New Jersey Devils: 5 Players Who Could Surprisingly Get Traded
By Nick Villano
Nikita Gusev
Listen, nobody wants this. Well, most people don’t want this. There is a segment of the fanbase who still holds some kind of lofty expectation for him. Either way, Nikita Gusev is finally showing that he’s fully prepared to be a very good NHL forward. He’s in the midst of his prime, and he’s finally used to the NHL games and the New Jersey Devils system. Gusev has learned how to score in the league.
Gusev is currently on pace to score 50 points this season. He was really good in December with 12 points, but slowed down a little bit in December. Some of his advanced stats are even more impressive. 14 of his 17 assists at 5v5 were first assists, meaning he set up the play that ended in a goal.
Gusev leads the team in CF% with 49.80. He’s about even when it comes to chances for and chances against. What’s better is he’s on the ice for a lot more high-danger chances for than high-danger chances against. Based on how he played at the beginning of the year, that seemed like an impossible feat.
Pros And Cons Of Trading Devils Defensemen. dark. Next
Gusev would be extremely valuable on the trade market. He might even get a better haul than the Devils gave up, which was a 2020 2nd-round pick and a 2021 3rd-round pick. Is it worth it to recoup that asset, or should they try and play out the second year of his deal where they might lose him for nothing?