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Devils Defenseman Has Chip on Shoulder; Endorses Mehta Offseason
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- Devils Defenseman Has Chip on Shoulder; Endorses Mehta Offseason
Brett Pesce has seen enough roster turnover and coaching changes in his career to know when front-office talk is empty. So when the veteran defenseman offered an early assessment of Sunny Mehta's first summer as New Jersey Devils general manager, the comments carried weight.
Editor's note: Brett Pesce spoke with our colleague Jim Cerny of Forever Blueshirts at the Shoulder Check Showcase event.
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"Yeah, [Sunny] has been awesome," Pesce said. "I had a conversation with him at the end of the year, loved what he had to say, what he did this offseason. So far, so good. He's a really smart guy and looking forward to getting to know him better."
Mehta took over after the Devils missed the playoffs once again, tasked with reshaping a roster that has shown flashes of contention but struggled to sustain it. Pesce, who arrived in New Jersey on a six-year deal in 2024, is one of the more experienced voices in the room. His early read on the new GM was straightforward and positive.
The defenseman also addressed the group's internal temperature after another season that fell short.
"I think we got deeper as a group. Honestly, I know last year wasn't great, but there's a lot of belief in our room and I think everyone's set to take a step forward. Last year, it stings, it still does for me, and I think everyone's going to have a little chip on their shoulder."
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That combination—appreciation for Mehta's early moves and an admission that last year's disappointment still lingers—paints a clear picture of where the Devils stand this summer. Pesce did not pretend the previous campaign was acceptable. Instead he framed the residual sting as fuel, the kind of quiet edge that can matter once training camp opens.
The depth comment is particularly notable. Mehta has spent the offseason trying to address holes without mortgaging the future, adding significant role players like Anthony Mantha and Evan Rodrigues , while locking in key players already on the roster by extending Nico Hischier and Arseny Gritsyuk .
From Pesce's vantage point on the blue line, those changes have left the group thicker and more competitive internally. Whether that translates to results will be measured later, but the early signal from a veteran is that the room has not checked out.
Pesce's tone throughout was certainly measured. He did not oversell the offseason or claim the Devils have suddenly solved their problems. He simply said the conversations with Mehta landed well, the moves made sense to him, and the group still believes it can take a step. In a market that has grown familiar with near-misses and early exits, that kind of grounded confidence from a player who has lived through the recent ups and downs is worth noting.
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As the summer continues and the roster takes clearer shape, Pesce's comments offer an early temperature check from inside the locker room. The early view from the Devils on their new GM shows respect with acknowledgment of last year's failure, and a belief that the group is ready to respond with an edge.
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