Devils News & Rumors: Hayton’s Offer Sheet, Rittich Signing, and Top-Six Search Continues

So far, the New Jersey Devils have had a busy start to free agency. First, they extended Nico Hischier with a five-year deal, then re-signed Nico Daws for another two seasons. The Devils also welcomed a few new faces, including forward Riley Tufte, defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok, and goaltender David Rittich. All in all, Sunny Mehta appears to be revamping the roster for the better, with a bold approach that incorporates both statistics and strategy. 

This installment of Devils News & Rumors features Barrett Hayton’s offer sheet, what Rittich’s contract could mean for their goaltending situation, and their continued search for a top-six wing.

Devils Extend Offer Sheet to Barrett Hayton

Perhaps Mehta’s most intriguing decision on day one of free agency was to tender an offer sheet to Hayton. The 26-year-old center is a restricted free agent (RFA), and the Devils offered a one-year contract worth $4.775 million. In return, the Utah Mammoth would receive a second-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. As it stands, the Mammoth have until July 8 to either match the contract offer or accept the draft selection as compensation. 

But this was a calculated move on behalf of Mehta, after a previous deal with the club at the 2026 Draft fell through. According to Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson, the Devils would have acquired Hayton via trade, but the Mammoth backed out of the deal at the last minute. 

Sources say that Utah and New Jersey had a deal in place for Barrett Hayton at the draft that Utah pulled out of late.

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) July 1, 2026

Now, Utah has just $4.58 million remaining in cap space, and if they choose to match, they would not be able to trade Hayton for a full year. Meaning, he would become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after 2026-27. Yet again, Mehta is proving that he means business, guided both by precision and patience this offseason. Should the Devils end up with him, Hayton could become their third-line center, a role the team has struggled to fill in the past.

David Rittich Inks One-Year Deal

Once again, the Devils’ goaltending situation has become even more interesting. They now have three goalies on the roster, after signing Rittich to a one-year, $1 million deal. The best part is that their combined goalie cap hit for the upcoming season is $3.9 million, a steal compared to what it could have been if Jacob Markstrom’s two year, $12 million extension kicked in. 

Rittich spent last season with the New York Islanders, where the veteran netminder posted a .894 save percentage (SV%), a 14-10-3 record, and a 2.76 goals against average (GAA). He’s also appeared in 30 or more games within the past two seasons, making him a contender for either a 1B slot or a three-goalie rotation.

His cap-friendly deal offers a low-cost, short-term solution. Playing Rittich would not only take some of the workload off of Allen’s shoulders, but would also provide a safety net while Daws continues to develop at the NHL level. A goaltending trio might not be what fans expected for 2026-27, but a significant change in net could take the team one step closer to becoming Stanley Cup contenders.

Search for a Top-Six Wing Continues

The Devils have been active so far this offseason, but there is still one major need to address: finding a top-six wing. Among the big names they could have targeted were Jordan Kyrou and Mason Marchment, but both have unfortunately signed elsewhere. 

The Devils also recently expressed interest in acquiring Jason Robertson, who filed for salary arbitration yesterday. As a result, they can no longer tender an offer sheet, but regardless of his RFA status, New Jersey lacks enough salary cap to finalize a deal.

Now, they’ll need to pivot in order to secure a top-line wing to play alongside Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes. With less than $8 million left at their disposal and a relatively thin free agent market, the task will be difficult, but not impossible.

Turning to the trade market, one potential target is Jared McCann, who’s scored anywhere from 20 to 40 goals within the last five seasons. Another option is Rickard Rakell, whose versatility and two-way abilities could provide an immediate upgrade. Either player could slot into the Devils’ top six and pack a serious offensive punch, especially on a line with Hischier and Timo Meier. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see if Mehta can add another top scorer to the lineup.