3. Clayton Keller
The Arizona Coyotes are currently in flux. After the Tempe vote went sideways, nobody knows where they will play next. Is it Salt Lake City? Will Houston be their new home? Can they make Phoenix work? You know who might hate this most? The players.
Nobody is signed for longer than Clayton Keller, but one might think he would demand a more stable situation. The New Jersey Devils would make a lot of sense. They are at the beginning of their window, matching the 24-year-old’s prime with that of Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Jack Hughes and others. Keller is the exact kind of player the Devils want but likely wouldn’t get in another circumstance.
Keller is coming off a point-per-game season, putting up 86 points. He’s a better player than Bratt, and the Coyotes would likely ask the Devils to add to the deal. The Devils could do that on the defensive end, helping the Yotes add to a terrible blueline.
The issue here is whether the Devils will want to do this to Bratt. Obviously, if a trade were to happen, things would go sideways in negotiations. However, sending someone to the uncertainty of Arizona because negotiations didn’t go well could scare players away in free agency. This would be a ruthless move that might have a ripple effect others don’t expect.