5 Players Worth New Jersey Devils’ First-Round Pick In NHL Draft
By Nick Villano
Matthew Tkachuk
This one seems like the most obvious move, but it would have to happen in the offseason. The Flames literally just traded for Tyler Toffoli, trading their first-round pick in the process. So, the Flames are looking to make big money moves while they still have Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau on the roster. They are both different types of free agents this offseason, which is going to change them completely next season.
If Gaudreau leaves in the offseason, it’s hard to think they would also trade Tkachuk. However, his contract situation is one that’s hard to believe. He is getting $9 million in pure salary for the final year of his deal, which means he will make $9 million on a qualifying offer. That’s a hefty price for anyone to use as their starting point.
The Devils are one of the few teams to afford that kind of deal as a starting point. Sure, it would make things tight next season, but the Devils could make some other moves to get them breathing room. The Flames, on the other hand, have $27 million in salary cap space. However, they have only seven forwards and three defensemen signed to contracts.
If the Flames are looking to bring back Gaudreau or don’t want to make that kind of commitment (which seems unlikely), then the Devils could make a trade look really enticing surrounding that first-round pick. They might have to add a little more, but that pick makes this trade more intriguing than other deals teams might propose.