For the second time today, the New Jersey Devils have parted ways with a fourth-round pick. This time, they traded with the Washington Capitals to acquire defenseman Declan Chisholm in exchange for their fourth-round selection in the 2027 NHL Draft. The news comes just after the club traded this year’s fourth-round pick for forward Amadeus Lombardi from the Detroit Red Wings.
🚨 TRADE ALERT 🚨
We’ve acquired Declan Chisholm from the Washington Capitals in exchange for our fourth-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. pic.twitter.com/uW3i7TkvcD
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 25, 2026
Chisholm was traded to the Capitals in June 2025, but he has also played for the Minnesota Wild and the Winnipeg Jets. He was drafted 150th overall in 2018 and has since played 125 NHL games throughout his career.
This season, he tallied one goal and six assists for the Capitals, suiting up for 26 games. Likewise, he was responsible for 22 blocks and 20 shots on goal, averaging 13:44 of ice time per game. He served as a reliable depth defenseman for Washington’s blue line, slotting into the lineup as needed.
There is currently one year left in Chisholm’s two-year contract, which carries a cap hit of $1.6 million. He could easily become another call-up for the Devils, offering relief in the event of injury. But trading for the 26-year-old defenseman could also be part of a bigger plan to restructure the team’s defense.
This marks yet another interesting move on behalf of general manager Sunny Mehta. With the 2026 NHL Draft right around the corner and a flurry of trades happening ahead of free agency, it’s clear that the Devils are going to stay busy this offseason.
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