Dallas Stars: Jani Hakanpaa
The Devils can cure the loss of Damon Severson on the right side of their defense with a move for Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa. The 31-year-old right-handed defenseman stands 6 feet, 6 inches tall, which also relieves the Devils likely loss of Ryan Graves’s size on their defense. This move can also buy the Devils another year of development in the American Hockey League for their young prospect Simon Nemec. With one year remaining on Hakanpaa’s current deal, this feels like the perfect bridge transaction for the organization. Hakanpaa is a very solid defensive defenseman, so this move would make a ton of sense for the Devils.
Colorado Avalanche: Artturi Lehkonen
The Colorado Avalanche can look to sell high on Artturi Lehkonen after a career-high 21-goal season and a solid seven-game playoff showing where he posted six points. The Devils are at the stage in their contention window where they need to continue to look for playoff players to fill out their roster for deep playoff runs. Lehkonen displayed the ability to succeed on the game’s biggest stage. If the Devils can pry the 27-year-old winger from the Avalanche at a reasonable cost, then this move makes a ton of sense for the Devils. Adding another responsible two-way forward that can score is an absolute no-brainer.