Last week, the New Jersey Devils held training camp ahead of the 2026-27 season. New and old faces alike hit the ice at Prudential Center, with rookies, veterans, and offseason additions all competing for a roster spot. Fans got a first look at a few possible line combinations on Sunday afternoon against the New York Islanders, where the Devils came away with a 2-1 victory.
The Devils have three more games slated this week, concluding their back-to-back at home tonight (Sept. 21) against the New York Rangers. However, the team still has plenty of challenges ahead of their first 84-game regular season. With Johnathan Kovacevic and Nick Bjugstad expected to miss time due to injury, it’s crucial that the club stays on track and fills in the roster gaps.
This installment of news and rumors spotlights Amadeus Lombardi’s impressive training camp performance, Nico Daws’s opportunity for a full-time NHL role, and takeaways from Sunny Mehta and Sheldon Keefe’s recent press conference.
Amadeus Lombardi Pushing for a Roster Spot
Back in June, Mehta decided to take a risk on a player he viewed as underrated and undervalued — a trend that’s motivated his tenure with the organization so far. Ahead of the 2026 Draft, Mehta acquired Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a fourth-round pick. And already, that gamble is starting to pay off.
The 23-year-old has yet to make his NHL debut, but following an impressive training camp performance, he has a real shot at cracking the Devils’ roster on opening night. And with the absence of Bjugstad for the near future, Lombardi’s path to an NHL spot has finally been cleared.
In Sunday’s preseason matchup against the Islanders, he skated on the top line alongside Cody Glass and Connor Brown. The trio had promising results during their 7:34 of 5-on-5 ice time, holding the Islanders to zero shots on goal. Likewise, the Lombardi-Glass-Brown line recorded one goal, seven shot attempts, and one high-danger scoring opportunity.
When asked by the media about what he wants to bring to the table, Lombardi kept it simple, saying his goal is to make his game as well-rounded as possible. “I’m just trying to show a little bit of everything…I want to play both ends of the rink. I want to be responsible, especially if I’m going to be in the bottom six,” said Lombardi.
Nico Daws Looking to Seize an Opportunity
Another player looking for a chance to prove himself is Daws, who is expected to serve as Jake Allen’s backup this season, with David Rittich on deck as extra insurance in the crease. Daws has never appeared in more than 25 NHL games in each of his four seasons with the Devils, and has only received 50 starts in his career thus far. But this season, he’ll have the opportunity to embrace a much larger role.
Shortly after Jacob Markstrom was traded to the Florida Panthers, the Devils re-signed Daws to a two-year extension, proving their belief in the young netminder. Now, he must prove he has what it takes to carry a larger workload.
The opportunity for an NHL job is in the water, and Daws is coming for it. @amandacstein reports in Devils Now, presented by @RWJBarnabas. pic.twitter.com/JtYVxKpy1Q
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) September 18, 2026
Despite the mounting pressure, he remains optimistic that he can be what the Devils need. In previous seasons, a full-time spot eluded him, but he’s prepared to seize the chance at hand. “You’re always working to stay ready because you never know what’s going to happen, especially in the goalie position,” said Daws.
In particular, Keefe is excited for what the future holds for Daws. He recently commented on the 1A/1B tandem of Allen and Daws, citing it as an opportunity for both players to improve. On Daws in particular, Keefe stated, “This is a determined guy that’s focused and ready to take his opportunity here.”
Sheldon Keefe & Sunny Mehta’s Press Conference
On the first day of training camp, Keefe and Mehta held a press conference after practice concluded (same one where the Daws quote came from). Together, they laid out their goals for 2026-27.
First and foremost, the biggest point Mehta made is that he has big expectations for the Devils, and it’s finally time for players to hit the ground running. “I do think my job is never done, as I always say, but in particular right now, it’s the players’ time…My message to them was that I believe they will. I believe in them,” said Mehta.
Another important factor throughout the offseason was acquiring depth, which Mehta achieved tenfold. Now, the Devils have a surplus of secondary scoring, amping up competition for the few remaining roster spots.
Keefe commended the GM’s actions, saying, “It’s all very healthy, all in the name of making us a deeper hockey team that can sustain our play…These are bonafide NHLers that not only bring great skills, but there’s good people with personality that are bringing lots to our group.”
Something else that was made very evident at this press conference was the Devils’ willingness to pursue players who could improve their franchise. More recently, that meant adding Luke Evangelista, who has already meshed well on a line with Timo Meier and Nico Hischier. After being asked for insight into this decision, Mehta made his standpoint very clear. “The goal for me is to constantly be in search of talent…That’s my job. Trying to find players anywhere and everywhere using every mechanism available to us,” commented Mehta.
With three preseason games remaining and all eyes on the Devils, it will be interesting to see how the team will fare throughout the 2026-27 season.
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