4. Damon Severson
This one might seem a little strange, but it’s probably just as important as the other pieces. The Devils are facing a strange dilemma. They have a LOT of unrestricted free agents this offseason. Ryan Graves, Miles Wood, Tomas Tatar, Eric Haula, and Johnsson can all walk for nothing after the season. In previous seasons, the Devils would look at this time of year to get the biggest return for pending UFAs.
That’s not the case anymore. The Devils are the buyers now. They want to keep these players. In fact, they may end up trading for one. However, Tom Fitzgerald has always made interesting moves at this time of the year. He traded for Jonas Siegenthaler when he was perceived as a seller.
Why wouldn’t he flip the script the other way? Damon Severson has been the best third-line defenseman in the league. He makes it work with whoever he’s paired with and is a quality offensive defenseman.
Many teams will line up to get Severson. Teams had in the past when the Devils made him available. Now, he’s facing free agency, and the Devils likely have no interest in keeping him beyond this season. Dougie Hamilton is a better offensive defenseman, and John Marino is a better defensive defenseman. There’s no room for Severson in the future, and the Devils may use him to get extended assets.