​BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 14: Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils waits for a face off during the second period against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on April 14, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images Here are your links for today:Devils LinksAre the Devils primed for a big jump?”I don’t think it’s crazy to say the Devils get first or second in that division.” @JeffMarek and Keith Kavanaugh discuss why the New Jersey Devils could emerge as one of the top teams in the Metropolitan Division next season. 📈 pic.twitter.com/FBPGkM8smf— The Sheet with Jeff Marek (@thesheethockey) August 5, 2026“Assuming the Devils live up to expectations, Sunny Mehta will be looking to buy at his first deadline running the team. For the purpose of this post, I’m going to isolate rentals on teams outside of the projected playoff picture for my potential targets. The focus is mostly on offense and players who could play center. Mehta’s offer sheet for Barrett Hayton was a sign he wants to add quality depth there if possible. Now that the table is set, let’s take a look at three forwards who could be of interest.” [Infernal Access ($)]“The New Jersey Devils had a disappointing season in 2025-26. That’s no secret at this point. But when you have a disappointing season, that means there’s potential for bounce-back years, especially among certain individuals. Last season saw more than a few Devils not live up to expectations. Whether it was performance-related, injuries, or some combination of both, here are six Devils that could bounce back in 2026-27.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]Hockey Links“Welcome to part two of The Athletic’s NHL fan survey, which gathered feedback from 20,000 respondents. In part one, we covered the state of the NHL, Gary Bettman and the always-contentious no-state-taxes debate. In this installment, we’re diving into the future of the NHL, with on-ice predictions, league expansion, and outdoor games.” [The Athletic ($)]“So with the Red Wings’ drought now at 10 years, Dylan Larkin requesting a trade, Steve Yzerman “promoted” from the GM position, and Detroit in all-around chaos, I thought it would be interesting to reflect on the biggest what if for this franchise’s rebuild: what if they had better lottery luck?” [Daily Faceoff]Well this is certainly a contract:The Penguins have signed Ville Koivunen to a 8 YR $4M AAV contract 💰The 23 year old had 7P in 39GP this season in the NHL as well as 41P in 34GP in the AHL 👀He was a part of the Guentzel package back in 2024. pic.twitter.com/OBeodgn2qK— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) August 6, 2026Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.