Earlier today, it was announced that the New Jersey Devils acquired a third round draft pick and defenseman Connor Carrick from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Ben Lovejoy.
An unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, it became pretty clear that the 35 year old Lovejoy would be moved at the deadline. He, along with Marcus Johansson, sat out Thursday’s game against the Senators to ensure that they didn’t get injured.
The fact that Lovejoy got traded isn’t surprising. What is, however, is the return. The defense market if obviously very thin if a third pairing rental got a third-round pick along with a young roster player in return. Most Devils fans were expecting to get a late round pick, but GM Ray Shero worked his trade magic again.
Despite all the criticism he received from fans, Lovejoy really was a good Devil. He was a veteran presence that young players could look up to in the locker room, especially Will Butcher. Lovejoy helped Butcher thrive in his first year in New Jersey. Butcher had the freedom to pinch or rush the puck, knowing that he had a steady defensive-minded partner. On top of this, Lovejoy proved to be an ace penalty killer during his tenure with the Devils.
In addition to receiving a mobile young defenseman, the Devils now have another mid-round pick to work with. We have seen what Ray Shero can do with an abundance of second and third rounders: trading for Kyle Palmieri in 2015 and trading for Marcus Johansson in 2017. It is entirely possible that Shero makes another trade along the lines of this one to bring in a top-six forward this offseason.
For a team that needs defensive help going forwards, acquiring 24 year old Connor Carrick along with a pick is very nice. He never really fit in with Dallas after being traded there from Toronto last summer. A foot injury that kept him out of the lineup for a while and a stint in the AHL led to a messy year in Dallas. He will get a fresh start and likely some big minutes in New Jersey for the rest of the season.
Ray Shero and company’s trade deadline has begun with two excellent trades: Ben Lovejoy and Brian Boyle for a second, third, and Connor Carrick. With a few more trades expected to go down before Monday at 3 PM, this list of returns might grow even larger. As for Lovejoy, we all wish him the best in Dallas.