New Jersey Devils: Ray Shero Needs to Strike With Defense Market Thin

The Erik Karlsson dream died Monday. Well, no one actually believed he would wear a Devils sweater next season. Karlsson re-signed with the San Jose Sharks for 8 years, $11.5 Million a year, a number most people didn’t think he would get after a rocky postseason.

With the top fish of the free agent defenseman market gone, Devils GM Ray Shero will most likely have to over pay for someone on defense. Giving $7 Million a year for Jake Gardiner, who is arguably the best player available come July 1st, isn’t a comfortable thought. With that being said, the trade rout is the best way to solve the defensive issue the Devils have.

The first player the Devils need to go hard after is Jacob Trou….Traded? To the Rangers? As I’m writing this? Oh, okay then. Well what did they give up? Surely a lot for a 25-year-old defenseman who has 50+ point potential. A 1st-round pick and Neal Pionk? That’s it? Yeah, that’s it. The 20th pick in the draft and Neal Pionk.

You mean to tell any Devils fan that Shero could not offer the 34th pick, another 2nd or 3rd, and another piece for Jacob Trouba? Someone who could have immediately helped not only now but for years to come? That is a tough pill to swallow.

So now the biggest defensive name in the free agent class and arguably the biggest defensive name in the trade market are gone. What is Shero to do? The answer: do something now.

The best way to do that given the current state of the market would be through trade. Gardiner, Tyler Myers, and Alexandre Edler are fine defensemen, but Shero should not over pay for any of them. Edler is 33 and not getting younger during the Devils’ rebuild. Gardiner would be looking for $7+ million per season. While Myers is serviceable, he still has not shown the consistency of his Calder Trophy winning season. Plus, he also will be looking for a massive pay day.

The other name Devils fans seem to be keen on is P.K. Subban, and with good reason. He is a top tier talent on the blue line and charismatic as any off the ice. With the Rangers adding Trouba, the Devils need to answer big time. Subban is just the name to do that.

Yes, Shero is busy with the number-one pick this Friday’s draft. It is going to be Jack Hughes. There you go. He shouldn’t be that busy anymore. Yes, I know that is not how things work nor should it be how things work, but with Shero knowing who he will pick first Friday night, shouldn’t he be focused on adding in other areas?

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Adding Jack Hughes is great. He projects to be a center at the NHL level and will add towards the Devils lineup for years to come. To win games, however, you need to keep the pucks out of the net. The Devils ranked 26th in goals allowed this past season, which should signify that adding defense is a glaring need.

Should Shero trust the kids and let them play? He did that last season and it did not work out at all. He needed to add offense, didn’t, let the kids play, and they finished near the bottom of the standings. Taylor Hall is not going to stay if Shero does not add talent. Why waste the prime of your career losing when you can test the free agent market and sign with a contender. See: Tavares, John.

Maybe Jeremy Davies can add to the back end and have a solid rookie season. I just highly doubt an even older and more worn down Andy Greene, Damon Severson, Sami Vatanen, Will Butcher, and company will be better than last season.

The Devils would have to give up assets to get a player like Subban, but he should come at a cheap price. Nashville is in cap trouble and needs to move a contract to add some pieces. Subban is making $9 million a season the next 3 seasons. The Devils have plenty of cap space to work with and add a contract like that. Subban would bring the first 60+ point defensive threat since Brian Rafalski.

Just adding Subban wouldn’t be the end all and be all. That would be a fantastic start. The number 34 pick the Devils posses would most certainly be on the table for Subban. Adding someone like a Joey Anderson or a Blake Speers would also have to be considered. But giving up a draft pick when you have plenty to spare or an offensive prospect when you have a few to spare, is a price Shero should be willing to pay. Giving up a couple of draft picks or prospects for Subban won’t set the franchise back at all because of the aforementioned Hughes. So with the Rangers adding Trouba now, Shero should make this move to respond.

This may seem like a panic move on Shero’s part and it may well be one. Your divisional rival in an already tough division added a defenseman, your superstar forward may or may not re-sign because of the lack of talent around him, and you still don’t know what you have in your prospects. Yeah, Ty Smith looks great, but he is not proven. Hall needs to see that Shero would add an already household as a sign of good faith. Shero cannot just add another Eric Gryba, hope the kids can play, and then call it a day. The time to make a move is now, before someone else scoops Subban up.