With July 1 fast approaching, the New Jersey Devils are gearing up for what could be a transformative offseason. Free agent decisions, draft picks, and roster changes show General Manager Tom Fitzgerald is restructuring the team for 2025.
It began with a move in the bottom six. Forward Erik Haula was traded to the Nashville Predators for a 2025 fourth-round pick and defenseman Jeremy Hanzel. Haula, in the final year of a three-year, $3.15 million AAV deal, was acquired from the Boston Bruins in July 2022 for Pavel Zacha. He totaled 41 goals and 56 assists for 97 points in 227 games with the Devils. In the playoffs, he added four goals and three assists in 17 games. His exit clears cap space and opens a roster spot.
Mikael Granlund, 33, is expected to hit free agency due to the Dallas Stars’ cap limitations. The ninth overall pick in 2010 posted 22 goals and 44 assists for 66 points over 83 games with San Jose and Dallas last season. He had 60 points in 69 games with the Sharks before being traded. Granlund’s ability to play all forward positions makes him valuable. He could play on the first line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt or center the third line. He also contributes to the power play and penalty kill.
Jack Hughes, for his part, remains one of the Devils’ foundational stars and one of the league’s most watched. He ranks 20th among the most bet-on NHL players for the 2024–25 regular season, accounting for 1.01% of total tickets and 0.96% of the betting handle across major sports betting sites. It’s a sign of just how much belief there is in his ability to lead this team when healthy and firing. Adding reliable veterans around him, like Granlund or others, could help ease the load and allow him to elevate his play further.
Claude Giroux, 37, is another option. The former Flyers captain had 15 goals and 50 points last season with Ottawa. He scored 34 goals in his first year with the Senators, then 21 the next. He recorded only 139 shots last season, the fewest of his career, but still shot nearly 11%. A different system under new head coach Sheldon Keefe could improve his numbers. Giroux has played over 1,100 NHL games and remains a reliable two-way forward. He could center or shift to wing, giving the Devils flexibility and veteran presence.
Giroux may accept a deal between $3.5 million and $4 million annually. His addition would stabilize the top nine and ease pressure on Hughes and Nico Hischier, both of whom have missed time due to injuries.
The Devils also won’t qualify Cody Glass. Acquired from Pittsburgh at the 2025 deadline with Johnathan Gruden for Chase Stillman, Max Graham, and a 2027 third-round pick, Glass would require a $2.5 million offer and is arbitration-eligible. He played 14 regular-season and five playoff games. A return is possible at a lower cap hit, but unlikely.
Juho Lammikko was signed from Europe. The Finnish center last played in the NHL three seasons ago with Vancouver. He brings fourth-line depth at a position where the Devils struggled.
New Jersey holds seven picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: two second-rounders (their own and Edmonton’s via Utah), a third from Vegas, two fourths (including the one from Nashville), and two sixth-rounders (their own and San Jose’s). This draft capital supports continued roster development.
Jeremy Hanzel, 22, came with the Haula trade. He played with Milwaukee (AHL) and Gwinnett (ECHL) last season, scoring three goals and 19 assists in 44 ECHL games. Drafted 187th overall by Colorado in 2023, he helped lead the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds to a championship and Memorial Cup berth. At 6’1″, 195 pounds, and with 149 points in 218 WHL games, he brings upside and leadership, having served as alternate captain in Seattle.
So, with just days to go until the 2025 NHL Draft and the official opening of free agency, the Devils are clearly not sitting still. They’re executing a strategy aimed at plugging gaps, solidifying the roster, and finally pushing this talented but inconsistent team over the playoff hump.
