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CBS Sports Headlines1 min read
NHL
Thereās Only One Thing to Do With Devilsā 12th Overall Pick
TL;DR
The New Jersey Devils should trade their 12th overall pick instead of selecting a player at the 2026 NHL Draft. The recent draft lottery saw the Toronto Maple Leafs secure the first pick, while the Devils remain at 12.
Key points
- New Jersey Devils should trade their 12th overall pick
- Toronto Maple Leafs secured the first overall pick
- San Jose Sharks moved up to the second pick
- Devils remain locked in at 12 after the draft lottery
New Jersey DevilsToronto Maple LeafsSan Jose Sharks
The New Jersey Devils should aggressively trade their 12th overall pick rather than use it to select a player at the 2026 NHL Draft.
Tuesday nightās draft lottery brought a few surprises. The Toronto Maple Leafs moved up to first overall. The San Jose Sharks jumped eight positions at number two.
However, the Devils were unaffected.
Theyāre now locked in at 12 after their 2.5% chance of moving up to No.2 didnāt materialize.
At least they didnāt drop.
Now, new Devils general manager Sunny Mehta knows the value he holds in his first round draft pick. He wonāt have the opportunity at a Gavin McKenna or an Ivar Stenberg. However, he should give himself an opportunity at a top-six forward to finally round out Jack Hughes and Jesper Brattās line.
When the Devils fired Tom Fitzgerald, it was to make the point that New Jersey needed change.
Fitzgeraldās tenure as Devils GM is a mixed bag. One major factor that contributed to his departure in New Jersey was his patience to a fault.
At the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline, he stood pat. Not one single trade after making the puzzling decision to bring in Nick Bjugstad for an unlikely push for the playoffs.
Q&A
Why should the New Jersey Devils trade their 12th overall pick?
The article suggests that trading the pick could yield better value than selecting a player at that position.
What were the outcomes of the recent NHL draft lottery?
The Toronto Maple Leafs moved up to the first overall pick, while the San Jose Sharks jumped to the second pick, leaving the Devils at 12.
What are the implications of the Devils staying at the 12th pick for the 2026 NHL Draft?
Staying at the 12th pick means the Devils will have to reassess their strategy, as their chance to move up in the draft did not materialize.
