New Jersey Devils: 3 Teams To Target In Damon Severson Trade
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils were once one of the best teams in the NHL. It was great when the team was amidst a 13-game winning streak. Now, the team is in the middle of a five-game losing streak. It’s brought the expectations down to Earth, and the thoughts of being one of the best teams in the league are out the window. By record, they are still the top team in the Metropolitan Division. However, things seem to be unraveling a bit.
There have already been some “panic” moves to try and right the ship. Head coach Lindy Ruff added Alexander Holtz to the everyday lineup after previously deciding he wasn’t fast enough. He’s changed the lines more times than we can count. The latest stunt was when he benched Damon Severson so he could play Kevin Bahl on his off hand. Severson made a serious mistake that led to a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. Bahl and Brendan Smith were not good together, and Severson has been really good with Smith this season.
Benching Severson likely has some teams calling about his availability. They probably want a deal, but there’s a chance the Devils can find a deal that makes sense. They need help scoring, and many teams need right-handed defensemen. Who might be a good fit for a trade?
St. Louis Blues
There are so many reasons why the Devils and St. Louis Blues make sense as trade partners. If the Blues want to be one-time sellers and get back to competing next season, they have some intriguing pieces on expiring contracts. We talked about Ryan O’Reilly. We’ve also talked about Vladimir Tarasenko. However, the Blues may not be ready to sell just yet.
So then, wouldn’t a one-for-one trade involving Severson make sense? The Blues’ defense has been dreadful this season. They need to overhaul the unit, and bringing in Severson would make sense. He is a rental, but he can once again prove himself in a top role like he did with the Devils for years. Maybe at the end of the season, the Blues could decide to re-sign Severson.
The Devils could do the same with O’Reilly or Tarasenko. Would any Devils fan be mad if they turned Severson into a star forward? This trade makes sense for the Devils. If the Blues aren’t willing to completely give up on the season, this would be the right trade.