Quinn Hughes: Potential Short-Term Fix to Devils Big-Picture Problems

The New Jersey Devils, even after a busy offseason, have almost $7 million in salary cap space to work with. Despite this, one of the main stories following free agency frenzy is Dougie Hamilton, who has disappointed in his time with the Devils but is still a top-pair defenseman, is on the trade block. 

These two things seem unrelated, yet they hint at a big-picture plan for the Devils. It’s no secret that they are interested in Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes and are setting themselves up to sign him in the 2026 offseason. The Devils are moving cap space around with the hopes of having all three Hughes brothers on the same team. 

So, imagine the Devils pull it off, and enter the 2026-27 with Hughes on their team. Are they suddenly a Stanley Cup contender? Does he make them better? Does an elite two-way defenseman change the overall dynamic of this team? The initial answer to all three questions is yes. The reality is it’s not so cut and dry. 

Hughes Will Make The Devils Better

If the Devils have the opportunity to sign the player, they’ll make that move 10 out of 10 times. He’s one of the few elite defensemen in the NHL capable of taking over games on any given night. It’s what he’s done with the Vancouver Canucks in recent seasons to make them a competitive team (without him they are one of the worst in the league and it’s not even close).

Hughes takes the Devils, a good team capable of making the playoffs, to the top of the Eastern Conference. He makes an impact on the offensive end and defensively while his puck movement combined with the speed in the forward group can take this offense and team to the next level. 

The question is whether the Devils can be a Stanley Cup contender with Hughes on their team. They’ll finish every season near the top of the conference; that’s not a debate. However, they’ll inevitably run into the Carolina Hurricanes or another juggernaut, and that’s where the problems will arise. 

The Devils Are Still Not Built for the Playoffs 

New Jersey lacks the physicality to win in the playoffs. Even with Hughes, they’ll still lack that element, especially in their top six to win games. This is a team that was pushed around in the First Round this past season against the Hurricanes in a series that wasn’t that close (it ended in five games). The same thing happened in the Second Round in 2023, and it will happen again unless they make significant changes. 

Adding the blueliner doesn’t fix that problem. He’s a great offensive defenseman, one of the best in the game, yet he doesn’t make the Devils a more physical team or better at forechecking. In the big picture, this is what the Devils need, and they need it from their star players. 

Now, the argument can be made that it’s not fair to judge an injury-plagued Devils team, which is what last season’s group was. When Jack Hughes went down at the trade deadline, this team’s season, and any hope of making the playoffs, was done for. So, if he’s around for the playoffs, maybe the Devils make that deep playoff run. 

Here’s the problem. The Devils are set up to be in this predicament every season. When there’s too much skill and speed but not enough size, the players will get pushed around and injured. 

The Devils are like a sports car. Fun and flashy but the more they are driven at high speeds, and the more they drive alongside trucks, the more likely they’ll get destroyed. That’s what the Devils have become in recent years. 

So, What Can New Jersey Do? 

The Connor Brown signing is a step in the right direction. The Devils added a physical two-way presence to their bottom six who kills penalties and scores. Evgenii Dadonov also helps as a bottom-six scorer who is made for playoff hockey. 

Likewise, the Timo Meier addition from a few seasons back was an attempt to fix this big-picture issue. He hasn’t played well in the regular season with only 63 goals and 56 assists in 170 games. However, he’s built for the playoffs as a power forward in the top six. So, maybe in a playoff series in the future, he’ll be the X-factor. 

However, the Devils must eventually make a splash and take a big risk. They must make that trade for a top-six forward who does it all and changes the dynamics of the team. Sure, it can backfire, and it will come at a cost (looking at you, Jesper Bratt) but to win the Cup, they must add that element to their lineup. 

Hughes can make the Devils a perennial playoff team, and with brothers Jack and Luke, plus Nico Hischier, there’s a good core in place. With the Norris-level defenseman, the Devils will be near the top of the Metropolitan Division every season. Hughes, as talented as he is, doesn’t add that checking presence to the lineup. Making a splash at some point to add that aspect will put them in the Cup conversation.