The Florida Panthers are losing a key member of their front office.
It was only a matter of time before an NHL team scooped up Panthers Assistant GM Sunny Mehta, and that day has come.
On Thursday, the New Jersey Devils announced they had hired Mehta as their new general manager.
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He becomes the sixth GM in Devils franchise history.
For Mehta, a native of Wycoff, New Jersey, the move is a bit of a homecoming.
After growing up as a Devils fan, Mehta became the franchise’s first full-time analytics hire in 2014, starting a relationship with the team that would eventually bring him back as their general manager.
It’s also well-deserved promotion, as Mehta had proven to be an incredibly valuable hockey and analytics mind in Florida’s front office.
“This is a dream come true for a New Jersey kid, who grew up watching Devils’ practices just 20 minutes away in Totowa,” Mehta said in the Devils’ official press release. “After meeting with David Blitzer, Josh Harris, Bob Myers, and other members of the organization, I knew this was the place I wanted to be. Thank you to Vinnie Viola, Bill Zito and the entire Florida Panthers organization for a fantastic six years and for the opportunity to take the next step in my professional career. New Jersey has a tremendous young core that will be looking to get back to being a contender, a complement of young assets and draft picks, and a passionate fan base hungry for success. I was fortunate enough to watch the New Jersey Devils raise three Stanley Cups and am excited to get to work to return to that level.”
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Mehta spent six seasons with the Panthers. After Bill Zito took over as Panthers GM in 2020, he hired Mehta to be the head of Florida’s analytics team.
Three years later, Mehta was promoted to assistant GM.
Now, three years after that, he’s a first-time NHL general manager.
Considering the success he helped breed in South Florida, it won’t be surprising at all if Mehta follows in the successful footsteps of another first-time GM that he spent the past six years working under.
Best of luck in New Jersey, Sunny. You will be missed in Pantherland.
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Photo caption: Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; The Florida Panthers pose for a photo with the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
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