New Jersey Devils Trade Deadline Preview: Who Should They Keep?
Another NHL Trade Deadline is upon us, and the New Jersey Devils are again in the midst of a losing season, but that doesn’t mean the roster is lost. Next Monday, March 21st, NHL front offices will be sent into a frenzy when teams will be dealing assets left and right. Some franchises will be selling off whatever guys they can get a draft pick for, and others will be looking to bolster their team in hopes of making a Stanley Cup run.
Over the last decade, the Devils have obviously done a lot of losing, which has led them to be sellers most seasons as of late. This season is no different. The Devils are as far away from a playoff spot as you could get, which would call for a fire sale for most teams in that same spot.
However, disregard their record for a second. For the first time in a long time, Devils fans are feeling some level of optimism about this year’s team. Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt are enjoying breakout seasons. Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Dawson Mercer are outstanding cornerstones for the future. Whatever it is, it seems like general manager Tom Fitzgerald has a good recipe brewing in New Jersey.
I bring these players up because two of them were acquired from the Devils’ front office being aggressive. Of course, the Devils got Hughes, Mercer, and Hischier from sucking and or selling. Still, their two defensemen of the future were obtained. One at the trade deadline, and the other in free agency.
The point is, for the first time in a long time, the Devils seem like they’re on the brink of bursting through the light at the end of the tunnel. While some guys should and will be traded at the deadline, some guys shouldn’t be dealt because their talent or veteran leadership goes a long way for the future of this team.
Their poor record shouldn’t deter them from doing a Siegenthaler-type deal again (taking a chance on someone who hasn’t been given the opportunity to excel) or trading for someone with control.
Players who should be moved
Pavel Zacha: The former 6th overall pick is only 24, but his time in Jersey seems to be coming to an end.
The relationship between Zacha and the Devils’ fanbase has been toxic from the start. Often ridiculed by fans because of his high draft selection and all the notable all-stars selected after him, Zacha hasn’t done much to clear himself of those complaints.
He hasn’t done much outside of last year’s covid-season, where Zacha led the team in points with 35 over 50 games. This season, it was expected that Zacha would take another step forward. Instead, he reverted to much of his older play style, inconsistency.
One game, Zacha will play like his salary is on the line, and for the rest of the week, you won’t even realize he’s playing. It’s one thing struggling to find consistency in your game. It’s another thing if the consistency results from not giving 100% effort.
Zacha’s not much of a hustler for loose pucks. Don’t expect him to win a puck battle or have a high-energy shift that’ll give the bench momentum.
The Devils need winners on this team if they expect to, of course, win games. The way to accomplish that is by snagging veterans who’ve won before, not giving roster spots to uninvested players.
There are a few teams interested in Zacha’s services: the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, and Washington Capitals. The talent is there; the drive in New Jersey isn’t.
NOTE: Zacha left Tuesday’s game against the Canucks due to a cross-check. The severity of the injury is unknown, but he missed Wednesday’s game against the Flames.
Damon Severson: Yes, I know what you’re thinking, didn’t this guy state at the beginning of this article the Devils shouldn’t move anyone who helps them win? Yes, and Severson definitely helps them win. But in a year from now? I’m not so sure.
Severson has been a rock on the Devils’ blue line, leading all players in time on ice for the last four seasons. He’s also enjoying a career year. Severson has 33 points in 57 games, which over 82 games, is good for a career-high 47 points, which would be the most by a Devils defenseman since Will Butcher back in 2017-18.
So, why would the Devils trade Severson if he obviously makes them better? Contracts. At the end of next season, Damon Severson will be a free agent commanding a good amount of money. There has been no word on whether or not the Devils will look to extend him.
However, at the end of this season, the Devils will need to sign Jesper Bratt to a long-term deal, and that money needs to come from somewhere. The Devils don’t need to have three defensemen on long-term deals, and the Devils likely want to sign Jonas Siegenthaler long term after next season. Most reasonable Devils fans would take the defensively elite Siegenthaler over the sometimes-defensive liability Severson.
If the Devils decide to move him now, they’ll get the biggest return considering he’s having a career year and has another year left on his deal. Another guy with undeniable talent will garner a lot more interest at the trade deadline and a huge haul for his services. It comes down to whether Fitzgerald will make him available, which I think he will, but will only sell him for the right price.
Players who should stay:
P.K. Subban: Now I really know what you’re thinking; this guy wants to trade Severson but keep Subban when the big picture goal is winning? Precisely.
Alright, I can’t lie, maybe I’m a Subban homer. Out of pure coincidence, I direct messaged him on Instagram two hours before he got traded to the Devils, telling him, “P.K., I can not wait for you to be in red and black. Today is the day.” I also bought his jersey immediately and went to the Devils’ introductory press conference event for him.
However, my bias doesn’t blind me from the fact that the trade was a flop, and Subban’s performed to anything but what was expected out of him. That being said, he’s been solid this season.
Subban has been a great 3rd pairing d-man. He bought into a new role that allows him to play against lesser talent and has enabled him to simplify his game a ton. Another thing Subban brings, arguably the most important thing, is veteran leadership.
Outside of goaltender Jonathan Bernier who is done for the year and may not even be on the roster next season, Subban is the oldest on the roster at the age of 32.
For a team that’s super young and doesn’t know how to win, Subban does. He’s won a James Norris, he’s been to a Stanley Cup final, and he’s played in countless amounts of playoff series.
The Devils need veteran leadership. He brings it and a lot of it.
While I’m fully aware Subban has met with Fitzgerald about his future and that he’s unlikely to come back next year, I think Fitzgerald should change his mind.
“I sat down with P.K. yesterday, and we talked about uncertainty and the deadline and that we’re not at a spot where we’re looking to extend him at this point,” the New Jersey Devils G.M. told The Athletic.
If this is the case, then, of course, the Devils should deal Subban at the deadline and get something for him. However, I think they’d be better suited to get him back on a cheap deal and give him the same role.
Possible Trade Targets:
Jake DeBrusk: Earlier this season, Jake DeBrusk requested a trade from Boston, and despite his recent success, the feeling has remained the same. Debrusk eclipsed the 15+ goal mark for the fourth time in five tries this season. Three seasons ago, he scored a career-high 29 goals. The potential to score goals is there, something the Devils could use. Debrusk is still just 25 and enters the offseason as an RFA.
Brandon Hagel: Brandon Hagel, 23, is on the trade block in Chicago, and I cannot tell you why. He’s enjoying a breakout season scoring 20 goals and adding 16 assists for the Chicago Blackhawks, which over an 82-game span is good enough for 55 points. Hagel, who scored a hat trick against the Devils a few weeks back, is under contract for two more years, and the Devils have already expressed interest in him.
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Brock Boeser: Unless you live under a rock when it comes to Devils’ news, which you definitely don’t, considering you’re reading this article, you know the Devils have interest in Brock Boeser. He already has multiple 20 goal seasons on his resume, and like DeBrusk, he’s only 25 and will be an RFA at the season’s end. He has an interesting contract that comes with a $7.5 million qualifying offer this offseason.