- May 21, 2026
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The New Jersey Devils announced on Wednesday that they have signed defenseman Topias Vilen to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2026-27 season.
The new contract will compensate Vilen at an annual rate of $850,000 for any time spent at the NHL level and $150,000 at the AHL level with a minimum guarantee of $175,000.
Vilen, a 23-year-old who the Devils chose with the No. 129 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut this past season, logging 12:28 of time on ice in a late-season contest against Ottawa.
The six-foot-one left-handed blueliner spent most of the past two seasons with New Jersey’s AHL affiliate Utica Comets, where he racked up 27 points in 61 games last season after a 24-point effort in 58 appearances in 2024-25.
The Devils are entering a crucial season for the franchise, as the team looks to bounce back from a disastrous 2025-26 campaign that saw them miss out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs due to struggles in net and injuries to key players.
In his first summer at the helm, Mehta has moved to address the team’s depth, landing Stanley Cup-winning forward Evan Rodrigues from the Florida Panthers in a trade for goaltender Jacob Markstrom and signing Anthony Mantha out of unrestricted free agency.
While the entire defense figures to be comprised of returning players, New Jersey’s new-found depth down the wing figures to set up star centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier for more success while also lifting some of the offensive burden off their shoulders.
The Devils will look to contend with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division next season, but they’re not the only challenger that improved their roster, as the Washington Capitals look formidable as well.
New Jersey will drop the puck on the 2026-27 season by hosting the Philadelphia Flyers on October 1.
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The new contract will compensate Vilen at an annual rate of $850,000 for any time spent at the NHL level and $150,000 at the AHL level with a minimum guarantee of $175,000.
Vilen, a 23-year-old who the Devils chose with the No. 129 overall pick in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut this past season, logging 12:28 of time on ice in a late-season contest against Ottawa.
The six-foot-one left-handed blueliner spent most of the past two seasons with New Jersey’s AHL affiliate Utica Comets, where he racked up 27 points in 61 games last season after a 24-point effort in 58 appearances in 2024-25.
The Devils are entering a crucial season for the franchise, as the team looks to bounce back from a disastrous 2025-26 campaign that saw them miss out on the Stanley Cup Playoffs due to struggles in net and injuries to key players.
In his first summer at the helm, Mehta has moved to address the team’s depth, landing Stanley Cup-winning forward Evan Rodrigues from the Florida Panthers in a trade for goaltender Jacob Markstrom and signing Anthony Mantha out of unrestricted free agency.
While the entire defense figures to be comprised of returning players, New Jersey’s new-found depth down the wing figures to set up star centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier for more success while also lifting some of the offensive burden off their shoulders.
The Devils will look to contend with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division next season, but they’re not the only challenger that improved their roster, as the Washington Capitals look formidable as well.
New Jersey will drop the puck on the 2026-27 season by hosting the Philadelphia Flyers on October 1.
Continue reading...