New Jersey Devils: 3 Trade Proposals To Move Needle For David Pastrnak

The New Jersey Devils are uniquely qualified to go after a superstar this offseason. It appears the Boston Bruins are looking to unload everything that’s not tied down. That includes David Pastrnak.

This offseason could be a benchmark for the New Jersey Devils. They’ve been loosely tied to Kevin Fiala, Matthew Tkachuk (although that might be wishful thinking), Vladimir Tarasenko, and other superstars. Teams are going to pine for the second-overall pick. They will love what they see out of prospects like Alexander Holtz, Reilly Walsh, and Arseni Gritsyuk. There are some players who are available that could really change the Devils fortunes. Outside of a goalie, there are no other options that could do that as well as someone like David Pastrnak.

It seems impossible that a player like him would be available. Pastrnak is one of the best scorers in the NHL. There’s no reason he should be available. However, it appears the Bruins are looking to go into a rebuild. Patrice Bergeron is likely going to retire. Brad Marchand is going to miss part of the season after offseason surgery. So will Charlie McAvoy. They will likely trade Jake DeBrusk. The team just fired head coach Bruce Cassidy.

And now a report from The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa says David Pastrnak is not coming back to the Bruins as long as Don Sweeney is the general manager. It’s highly unlikely the Bruins lose their GM, so it seems like a trade of their star player is the most likely option.

So, what might a Pastrnak trade look like? The Devils are uniquely built to make this deal happen. Here’s what it could look like. One note: EVERY trade here comes with an immediate extension. None of these pieces are available for one year of Pastrnak.

Trade 1

Let’s get spicy right off the top. The New Jersey Devils need Pastrnak. They have two amazing centers at the top of their lineup, and adding Pastrnak would immediately give them one of the most exciting top lines in hockey. Except, it would cost them one of their own top-line players and one of the most incredible picks available in a long time.

The Bruins get to build with Yegor Sharangovich, who has one more left on his deal himself. He is a restricted free agent after the deal, so the Bruins will have to pay him soon, but his deal won’t come close to superstar money.

On top of that, the Bruins can draft Logan Cooley. They desperately need a center in the system. They have nothing at the position now or in the future. They have wingers when everyone is healthy, but with Bergeron likely calling it a career (or the slight possibility he could play elsewhere), the Bruins need a center in the worst way.

On top of that, they get Nolan Foote as a throw in. He’s a good prospect who could easily become an NHL player with just a little bit of an adjustment.