What The New Jersey Devils Can Learn From The New York Giants About Draft Philosophy

As we get deeper into the offseason and the NHL draft gets closer and closer, I’ve started to think about how I want the New Jersey Devils to attack the 2026 edition of the draft. Holding the 12th overall pick, new general manager Sunny Mehta seemingly has a few options at his disposal. He can trade the pick for immediate help, he can keep the pick to replenish the farm system, or he can trade back to accumulate more draft capital.

But whichever direction he decides to go in, I’ve been thinking about how I believe Mehta should take a page out of the New York Giants’ draft playbook. Yes, the NFL’s New York Giants. Let me explain.

Ernie Accorsi is a football lifer, perhaps best known for serving as the general manager of the Giants from 1998 to 2006. During his time at the helm of one of the NFL’s pillar franchises, Accorsi had many philosophies and ways of doing things. I would argue his single most important, impactful, and prescient modus operandi was a simple one: Keep drafting pass rushers.

Accorsi developed this philosophy throughout a lifetime in the game at various stops across the league . Getting the right quarterback and protecting him were the most important aspects of building a competitive team in his eyes, but right after that was making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks. This is what led to the Giants collecting an embarrassment of riches on the pass rushing front and using those riches to win two super bowls in 2007 and 2011.