3 Trades New Jersey Devils Could Offer For Matthew Tkachuk
The rumor mill was swirling on Tuesday about the possibility that Matthew Tkachuk could be moved. What would the Calgary Flames need from the New Jersey Devils to make it happen?
The New Jersey Devils reportedly tried to make a play for Matthew Tkachuk before the 2022 NHL Draft. Reports say they dangled the second-overall pick to the Flames for Tkachuk, but it wasn’t enough. This was before the Johnny Gaudreau sweepstakes ended with him going to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and it appears things might be changing.
Devils’ social media was abuzz with Matthew Tkachuk trade proposals, so we decided to take a stab at it. Tkachuk is one of the most valuable forwards in the league right now. He had an elite season, and he’s one of the main reasons the Flames had the season they just had. Getting him won’t be cheap. It might be one of the most expensive trades of all time, but it still might not cost what some fans think.
The Devils haven’t really pulled the trigger on a trade like this in years. They haven’t given up a prospect or player before the season that really makes you get that lump in your throat since the Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson deal. And that deal was still a no brainer. There have been no trades that make fans nervous. They have all been either buying low on a player or trying to recoup someone’s value. This is buying at the highest point for a player who’s also going to cost an arm and a leg. So, what will it take?
The Bratt Trade
Jesper Bratt looked like a superstar last season. He was one of the better play drivers at wing, and his ability to excel with all of Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Dawson Mercer is huge. He was the best line on the team every time. There is no way the Devils want to trade Bratt right now. However, they have to pay him coming off his best season by far. Would the Devils be thinking about the risk that comes with signing Bratt for $7 million per season and then thinking about the ensuing risk for Tkachuk? The risk for the latter is far less.
Still, Bratt has a ton of value. He’s 23 years old with a 73-point season under his belt. The Flames could easily use Bratt as a centerpiece to a rebuild. The Flames don’t want a terribly long rebuild, so getting this kind of player for Tkachuk would be hard to compete with.
Which other team in the negotiations could give up a player like this? If the Devils added an unprotected 2023 first-round pick to the deal, then it might move the needle enough. That has to be a part of any deal for Tkachuk. The Flames want draft capital in a crazy deal. The Devils would give him a phenomenal roster player, a future first and a past first. It seems like it might be something that could move the needle.
Draft Picks On Draft Picks
The Devils here still give the Flames a quality young forward in Yegor Sharangovich. He’s a scoring machine whose numbers show he is a pure finisher. The Flames still get a great winger who could grow into something better. The difference here is that Sharagovich’s ceiling is much, much lower than Tkachuk’s. Most would be happy if Sharangovich ever becomes a 30-goal scorer. Tkachuk is coming off a 42-goal season and he’s statistically one of the best players in the league.
So, it’s clearly far off from where the Flames want to be in a trade. The Devils need to add serious draft capital to make this work. They give the Flames two unprotected first-round picks, a second-round pick, plus a former first-round pick in Alexander Holtz.
The Holtz part of this makes it interesting for the Flames. He could be ready to make the NHL this season. He could one day become a 35-40-goal scorer himself. However, the Devils might not feel like his ceiling is as high as one would hope. He’s still incredibly valuable, and the Flames would love to have him.
The Devils are taking a real risk with the draft picks, but Tkachuk has to make them a playoff team, right? They get to keep Bratt and add Tkachuk, giving both Hughes and Hischier legit forwards for the next generation. This seems like the deal that might actually make the Devils decent contenders.
Saying Goodbye To Dawson Mercer
The New Jersey Devils just announced that Dawson Mercer is changing his number to 91 after the signing of Ondrej Palat to a five-year deal. Palat is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, so it seems to make sense that Mercer would make the change. However, Mercer established himself as a really good player last season. He played all 82 games, the only Devils player to do so. He was a highly-touted prospect who continues to excel every season. He can score and he plays a really good center. His motor doesn’t quit, and the Devils would hate to lose him. The issue with Mercer is he’s kind of a man without a position. The Devils don’t want to waste him playing him at center because then he’s behind Hughes and Hischier. Yet, playing him at wing doesn’t seem to be playing to his strengths. This is a move the fanbase would really cringe at, but it might be what it takes to make it happen.
Even with Mercer, the Devils have to add a lot. They add another NHL roster player and center in Jesper Boqvist. He finally found his role on the NHL team last season and looked good over the last month. He would find a really good role on a rebuilding Flames team.
The Devils have to add an unprotected first-round pick in all trades. Yes, even in a trade giving up a teenage center who’s been really good already. The Flames can’t come out of this trade without it or it’s a massive failure. They won’t even allow it to be protected in the top three. It’s a risk the Devils are going to have to take.
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Arseni Gritsyuk has quickly established himself as a top prospect in Russia. He had 16 goals and 28 points in 38 games for Avangard Omsk. He added 10 points in 13 playoff games. He’s 21 years old, and he’s likely in Russia a little longer. However, the Flames know he would be worth the wait. Of course, a lot of these trades would also come with ensuing trades to clear cap space. Look for the Devils to dump a big expiring contract like Andreas Johnsson, Damon Severson, or Tomas Tatar.