Zach Berman opens the episode by addressing the offseason state of the New Jersey Devils and noting some recent organizational updates. He highlights the commitment of Mattias Vanhanen—New Jersey’s second-round pick—to Boston College, calling it his favorite pick of the most recent draft and mentioning von Hanen’s unusually long conversation with the Devils at the scouting combine as a sign of high regard. Additionally, Sergei Brylan has departed the Devils after a decade in the front office and coaching staff to become head coach of Dynamo Minsk, leaving another vacancy for the team to fill 00:00:25–00:03:05.
Discussion then shifts to broader NHL trends in player contracts. Zach Berman reflects on short-term, high-value deals such as Jason Robertson’s new contract with Dallas and Connor Bedard’s recent agreement. He argues that these contracts put healthy pressure on front offices to prove they can build competitive teams, as players increasingly recognize their leverage and choose not to commit long-term to organizations that have not demonstrated a commitment to winning 00:03:30–00:06:42.
Returning to Devils-specific speculation, Zach Berman addresses persistent rumors about a possible acquisition of Quinn Hughes, cautioning fans not to expect such a move. He stresses that the likelihood of Hughes joining the Devils is slim despite ongoing speculation about his contract situation with Minnesota, indicating that the window for that opportunity has probably closed 00:12:37–00:17:09. He also touches on trade possibilities, suggesting Dawson Mercer’s time with the Devils could be nearing an end given the organization’s dissatisfaction with his development, and floats names like Chris Kreider, Jared McCann, and Dylan Larkin as potential targets if the Devils seek to add another top-six winger 00:07:17–00:10:13.
Throughout, Zach Berman emphasizes patience as the Devils’ offseason plans continue to unfold. He strongly doubts the team will pursue new goaltending help—especially big names like Jordan Binnington or Connor Hellebuyck—believing the capital required to land a high-profile goalie isn’t justified given the Devils’ current roster structure and contention window 00:21:19–00:26:22. He concludes by noting that the remainder of the offseason hinges on how various “dominoes” fall across the league, underscoring that the front office’s next steps may depend as much on other NHL developments as on internal priorities 00:26:28–00:27:50.
Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LODevils?sid=YouTube
Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL
Subscribe to Locked On Devils!
Follow me on the “X” app: @zachbrettberman
Follow the show on the “X” app: @LockedOnDevils
Listen to Locked On Devils: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnDevils
For your next listen, check out the Locked On NHL podcast, where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
Listener Survey: We’ve put together a survey to learn more about our listeners and make your favorite podcasts even better. Go tohttps://lockedonpodcasts.com/survey/ to get started. Everyone who completes a survey will be entered for a chance to win one of ten $100 Amazon gift cards.
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Everydayer Club
If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub
Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
FanDuel
Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season.
Odoo
Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.
Indeed
Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply.
FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)
#NewJerseyDevils #Devils #NHL
I just imagine his mom coming down to the basement and saying Zach clean your room!