A trade-deadline primer for the New Jersey Devils

While many teams will be focusing on rentals that will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, there is an expectation that New Jersey is open to bringing in someone that could be part of their longer-term future.  Those players often come with high price tags so young winger Alexander Holtz is sure to grab some attention.  Things haven’t gone according to plan for him this season as he has seen limited action in the NHL and hasn’t been able to produce much.  However, he’s only in the first year of his entry-level deal so the seventh-overall pick in 2020 still has plenty of runway left in his development.  Moving Holtz would certainly sting but it stands to reason that if he goes, they’d be getting a critical win-now piece in return.

The Devils are facing a decision this summer when it comes to Mackenzie Blackwood.  The netminder has shown flashes in the past but has struggled once again this season and has fallen behind Vitek Vanecek on the depth chart.  His qualifying offer of $3.36M might be too much for them to tender so it’s possible that he could be included as salary ballast as well to facilitate a trade.  A team or two might want to take a closer look at him as well to see if he could be part of their plans beyond this season.  The Devils have Nico Daws and Akira Schmid in the minors who both have NHL experience or they could turn around and add another veteran netminder if they were to part with Blackwood.

As for some other prospects that could go, defenseman Nikita Okhotyuk could draw some interest.  The 22-year-old has seen NHL action in each of his first two seasons and plays with the type of physical edge that could have some teams wondering if he could fit on their third pairing down the road.  Forward Graeme Clarke is having a breakout season with AHL Utica and at 21, his stock is on the rise.  In a smaller move, he’d be a forward that teams will likely be calling about.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Nolan Foote, F Nikola Pasic, F Tyce Thompson, D Reilly Walsh

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Winger: There’s a reason New Jersey has been linked to some prominent forwards, they’re looking to add an impact piece.  Ondrej Palat has been injured for most of the season and has been inconsistent when he has played.  Dawson Mercer, Tomas Tatar, and Yegor Sharangovich are holding their own in the top six but pushing more of them onto the third line would deepen their attack.  There’s a definite spot to fill and it could go a long way toward making their forward group even more potent heading into the postseason while taking some pressure off Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier.

2) Defensive Depth: While it’s widely expected that the Devils will sign Luke Hughes once his college season is finished, the back end of their back end isn’t the deepest.  Okhotyuk and Kevin Bahl have both seen action this season and the underlying numbers haven’t been great.  Adding a veteran sixth defender would give them some insurance in case of injuries and if it’s a stay-at-home defender, it could also give them a chance to mix and match a little bit depending on their opponent.  There’s a good chance that the bulk of their cap space will be used to add up front which should have Fitzgerald shopping in the lower-cost options in the coming days.