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New Jersey Devils: Looking At New Defenseman Connor Carrick

By Vincent Parise |
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 28: Connor Carrick #5 of the Dallas Stars follows the play against the Detroit Red Wings during an NHL game at Little Caesars Arena on October 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings defeated the Stars 4-2. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 28: Connor Carrick #5 of the Dallas Stars follows the play against the Detroit Red Wings during an NHL game at Little Caesars Arena on October 28, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings defeated the Stars 4-2. (Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty Images)

The New Jersey Devils are making moves. Trading Ben Lovejoy for Connor Carrick and a third-round pick is a very good return.

The New Jersey Devils traded Ben Lovejoy to the Dallas Stars for Connor Carrick and a third-round pick. The market for a solid reliable defenseman is very thin, so a guy like Lovejoy earned Ray Shero a pretty nice return. Lovejoy was a very nice locker room presence and a decent bottom-pairing player for the team and should fit in nicely as a depth defenseman in Dallas.

Connor Carrick has had an interesting career so far. The bulk of his work has come with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He also had a cup of coffee in Washington and Dallas.

He was never really given a true opportunity to grow to his full potential anywhere he has been. In 2016-17 he had his career high in games played with 67. Other than that he never got higher than 47. He is in a similar situation that Devils defenseman Mirco Mueller was in. He might get an opportunity in New Jersey.

Carrick is not much of an offensive defenseman. He doesn’t contribute much in terms of offensive production, but he can defend. Of course, there is room to improve on both sides of the puck but he will get the chance to here.

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So far this season, he has one goal and three assists for four points in 14 games played. This is something that can also increase the more his role expands. In his 181 game NHL career, he has 10 goals and 24 assists for 34 points. His career average in ice time is 15:36 which is a decent time for a bottom pair guy but in only 181 games played you never know what you truly have.

He is a right-shot defenseman that is signed through this year and will be a restricted free agent on July 1st so the Devils will have an opportunity to get him locked up. If they want to, they can see what they have in him moving forward. He could really grow into something worth having as a middle or low pair on the Devils blue line. Having some good mentors around him like Andy Greene or Sami Vatanen could also do wonders.

We are moving into caring mostly about the future and this trade suggests that. Next season should have some high hopes with some of the guys that could be playing on defense for them and all the forwards healthy. Connor Carrick has a chance to be a part of that.

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