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The New Jersey Devils entered this season with high expectations and met them early on. They went into the Christmas Break at 23-11-3 but the injury bug has changed everything. Jacob Markstrom is back but they struggled without him and now, Jack Hughes and Dougie Hamilton are on the shelf. Despite the injuries, the Devils are still looking to add at the NHL trade deadline. The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun has more.
“Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is working the phones and is intent on finding help before Friday’s deadline. There’s no white flag there despite the key injuries,” LeBrun reported.
He continued by pointing out the closing gap between the Devils and Blue Jackets in the Metropolitan Division. “Columbus on Wednesday morning woke up four points behind New Jersey with two games in hand. The Rangers have actually been sellers, but the defending Presidents’ Trophy winners still have a decent shot to make the playoffs.”
The Devils will need to add to stay ahead of the surging Blue Jackets and Blueshirts. While Hughes and Hamilton are impossible to replace in this market, Tom Fitzgerald must try to improve this core. After such a disappointing 2024 season, playoff hockey in Newark is a non-negotiable this year.
The Devils can swing big at the NHL trade deadline
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Hughes is out for the season, which means his $8 million cap hit is on Long-Term Injured Reserve and available to use. There is no timeline on Hamilton yet, so they won't be able to use his $9 million at the deadline. That should not be a problem, however, as they have over $11 million in deadline cap space, per CapWages.
The Devils could call up their old friend Lou Lamoriello and try to land Brock Nelson. Outside of Mikko Rantanen, he is the top target on the board and would fill their need for a center. It may take a first-round pick, which they already do not have for 2025 after trading for Markstrom. Sending a first-rounder to the Islanders for JG Pageau, who has an extra year of team control, would be a better option.
On the defensive side, the top options include Carson Soucy from the Vancouver Canucks and Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. The Devils should target Byram, as he is younger and can slide into their defensive core for years to come. If that takes a first-round pick, it would be a better purchase than Pageau because of his age, only 23 years old.
