The New Jersey Devils will pick 12th overall at the 2026 NHL Draft—a position that feels all too familiar for the franchise. Tuesday's lottery delivered zero movement for New Jersey, which entered with the 12th-worst record among non-playoff teams. Their slim hopes of climbing into the top ten never materialized.

Instead, chaos ruled the night. The Toronto Maple Leafs, armed with just 8.5% odds after finishing with the fifth-worst record, defied expectations by jumping all the way to first overall. Not to be outdone, the San Jose Sharks—holding roughly 5% odds from the ninth-worst position—leaped to second. Both jumps were highly improbable and completely reshuffled expectations for the 2026 draft class.

For Devils fans, it's another year of lottery neutrality. Much like 2024, New Jersey held steady in a spot that perfectly reflects their season: competitive enough to miss the playoffs, but not lucky enough to land a top pick. Last year, they used that 12th selection to draft towering Russian defenseman Anton Silayev.

The top-end talent—headlined by prospects like Gavin McKenna—now belongs to Toronto and San Jose, teams that capitalized on long-shot luck. But for New Jersey, the real question is what happens next with that first-round pick.

New general manager Sunny Mehta has made it clear he believes the Devils are on the brink of becoming a perennial playoff contender. That mindset raises an intriguing possibility: will Mehta decide his core needs immediate help and package the 12th overall pick for a proven player?

The Devils are notably thin on forward prospects in their pipeline. The 2026 draft is loaded with forward talent, and New Jersey would certainly benefit from restocking that area. But with the draft just under two months away—scheduled for June 26th—Mehta and his team have plenty of time to weigh their options.

Here's the bottom line: if this new regime is truly committed to changing the culture in New Jersey, that first-round pick should be used as a trade chip—without question. The goal? Finally land Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt a proper left winger who can elevate the team's offense from promising to dangerous.