New Jersey Devils: Value Of Likely Trade Deadline Deals

Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a player who had a much higher value just a month ago. He was playing better hockey in October and November. Now, with his linemate changing on a nightly basis, he’s starting to lose the chemistry he had with Will Butcher. They still play together quite often, but it’s not as consistent as it was to start the season.

Lovejoy is on the Devils top penalty-killing line. Again, this is the second-best unit in the entire NHL. A team like Colorado or Edmonton, both who are near the bottom of the league in penalty kill percentage, would love to bring Lovejoy onto their team.

While teams will come to trade for Lovejoy, he’s not a rental they are going to pay big for this season. A team did give up a 3rd-round pick and a prospect for Nick Holden, but he had a little more upside. We know exactly what Lovejoy is, and he it what he is. He’s played a lot better now that he’s playing bottom-line minutes, but a team will only pay so much for that.

Lovejoy’s value: 4th-round pick

A team will give up a 4th-round pick, or an equivalent prospect, for Lovejoy. He’s so good at penalty killing, that alone will get a team to make that move. It’s not something that Devils fans will celebrate, but it’s something that adds to the Devils collection of picks going into the offseason.