehta vowed sincerity, passion, and loyalty to the Devils. Hopefully, Mehta and his Devils land “Sunny side up” next spring.
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