New Jersey Devils: 5 Under-the-Radar Trade Targets

Andreas Athanasiou – Chicago Blackhawks

When looking at the Chicago Blackhawks, all the trade rumors will surround Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The two lifetime Hawks are both heading into unrestricted free agency as the team approaches a new era. However, the Devils have no use for Kane or Toews in their current state. Let the Rangers delve into those waters.

The Devils should target another member of the Blackhawks who is on an expiring contract. Andreas Athanasiou was always a cheap option who would fit perfectly into the Devils bottom six. He’s incredibly fast, he can still score, and he finds a way to be clutch.

He’s gotten a lot better defensively after some early-season struggles. Athanasiou can only do so much on the Blackhawks. He can do a lot better with a winning team like the Devils. That defensive responsibility is something the Devils pay attention to. They want players who know when to get better in their own end.

This isn’t going to fix the top six. Athanasiou is too inconsistent offensively to play with Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. However, he’s consistent enough that he would solidify a spot in the bottom six pretty easily. Nobody is going to do backflips when the Devils acquire Athanasiou, but it could be the right move in the long run.