New Jersey Devils: Potential Mid-Season Trades

Trade Two

Arizona is in full rebuild and with three 1st-round picks already, they could be good in three years if the lottery goes well for them. With this fourth 1st-round pick this year and the ability to move Phil Kessel and Anton Stralman they could have an almost hilarious five 1st-round picks and 6 2nd-round picks this season. It is entirely possible other franchises will offer players on top of their 1st-round picks but the value of a Devils 6-10th overall pick is beyond the 25th overall they would likely be getting from a Stanley Cup contender. So the question would be do they want a super high pick from us or someone else to throw in a few other B prospects.

From the Devils perspective, they get a top-four left-shot defender who has three seasons left after this at $4.6 million. Their depth on that side would become Graves-Chychrun-Siegenthaler which, to be honest, looks really good. If it didn’t set this team up for success in that area it just isn’t going to happen.

Trade Three

Both players are the same age and Crouse has fewer points and goals in his career. So why do this? Pavel Zacha is put in a position to score and never does anything with it. He is paired with Nico Hischier and misses easy goals consistently, doesn’t generate anything on his own, doesn’t hit, and can’t play defense at all anymore. Looking at straight points, Zacha looks like the better player and for the average fan the Devils probably look like they are getting ripped off, but for a guy who competes and lays the body, this is a trade the team should make before the league see’s what Zacha actually is. This would make the team immediately harder to play against and the difference in goals probably wouldn’t even change for the team as whoever moves into the spot with Hischier next season can capitalize on his playmaking better.