Devils Linked To 3 Huge Names in the Trade Market
Per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now, the Devils have inquired about both Detroit Red Wings winger Alex DeBrincat and Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson, two of the most coveted scoring forwards potentially available on the market.
The Endless Search for a Jack Hughes Linemate
Since drafting Jack Hughes first overall in 2019, the Devils have cycled through a remarkable number of linemates trying to find the right fit alongside their franchise center.
That lack of consistency is exactly why Mehta has been so aggressive, making it clear the Devils were willing to move the 12th overall pick and more to bolster their top six.
Got to thinking last night…
— Matt_NJD 🇺🇸 (@matt_NJD) June 28, 2026
The ONLY goal scorer name the devils have been associated with is Alex DeBrincat. They’re not listed as suitors for Robertson or anyone else. There’s like 6 teams reported to have called Dallas and NJ isn’t one of them.
So I thought: hmm, okay,…
They ultimately held the pick and selected Alexander Command out of Sweden after failing to find a suitable match in a market with sky-high prices, watching J.J. Peterka, Mason McTavish, and Pavel Dorofeyev all get traded on draft night.
Per Nichols, Mehta appears to be aiming even higher than those names, which is why the Devils have turned their attention to DeBrincat and Robertson.
The DeBrincat Situation
The Devils have shown a lot of interest in DeBrincat, but Detroit is reluctant to move him.
Per Nichols, the Red Wings prefer to keep the winger given their struggles to generate even-strength offense, something DeBrincat excels at.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period confirmed New Jersey is among the teams that have inquired, alongside Buffalo, Edmonton, Chicago, Toronto, and Seattle.
Where will the final ending be in the Jason Robertson story? 📖 pic.twitter.com/eYMEiOkrbw
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) June 30, 2026
DeBrincat led the Red Wings with 41 goals and 85 points last season, a career best, and is entering the final year of his contract at a $7.875 million cap hit.
Per Nichols, even with the Dylan Larkin situation hanging over the franchise, Steve Yzerman does not appear interested in acquiring futures, meaning a DeBrincat trade would likely only happen if Detroit could not turn down an overwhelming offer.
The Robertson Pursuit
Robertson is the bigger prize, and per Nichols, the Devils reached out before it emerged that Robertson had turned down an eight-year offer from the Seattle Kraken worth $15 million annually.
The return package for Robertson is expected to be massive, potentially costing even more than the Brady Tkachuk trade that reshaped the league.
Nichols noted that while the Devils have the assets it would take, they are not the favorites, and the situation may hinge on other dominoes falling.
The Devils did secure some significant draft capital in their trade sending Simon Nemec to Calgary, which gives them ammunition for a blockbuster.
The Larkin Angle
The most interesting detail involves Larkin himself.
Larkin has requested a trade from Detroit and holds a full no-trade clause, which complicates matters for Yzerman but could benefit the Devils.
Per Nichols, two sources told New Jersey Hockey Now that they believe New Jersey is a destination Larkin would accept a trade to, though it is not at the top of his list.
Larkin has close ties to the Hughes family and would have the chance to play alongside his Team USA teammate and Olympic golden-goal scorer Jack Hughes.
That would almost certainly mean shifting Jack to the wing, as Larkin is statistically the stronger center of the two.
Nichols noted the longer the situation drags on, the less likely Larkin lands with the Minnesota Wild despite the speculation, and with Florida out of the picture after the Tkachuk acquisition and Vegas lacking the cap space to make a deal work, New Jersey could emerge as a legit landing spot.
