DitD & Open Post - 4/10/26: The Search is On Edition

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Apr 9, 2026; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes (86) skates with the puck against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the second period at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images | Luther Schlaifer-Imagn Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links​

Sigh. The Devils dropped a 5-2 loss to the Penguins Thursday night. [Devils NHL]

“…It would stand to reason that teams with front office openings would want to emulate the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. There would be curiosity as to how the sausage is made over there. Which is why it’s no surprise, according to league sources, that both the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs have asked and received permission from the Panthers to speak with assistant general manager Sunny Mehta, whose name has been all the rage of late, especially in the Toronto market. As head of analytics for the Cup champs, his background fits a big part of the profile for both the Devils and Leafs.” [The Athletic ($)]

“The search is still in its early stages, and the structure of the front office could change if they split the titles of president of hockey operations and general manager. With that, let’s look at some very early potential candidates that the Devils may interview over the next few weeks to replace Tom Fitzgerald.” [Devils on the Rush]

Luke’s season is over:

#NEWS: The New Jersey Devils have shut down D Luke Hughes to undergo a procedure and get a head start on rehab for the off-season. pic.twitter.com/YeZJcVMo1j

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 9, 2026

#NJDevils HC Keefe said that shutting Luke down for the season and him undergoing a procedure now helps kickstart his off-season rehab.

“Nothing happened per se. Very similar situation to Gritsyuk. Something the player needs to get done at some point.“

— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) April 9, 2026

Hockey Links​

Avs have clinched the Presidents’ Trophy:

REGULAR-SEASON CHAMPS

The Colorado Avalanche have clinched the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's top team ️ pic.twitter.com/nzsVUcRGkR

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 10, 2026

“Alex Ovechkin will wait until the offseason to decide whether this will be his final season in the NHL, the Washington Capitals captain said in an interview posted by the team on social media.” [NHL.com]

Ron Francis is out in Seattle:

The #SeaKraken announced today that Ron Francis will be stepping down from his role as President of Hockey Operations at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

We wish Ron & his family all the best → https://t.co/Qcoy4T49HXpic.twitter.com/rDZgBtIQby

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) April 8, 2026

“Who is the best all-around defenseman in the NHL? There are a lot of contenders for that title this year. Unlike last year, there isn’t one favorite running away with the honors. This is the deepest Norris Trophy field in years, with a special group of defensemen performing with MVP-caliber play.” [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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