With recent tweets and rumors surrounding Damon Severson, there are interesting cases to be made for and against the New Jersey Devils trading the defensemen. In this article, we will make those cases.
For some background context, Damon Severson is a 27-year-old, right-shot defenseman taken in the 2nd round of the 2012 NHL Draft. He arguably has been the best player on the blue line since he was drafted, with the exception of former captain Andy Greene.
This season saw new heights for Damon, as he put up career numbers in goals (T-1 with 11), assists (35), and points (46). In a very poor season for the Devils, Severson shined on most nights.
Now the interesting issue with Severson is that he has a year left on a 6-year deal he signed in 2017. The AAV is at 4.167 Mill, which is an extreme bargain for a contending side. Let’s see the two options.
If the Devils do decide to trade Severson, they could get quite a bit back in return. I will base value on what Ben Chirot was traded for at the past NHL Trade Deadline, which was a 1st round pick, a 4th round pick, and a prospect. Severson is a player that most teams, especially contenders, would covet. He is an RHD, on the right side of 30, and can play in all situations. He also has a fairly low cap hit for what he provides on the ice. Making him available for trade could garner a lot of interest.
One name you will see circling among Devils media is William Nylander. Nylander is an elite, 1st line winger on the Toronto Maple Leafs. More importantly, he is a free agent next offseason, and the Maple Leafs will most likely not have the money to resign him, especially with reigning Hart Winner Auston Mattews’ contract extension lurking in the future. The Maple Leafs also need defenders, especially RHD. In these past playoffs, it was clear that while the Leafs could score, they did not have the defensive structure or quality in place to be a true contender. The Devils need a bonafide 1st line winger to play with Jack. A Severson-Nylander swap could make a lot of sense for both teams.
Now, this is arguably too little of value back for Toronto, but it is a decent baseline for a trade. The Devils could add additional picks or prospects to make the trade fairer. But in the end, the Devils and the Maple Leafs could add to severe areas of need.