The New Jersey Devils have had a very okay off-season. They haven’t added a top-six forward like fans were hoping would happen by now, nor do they have Luke Hughes extended.
The bottom six signings of Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov will be helpful, but more needs to be done. If they go into 2025-26 with the roster that they currently have, they will be a good team but could fall short of being a great team.
With the health of Jack Hughes, along with the rest of the star players on the roster, a good top-six addition could make them even better than a great team.
To get there, they may need to make some financial decisions. Trading away some salary would go a long way in helping them address all of their current issues. Trading these three players makes the most sense:
Ondrej Palat
Ondrej Palat is the number one trade piece on this Devils agenda. It isn't because he's the most attractive to somebody else; it's the fact that the New Jersey Devils aren't getting enough out of his play for the price that they are paying him.
Palat's $6 million cap hit is hefty. Only Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier make more than him amongst the forwards. Those are New Jersey's best four forwards. Palat is not their fifth-best, or even close.
Moving Palat is somewhat difficult, but it can be done. The New York Rangers have become masters at getting Western Conference teams to take on their bad contracts. The Devils may have to throw a sweetener in the deal, but it can be done.