The Devils are going all in on their pick to lead the team’s front office.
The team announced Thursday that they hired Sunny Mehta to be their new general manager, with the 47-year-old expected to be formally introduced at the Prudential Center on Tuesday.
Mehta, who brings over a decade of NHL management experience, was previously a professional poker player, playing in high-stakes Texas hold ’em games in the 2000s, and has co-authored two books based on his experience, focusing on different game strategies.
Following his professional poker stint, Mehta, who was raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, started his NHL front office career with the Devils, spending four seasons in New Jersey (2014-18) as the director of hockey analytics.
“This is a dream come true for a New Jersey kid, who grew up watching Devils’ practices just 20 minutes away in Totowa,” Mehta said in a statement released by the Devils. “After meeting with (co-owners) 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.”
Mehta spent the past six seasons as the Panthers’ assistant general manager and director of analytics, helping them construct back-to-back Stanley Cup championship-winning teams.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Sunny and his wife, Nicole, back home to New Jersey,” Blitzer said in a statement. “We quickly realized this job was in high demand and were incredibly fortunate to meet with many qualified candidates.
“Sunny’s familiarity with our organization and experience with a two-time Stanley Cup-winning team are characteristics that will serve as a foundation for future success. Our expectations are to be a perennial playoff team and compete for the Stanley Cup, and I look forward to Sunny leading us there.”
This decision for the Devils comes just days after they fired general manager Tom Fitzgerald amid a disappointing season, which saw the team finish near the bottom of the Metropolitan division.
Fitzgerald led New Jersey’s front office since January 2020, and saw the team reach the playoffs twice during his tenure, including their first postseason series win in over a decade with a victory over the Rangers in the 2022-23 season.
“After talking with David Blitzer, it was apparent to everyone that the best course of action is to move on for the benefit of the team,” Fitzgerald said in a statement. “I am incredibly appreciative to David, (co-owner) Josh Harris, and the entire New Jersey Devils organization for being a part of my life for the past decade.
“The Devils are fortunate to have a core of great players, vocal and passionate fans, but most importantly, tremendous people who worked with me toward a common goal.”
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