Pucks and Pitchforks
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5 Players New Jersey Devils Can Trade For Before Training Camp

By Nick Villano

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 06: Max Pacioretty #67 and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights warm up before a game against the New Jersey Devils at T-Mobile Arena on January 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Devils 3-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 06: Max Pacioretty #67 and Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Vegas Golden Knights warm up before a game against the New Jersey Devils at T-Mobile Arena on January 6, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Golden Knights defeated the Devils 3-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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Mackenzie Blackwood #29 of the New Jersey Devils (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Max Pacioretty

Max Pacioretty has been in rumors for a few weeks, and it makes a lot of sense for the Devils. He’s no longer the star who signed a $7 million AAV contract with the Vegas Golden Knights, but he is still very serviceable. He can bring a veteran presence to the Devils while scoring 20 goals and 50-60 points per season. He’s only 32 years old, so he shouldn’t fall off much more during his current contract, which lasts three more seasons.

Pacioretty is able to submit a 10-team no-trade list, so that is something the Devils will have to overcome. If the Devils aren’t on it, then it’s a perfect marriage. Mostly only because the Devils can take on his cap hit (with a little maneuvering this season) and reap the benefits.

Those benefits need to be a very large sweetener from the Vegas Golden Knights. They need to get under the salary cap this season. They are about $1 million over at the moment. The Knights will want more flexibility for future seasons. They only have $5.6 million to spend next season. This team doesn’t really have a lot of entry-level contracts to make up for those big deals.

The Devils will ask for their own 2nd-round pick back that they gave up in the Nikita Gusev trade. That is just the start. It would also take either the Hurricanes’ 5th rounder or the Jets 4th rounder to get this deal done. The Devils need some serious draft capital in order to make this deal. Heck, they might ask for a 1st-round pick. This contract is extreme, and to get the Knights out of the deal will cost them.

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