New Jersey Devils: Realistic Pacific Division Trade Targets
New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has shown a knack for making the unexpected offseason move that pays dividends. Now with the Devils on the cusp of competing for a Stanley Cup it makes sense to expect another trade or two from Fitzgerald this summer to continue upgrading this Devils squad. With that being said, let’s speculate. Leading things off is the Pacific Division.
Anaheim Ducks: Troy Terry
Trevor Zegras may be a bit of a pipe dream assuming the Ducks may want to build their franchise around the 22-year-old center. Instead, 25-year-old winger Troy Terry is an intriguing idea. As the next best option for a potential deal between the Devils and the Ducks, Terry will come cheaper than Zegras would and at 25 years old he may not fit the Ducks window of contention considering their current rebuild. Terry could be a nice piece to plug alongside Jack Hughes for the foreseeable future.
San Jose Sharks: Kevin Labanc
Kevin Labanc is an interesting player. Now 27 years old with one year remaining on his contract, the Sharks can look to move him this offseason to recoup any type of asset for him. The Sharks are in the midst of a rebuild and do not look like they will contend any time soon. There is potential for the Devils to swoop in and snag the multiple-time 40+ point scorer at a low cost and plug him into their bottom-six.
Vancouver Canucks: Anthony Beauvillier
Yeah, it’s not Quinn Hughes. The Devils can’t add more money to their blue line, nor will they have space for the eldest Hughes brother. The Devils currently have money tied up in Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, and John Marino. This is a good opportunity for the Devils to clear up some cap space on defense and allow youngsters Luke Hughes, Kevin Bahl, and Simon Nemec to step in at a low cap number.
Okay, now to Beauvillier. The 25-year-old winger was moved at last year’s deadline after 7 years with the New York Islanders. He has 49 games of playoff experience at his ripe age and has performed well in the playoffs with 29 points, including 15 goals. Beauvillier could be a solid addition to the third line and make the Devils a bit deeper at wing.
Calgary Flames: Andrew Mangiapane
The Calgary Flames recently underwent a front office change, so nobody really knows what direction the Flames are heading and which players will still be around next season. After a 35-goal season in 2022, Andrew Mangiapane took a step back this year and tallied 17 goals while playing in all 82 games. The Flames could look to move on from Mangiapane and his $5.8 million cap hit for the next two seasons. Mangiapane could be a solid change of scenery candidate and could potentially thrive on a line with Jack Hughes.
Seattle Kraken: Oliver Bjorkstrand
Oliver Bjorkstrand is a fun name. Historically known as a Devils killer from his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Bjorkstrand can provide the secondary scoring that the Devils so desperately need. Bjorkstrand scored 20 goals and 45 points in the regular season across 81 games and tallied four goals and eight points in 14 2023 playoff games. Slotting Bjorkstrand on your third line instantly makes the team deeper and the secondary scoring better. He also has 10 power-play points, so it is nice to get that on the second unit.
Los Angeles Kings: Alex Iafallo
Should Tom Fitzgerald get word that Alex Iafallo is available, this is a player he should absolutely pursue. Iafallo is a fine two-way player that produced on offense for the Los Angeles Kings this year and takes care of the puck in his own end. My favorite part about Iafallo is his ability to produce on the power play, an area the Devils need to shore up. In just 59 games this season, Iafallo scored 7 times on the power play. That’s a solid number for a player making $4 million for the next two seasons. Sign me up for Alex Iafallo if he is made available.
Edmonton Oilers: Warren Foegele
The Edmonton Oilers roster contains plenty of pipe dream trade candidates, but let’s keep it realistic here. Warren Foegele is a fine two-way player to plug into the bottom six. Foegele can kill penalties and has solid offensive numbers at 5v5, both good traits for a potential fourth liner at a $2.75 million price tag for the 2023-24 season. This wouldn’t be the most flashy, exciting trade of the summer, but Foegele would make the Devils’ fourth line better. They might need that.
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Vegas Golden Knights: Reilly Smith
The Devils can look to reunite the Smith brothers with a move for Vegas Golden Knights winger Reilly Smith. Smith, 32, can still bring it offensively as he tallied 26 goals and 56 points in 78 games this season. The Knights appear to be up against the cap this offseason and can look to move Smith and his $5 million cap hit to create some flexibility. The Devils may view a move for Smith as an upgrade offensively over Tomas Tatar, who is an impending free agent. Reuniting Reilly with his brother Brendan in New Jersey is intriguing.