New Jersey Devils: Three Trade Packages for Filip Forsberg
The Nashville Predators are in a bad way. Things have gone way downhill for them ever since they hired former New Jersey Devils coach, John Hynes. They are dealing with a lot of the same issues as the top offensive stars there aren’t performing the way we know they can. In New Jersey, a lot of top offensive players are starting to take the next step with Hynes gone and his negative effect is being seen down there in Nashville. It is had an impact on their record as they no longer look like the team that went to the Stanley Cup Final a few years ago.
There are reports out there over the weekend about the Predators. You have to assume that Hynes is on the hot seat because of the way that the team is playing, but now it sounds like some good players might be on the block.
The reports are that Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, and Pekka Rinne are the only three players that are seen as untouchable. That comes as a bit of a surprise as there are still some other really good players down there that could really help any good team win. If New Jersey pounced on one, that would go a long way in helping them become a better team in the long run.
The name that comes to mind first is Filip Forsberg. This guy is one of if not their best forward and he wasn’t named as someone that is untouchable. Forsberg is someone who can play multiple forward positions in the top-six of any team in the league. These are three trade packages that could get him to New Jersey:
Trade One
Some people might expect someone like Filip Forsberg to net the Nashville Predators this big haul if they actually did go ahead and trade for him. Well, there is something to think about. He only has the rest of this year and next year on his contract and then he is free to leave for any team in the league that offers him a contract. That is a risk so it might be hard to trade him for true value. They also allowed their current plans as an organization gets out there so teams know he is available.
Nikita Gusev only has the rest of this year on his deal, so he isn’t the biggest piece in this trade. Even though he has struggled a little bit so far this year, he is still a wildly talented player. He can create plays at a high level when he is going well and the goals have come for him at times as well. If he was willing to re-sign in Nashville, this might be a player they look at.
When it is said that they might not get the haul Forsberg is worth, getting a good NHL player along with a 2nd and 3rd-round pick in the upcoming draft is still pretty nice. These two picks would be important to New Jersey if they kept them but using them to get Forsberg would be really cool. He would help their attack in every way no matter which center they put him with.
Trade Two
Let’s pretend the Predators just wanted a 1st-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft in order to acquire Forsberg. The Devils might stipulate it on a contract extension (if it is over the summer), but that would be a fair trade. Forsberg is a very good player that has proven that he can make highlight-reel plays on a nightly basis to help his team win. Giving up a first for him sure is steep, but it is something to consider. At 26 years old, the best still might be yet to come.
There are plenty of centermen to play with someone like Forsberg in the top six. Of course, Jack Hughes looks like he will have superstar production from an offensive standpoint by himself, so adding a Forsberg to his line might make it even worse. A duo like that could wreak havoc on the rest of the NHL even more than they would separate.
There is also the idea of putting him with Nico Hischier. Hischier is a high-end top-line center, but the offense isn’t as prolific as Jack Hughes (yet). If you gave him a quality offensive winger like Forsberg, that could really get him into the elite stratosphere as far as a two-way centerman. There is a good chance that happens anyway, but adding someone like this could make it happen even quicker. Of course, the fact that there are only a year and a half left on the deal still makes it risky.
Trade Three
If the Devils were serious about getting Forsberg and making an impression on him, they might be willing to give up a few assets that send a message. He is an incredibly talented offensive player that is only 26 so he could fit in on this young team very well. He would also be experienced enough to come in and be a leader right away.
Yegor Sharangovich has had many ups and downs to start his NHL career. He is a talented goal scorer but he clearly can get hot and cold. He dominated the KHL while the NHL was in its late pandemic offseason and that got eyes on him. Now that he is in the NHL, it is clear that the potential is there but there is still a lot more development to go. Nashville might be willing to take a young controllable player like this back.
Will Butcher can’t stay in the lineup on a regular basis. He is a talented offensive defenseman, but he isn’t so good offensively that he outweighs his issues in his own end of the ice. They might end up losing him to the Seattle Kraken anyway if they keep him, so if they can use him in a package like this, it would be worth it.
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Of course, all of this is speculation and meant to be a talking point. There might be people out there who might not pay any of these packages for Forsberg and there might be people who think it would never be enough to get him. The only thing that is for sure is the fact that they are willing to move a player like this at all is very interesting. Whenever that happens, it would be nice to know that the New Jersey Devils do their due diligence.