The New Jersey Devils have been tied to one very specific rumor. Timo Meier seems to be the main target this season. It makes a lot of sense. Meier fits incredibly with the Devils. He’s close to exactly what they need. The Devils also fit incredibly well with the San Jose Sharks’ needs. They have a ton of prospects and almost all of their NHL Draft picks.
However, the Devils are far from the only team after Meier. The New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, and even the Seattle Kraken have been considered as good fits for Meier. Eventually, someone will hit the Sharks price, and as the Vancouver Canucks did with Bo Horvat, they will say yes.
If that’s the case, the Devils will need to move on. Who could the Devils target? Nobody would fit like Meier. However, there are plenty of targets. For now, we’ll ignore the ones we’ve already discussed. This includes Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly, and Adam Henrique. Here are five under-the-radar trade targets for the Devils.
Alex DeBrincat – Ottawa Senators
Let’s start with a gigantic fish. The Devils were reportedly in on Alex DeBrincat in the summer, but the Ottawa Senators paid the high price to get him. They sent a first and second-round pick in this past draft and a third-round pick in 2024. Now, the Senators are looking at another top pick in 2023.
DeBrincat is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. Are the Senators going to be able to sell him on re-signing, or is this lost season making this negotiation a lost cause? The Sens are going to push hard to see if their new star has an appetite to re-sign. If not, they may try to maximize their return at the trade deadline.
The Devils have a ton of assets, but a DeBrincat trade likely costs more than a Meier one at this point. He’s got 41 points in 50 games. It’s definitely not his best season, but the Devils will likely get the most out of him. He would look really good on Jack Hughes’ wing.