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Devils Snag Top GM Candidate on the Market
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- Devils Snag Top GM Candidate on the Market
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The New Jersey Devils named Sunny Mehta as their new general manager on Thursday.
Mehta, 48, returns to the organization where he pioneered the NHL's first full-time hockey analytics department. The move follows the dismissal of previous GM Tom Fitzgerald after a disappointing season that saw the Devils eliminated from playoff contention.
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Mehta, a Wyckoff, New Jersey native, previously served as the Devils' director of hockey analytics from 2014 to 2018. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he grew up in the area, played varsity hockey at Ramapo High School, and has long ties to the franchise.
He left the Devils to join the Florida Panthers in 2020 as vice president of hockey strategy and intelligence, later promoted to assistant general manager and head of analytics in 2023. In Florida, Mehta contributed to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025.
In a statement following his hiring, Mehta said: "This is a dream come true for a New Jersey kid, who grew up watching Devils' practices just 20 minutes away in Totowa. After meeting with David Blitzer, Josh Harris, Bob Myers, and other members of the organization, I knew this was the place I wanted to be.
"Thank you to Vinnie Viola, Bill Zito and the entire Florida Panthers organization for a fantastic six years and for the opportunity to take the next step in my professional career. New Jersey has a tremendous young core that will be looking to get back to being a contender, a complement of young assets and draft picks, and a passionate fan base hungry for success. I was fortunate enough to watch the New Jersey Devils raise three Stanley Cups and am excited to get to work to return to that level."
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Mehta's background includes a master's in data science and prior experience as a professional poker player and musician. He consulted with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2010 before joining the Devils.
Ownership, led by David Blitzer and Josh Harris, views his analytics-driven approach and championship experience as key to rebuilding contention around the team's young core, including assets and draft capital. The hiring signals a data-focused shift in hockey operations.
Despite the belief that the Devils may be interested in also hiring a President of Hockey Operations, Mehta assumes those duties as well.
There has been no immediate decision on head coach Sheldon Keefe yet.
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