The New Jersey Devils want one specific player from the Arizona Coyotes. Oliver Ekman-Larsson is the prize for the Devils in this scenario, but one other player is worth an inquiry.
Let’s not waste time here. When New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero calls Arizona Coyotes GM John Chayka, he’s calling about Oliver Ekman-Larsson first and foremost. Shero knows this team needs help on the defense. He helped them make great strides with last year’s Sami Vatanen trade, and now he needs one more blockbuster to push them over the edge.
Ekman-Larsson would turn the Devils defense from their worst unit to a strength. Just think about this lineup:
Ekman-Larsson – Vatanen
Butcher – Severson
Greene – Lovejoy/Mueller
That’s if the Devils don’t go after a cheap option to fill out the roster like Calvin De Haan. Is that the best defense in the league? No, but my goodness is it much better than it was this season.
We don’t need to go through the stats of Oliver Ekman-Larsson. He’s capable of scoring 20 goals and adding 25 assists. He’s a power play nightmare that’s never had a decent team around him outside of 2011-12. He’s producing when the other team knows he’s the best player on the ice at all times. If he plays on a power play unit with a Taylor Hall or Kyle Palmieri.
So quickly, let’s look at what it would cost to bring Ekman-Larsson to the Devils.
There are many factors in making a trade between the Devils and Coyotes. Quite possibly the biggest factor is the salary cap floor. The Yotes are currently under this year’s floor, which is $55.4 million. Let’s pretend it goes to $60 million just to make things simple. That means the Coyotes need $8 million to hit the floor now, and would need more than $13 million if they traded away Ekman-Larsson.
Moving Severson in the deal would make up a little over $4 million. It’s hard to see a deal being done that doesn’t involve him. That’s not enough, clearly.
Here’s where thing get interesting. The Devils are taking on a major risk in Ekman-Larsson. So, what’s that worth?
It’s a lot, but I can see the Devils pulling the trigger on Oliver Ekman-Larsson and a third-round pick (Yotes have three of them) for Severson, Jesper Bratt and a first-round pick. The Yotes get a player who earned a six-year deal in Severson, despite coming off a bad year. Bratt proved a ton in his rookie year, and could break out even more now that he’s used to the grind of the NHL. Then there’s the first-round pick. All for one guaranteed year of Ekman-Larsson. That doesn’t fix the salary cap issue, but the Coyotes could make some moves in free agency and by signing some of their free agents.
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Now, let’s get into the wild card. That’s Max Domi.
Domi is one of the most interesting cases for trade bait in the entire league. After a very productive rookie campaign, he’s fallen off a cliff that last two seasons. He hasn’t broken double-digit goals in either campaign. His value is at an all-time low. This is just in time for his contract ending. He’s a restricted free agent this season.
The former first-round pick is having trouble living up to the hype. Should the Devils give him a shot to try and rekindle his career? He’s only 23 years old. There’s a ton of upside with acquiring Domi. Sure, he could flame out completely. However, he could end up being a cornerstone player in the right system. And, I can see this deal only costing a high-upside prospect that isn’t ready to play in the NHL. It’s worth a shot.