Aside from trading Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators just a day after the Stanley Cup Final ended, it's been a quiet offseason for the New Jersey Devils...so far. But that could change quickly with the NHL Draft beginning tomorrow and free agency starting a few days afterward.
I expect the Devils to do most of their work through the trade market since it's such a shallow year for UFAs. We've had a good sense of trade targets for the Devils, but some new names have popped up on trade boards in recent days since it's draft week. Here are three new targets for general manager Tom Fitzgerald to consider.
Jordan Kyrou
I was a little surprised to see Jordan Kyrou debut at No. 2 on Daily Faceoff's most recent trade board. Per Frank Seravalli, Kyrou has a full no-trade clause that kicks in on July 1, and general manager Doug Armstrong believes Jimmy Snuggerud could soon replace Kyrou's production in the St. Louis Blues' lineup.
Kyrou has been one of the more underrated top-six wingers in the NHL over the last three seasons, totaling 30 goals and 65 points or more in each of them. He was the Blues' second-most efficient five-on-five scorer this season behind Robert Thomas, averaging 2.44 points per 60 minutes.
Kyrou is an ideal fit for the Devils for a few reasons. One) He's a high-volume shooter and a plus finisher, something they could sorely use on one of their scoring lines. He's also an excellent skater, with his top skating speed ranking in the 90th percentile this past season.
While Kyrou's strength is his shooting and scoring ability, he's a solid playmaker. He's also one of the best rush players in the NHL, with his rush offense ranking in the 96th percentile this past season, and he's excellent in transition.
Kyrou is 27 years old and under contract for six more years at a cap hit of $8.125 million. The Devils would have to get creative to make it work financially for next season, but they shouldn't have too much trouble in the long run with the salary cap rising the way it is.
It won't be cheap to acquire Kyrou. It'd likely take a package of Seamus Casey, Dawson Mercer, and the Devils' 2026 first-round pick, but he's worth it. He's the plus finisher the team needs and would be an instant upgrade on the wing for Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier.
Viktor Arvidsson
The writing appears to be on the wall for Viktor Arvidsson in Edmonton. The Oilers have already traded Evander Kane to free up cap space, and Arvidsson is likely next on the docket. He struggled in his first season with the Oilers, totaling 15 goals and 27 points in 67 games.
Even though Arvidsson didn't score at the level the Oilers needed him to, I don't think he's washed yet. He fired 158 shots on goal this season, so the shot volume is still there. Arvidsson was also one of the best rush players in the NHL this season, ranking in the 100th percentile in rush shots and 99th percentile in rush offense.
That might be a product of how the Oilers play, but his skating is still quite good. His top skating speed ranked in the 88th percentile, and the Devils do need to get faster this offseason, among other things.
Arvidsson has one year left on his deal at a cap hit of $4 million. Kane went for a 2025 fourth-round pick, so Arvidsson should not cost much more to acquire than that. I don't love him at $4 million, but the Devils would need a third-party facilitator to retain money since the Oilers likely want the whole cap hit off their books.
Still, I don't mind Arvidsson to upgrade the middle six. It looks like he still has something left in the tank, and he's probably a good bet to be an upgrade over most of what the Devils iced in their middle six in 2024-25.
Jared McCann
For a while, it didn't look like Jared McCann would be available this offseason, but that seems to have changed. He appeared on The Fourth Period's most recent Summer Trade Watch and is now on The Athletic's trade board.
McCann isn't the skater Kyrou is, but his shooting ability is about on par. He's averaged 31 goals and 65 points per 82 games over the last three seasons and has one of the best shots in the NHL, with his top shot speed ranking in the 99th percentile this past season.
McCann has also been one of the most efficient five-on-five goal scorers in the NHL since the start of 2022-23. He's averaged 1.20 goals per 60 minutes, tied for sixth with Kyrou for forwards league-wide (min. 1000 minutes played). Only Tage Thompson, Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak, and Artemi Panarin have scored goals at a more efficient rate at five-on-five than McCann (and Kyrou).
Rob DeLuca and I wrote about possible Dawson Mercer trade packages around the holidays, and McCann was one target I had for Mercer. I have not changed my stance on that and would include Mercer in a package for McCann without thinking twice.
McCann has two years left on his contract at a cap hit of $5 million, so he'll be more affordable than Kyrou on the Devils' cap sheet. It's also worth noting that his contract conveniently expires when Quinn Hughes is set to become a UFA, so it's a perfect fit.
Kyrou may be a better player than McCann, but it's marginal. McCann is just as efficient a five-on-five goal scorer as Kyrou but costs $3.125 million annually. That's why I'd choose McCann over Kyrou, though you can't go wrong with either.
It'd likely cost the Devils a draft pick, in addition to Mercer, to acquire McCann, but he's a clear upgrade and the finishing talent they need in their top six.
We'll see what the NHL draft and the rest of the offseason brings, but it should be busy in the Garden State, and many of the Devils' improvements will likely come through the trade market.
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Advanced stats from Natural Stat Trick, Advanced Hockey Stats and NHL EDGE