New Jersey Devils: 3 Possible Short-Term Trades To Replace Miles Wood

The New Jersey Devils announced on Monday that Miles Wood is out indefinitely after he got hip surgery. The Devils were hoping his injury would not be a long-term issue, but it’s clear that he’s going to miss most if not all of this season. It’s an unfortunate loss for a Devils team that is desperate to find goal scoring, and there really isn’t a lot out there. Maybe Wood’s goals don’t come to mind when Devils fans think of him, but he did lead the team last season with 17. Most people thought he could take it to the next level and score 20 this season.

Now, the Devils have to find a way to replace Wood. There are some interesting options within the system. Tyce Thompson is a name that immediately comes to mind. He’s been scoring at an impressive clip with the Utica Comets. However, the Devils might think they have to look outside the organization to find a replacement for Wood.

The issue with when this is happening is there aren’t a ton of trade candidates out there right now. Teams all think they still have a chance to turn around their season. However, there are teams looking to either gain assets in next year’s NHL Draft or just trying to bring a different feel to their team.

Teams at the top of the standings like the Florida Panthers or the Carolina Hurricanes are not trying to make a deal right now. They don’t want to do anything to mess with the chemistry right now. When they inevitably find a losing streak, maybe that’s when they bring new blood in. However, it’s not happening now.

Where the Devils need to shop is at the bottom of the standings. Those teams are either looking for a desperate move to wake up the locker room or just a move looking ahead to next season. Can any of these players help replace Miles Wood?