The New Jersey Devils and new general manager Tom Fitzgerald have a lot of work to do this offseason. Three 1st-round picks and a plethora of salary cap space will help aid in the roster tinkering, but what, if anything, will the leadership group of this organization actually be able to do?
More than likely, reality will be far less exciting than any suggestions we in the blogging world can make, but it sure is fun having a go at it. Now it’s my turn. Many of my colleagues here at Pucks and Pitchforks have thrown out plenty of plausible moves centered around teams that are either still playing or recently finished playing, however this is going to look at a team that has been off the ice as long as the Devils — the Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks completed its 2019-20 season with a 29-33-9 record in 71 games. They played well enough to not finish last in the Pacific Division, but not well enough to make anybody in management happy nor well enough to make any of the current roster feel safe and secure.
General manager Bob Murray was so frustrated with his team’s play that he went so far as blasting his players during a 40-minute postmortem press conference back in June. Murray called out his veterans for their lack of effort and chided head coach Dallas Eakins for not holding the younger players accountable for their actions on and off the ice. Suffice to say the winds of change are blowing in Anaheim and as we all know Bob Murray is going to Bob Murray. Simply put, The Ducks GM is no stranger to making a splash and is always willing to play ball on the trade market.
After seeing first hand just how Anaheim was constructed, some serious tweaking is definitely in order. Now enter the Devils and Fitzgerald. The two organizations have a history of making big-time deals with each other, and this offseason could bring more of that. I think Anaheim has several players that could be pried away for the right price. Here is a quick look at some potential targets the Devils could go after if the Ducks are willing to dance.