The New Jersey Devils took over the headlines at the NHL Draft when they not only drafted Jack Hughes, but traded for P.K. Subban. Is this something the Devils want to invest in long term?
When the New Jersey Devils announced they were trading for Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban, it felt perfect. Never has a veteran felt like the right fit more than Subban on the Devils. There’s a myriad of reasons why Subban felt right. He was coming off an off year, but some slight injuries might have made his value right for Ray Shero. Obviously getting a number-one defenseman for a surprising 7th-round pick defenseman, an NHL defenseman that was slightly overpaid and two 2nd-round picks is a huge win.
Speaking of number-one defenseman, the Devils desperately needed that on the roster. Looking at this defense with Sami Vatanen or Damon Severson as the number-one guy hurts the entire defense. However, with those players playing roles in the top four, along with Will Butcher, this actually looks like a good defense. That’s how important Subban is.
Then, there’s his contract. The Devils were the only team able to take the full $9 million per season owed to P.K. Subban that wanted him. Shero was willing to take that leap because there is only three seasons left on his contract. That means that $9 million will come off the books when it’s time to pay Jack Hughes big bucks.
It’s too perfect. Who knows what Hughes will be owed in three years. We don’t want to look too far ahead and assume he’ll be a superstar, but it would foolhardy to not think about what’s to come when it comes to the salary cap. Say the Devils instead traded for Jacob Trouba. They’d have to pay him for at least five years, and more likely seven years.
That, along with possible extensions to Nico Hischier and Taylor Hall, could cause the Devils to be one of those teams in salary cap Hell. But with Subban coming off the books, they could replace his price with what Hughes will likely cost.
However, what if this wasn’t just a three-year move? When Subban’s contract ends, he will only be 33 years old. We talked about the possibility of Subban staying with the Devils for more than three years on this week’s Let’s Go Devils Podcast.
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Fans were not thrilled with the idea. Some said that re-signing a defenseman past his prime was the opposite of what the Devils wanted to do, while others said we were looking too far into the future.
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However, Shero always has a plan. He didn’t trade for Subban thinking about next season. He traded for Subban knowing how he would impact the team throughout the entirety of his time in New Jersey.
This sounds like something that could benefit the Devils for a long time. Subban brings a certain personality to the team, something the Devils have been missing for a while. Under the Lou Lamoriello years, the Devils were only able to show their personality on the ice. With Ray Shero, he’s allowed the Devils to be more themselves, but they haven’t had that extremely marketable player to help them make headway in the New York market. Subban is that player.
Plus, it’s likely something Subban wants to do himself. He’s currently in a long-term relationship with former skier Lindsey Vonn. Having her close to New York City for her post-skiing career has to make them both happy. If they eventually get married and start a family, it feels like the right place to do it for both.
Yes, Subban may be past his prime, but if the Devils aren’t paying Subban a ridiculous price, he’s still well worth another contract based on what he did during his prime. He wouldn’t get another $9 million deal. The Devils would be looking at some sort of pay cut depending on how he plays with New Jersey.
Older defensemen can still be very effective. Mark Giordano just won the Norris Trophy at 35 years old. Brett Burns is still one of the best scoring defensemen in the NHL at 34 years old. There are options, and one might say that it’s few and far between, but Subban plays the type of game that can still be effective when he slows down. As long as injuries don’t put a stop to things, then keeping Subban on the Devils for the rest of his career might be a fun option.