Devils News & Rumors: Depth Signings, PTO Candidates, and Brett Pesce at Shoulder Check Showcase

Slowly but surely, the New Jersey Devils are building the ideal group for the upcoming season. After acquiring a third goalie in David Rittich, a veteran top-line wing in Anthony Mantha, and re-signing Nico Hischier and Arseny Gritsyuk, the team is on the fast track toward Stanley Cup contention. All that’s left to do now is wait and see how the club’s chemistry plays out.

Once again, the Devils had a fairly quiet week, but fans should not be surprised if general manager (GM) Sunny Mehta has a few more offseason surprises in the works. 

This installment of news and rumors spotlights recent depth signings, some ideal candidates for a professional tryout (PTO) at training camp, and Brett Pesce’s participation in the 2026 Shoulder Check Showcase.

Depth Signings in Topias Vilen & Colin White

The Devils kicked off a series of signings last Wednesday by re-signing defenseman Topias Vilen to a one-year, two-way contract. Though he has only played in two NHL contests so far in his career, he’s sure to become an important depth player this season. 

Vilen spent the majority of last season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Utica Comets, where he recorded 27 points in 61 games. He finally made his NHL debut toward the end of the 2025-26 season, entering the Devils’ lineup against the Ottawa Senators on April 12.

More recently, he’s established himself as one of the Comets’ most reliable blueliners. He even earned the Eric Weinrich Award last season, which is given to the team’s best defenseman. It’s expected that Vilen will be a key player to call up if someone is injured, or if the Devils need to shake up their roster at some point.

The following day, the club signed forward Colin White, also to a one-year, two-way deal. With 323 NHL games under his belt, he’ll offer invaluable veteran experience. White will be competing for a chance to prove himself with the Devils after spending the majority of the last few seasons in the AHL.

Both signings represent an effort on Mehta’s part to bolster their AHL lineup, which has been one of his priorities alongside Devils’ assistant GM and Comets’ GM, Braden Birch. By strengthening the Devils’ talent pool with dependable players and veteran leadership, it sets the team up for success in the event of injuries — which was the main reason for last season’s fourth-line woes.

Potential PTO Candidates

The Devils could still afford to add another complementary piece before the regular season begins, and training camp offers the perfect chance to do so. Last September, they signed four players to PTOs: Kevin Rooney, Luke Glendening, Georgi Romanov, and Adam Scheel. Only Glendening would go on to sign a contract, but he played just 52 games for the Devils before being claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Flyers in March.

There are a few interesting candidates that New Jersey should consider signing to a PTO come September. The first on my list is Adam Henrique, who was drafted by the Devils in 2008 and spent parts of the first eight seasons of his career with the franchise. 

Following an unproductive 2025-26 season with the Edmonton Oilers, he’ll be looking for a change of pace. Henrique could offer an immediate fourth-line center upgrade with his penalty-killing abilities and strength in the faceoff circle, so it would definitely not be a bad idea to try to reunite with this Devils fan favorite.

A second player to keep in mind is Philipp Kurashev, who became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) last month after the San Jose Sharks did not tender a qualifying offer. He provides solid secondary scoring at his best, making him an intriguing depth forward to pursue. Kurashev tallied seven goals and 20 points in 43 games last season and could strengthen the Devils’ bottom six. But if he does not sign another NHL contract, he’s been linked to multiple teams within the Swiss National League, including HC Fribourg-Gottéron and HC Lugano.

The third and final player on my list is Reilly Smith, who also happens to be the brother of former Devil Brendan Smith. Now that his one-year deal with the Vegas Golden Knights has come to an end, it’s uncertain whether or not his future lies within the NHL. But after putting up 16 goals and 26 points last season, he should be another forward on the Devils’ radar.

Smith could provide playoff experience, complementary playmaking, and depth scoring. The Devils currently have a surplus of forwards, but if they end up getting rid of Nick Bjugstad and opt not to play Stefan Noesen, adding one more veteran right wing could be a good idea.

Brett Pesce Participates in Shoulder Check Showcase

Our final bit of news is Pesce’s involvement in the fourth annual Shoulder Check Showcase. On July 30, players from across the league gathered at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, to participate in the #HT40 Foundation initiative. 

The event stresses the importance of prioritizing mental health, being present for your peers, and making an impact through acts of kindness and compassion. This year, it was an even bigger success, with over 2,500 fans present at Martire Family Arena.

Brett Pesce before the start of the Shoulder Check Showcase. LIVE on NHL Network. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/cuWUcNKc1t

— Anthony Corona (@ACoronaNJD) July 31, 2026

Prior to the game, Pesce spoke to the media and praised Shoulder Check’s efforts to raise awareness. Afterwards, he provided a long-awaited injury update.

Since the start of his tenure with the Devils, the 31-year-old defenseman has struggled with various injuries. At the start of last season, he missed time from late October to mid-December with an upper-body injury, but his recovery was derailed after he required finger reconstruction. Just as he started to turn things around toward the end of the season, he suffered a sprained MCL at the beginning of March, which would ultimately end his season.

But now, Pesce is fully healthy and ready to play a key role for the Devils’ blue line in 2026-27. None of his previous injuries hindered his offseason training, either, so fans can rest assured that one of the pillars of their defensive core is back to being 100 percent.