The New Jersey Devils watched as Jack Hughes left the game against the Vegas Golden Knights hunched over in pain. It made a 2-0 loss in a game the Devils really could have won at parts into a nightmare scenario.
On paper, losing Jack Hughes ruins the Devils’ season. How could it not? A rough stretch since Christmas has the Devils barely hanging onto their third spot in the Metropolitan Division, with the Columbus Blue Jackets surging and only two wins away from New Jersey’s spot.
However, it’s not over. Not by a long shot. The Devils hold the control. Jacob Markstrom returned on Sunday and played well after he missed more than a month with a knee injury. The Devils truly just need to find scoring. They have talent, but it’s not hitting the net. Maybe without the Jack Hughes crutch, something can change. It has to, and here are a few ways the Devils can survive without their star.
1. Make a trade
Reports have been saying that the Devils are going after a center at the trade deadline. They have no depth at the position. Right now, the Devils are set to start Erik Haula, Curtis Lazar AND Justin Dowling at center for lines two, three, and four. No team in this league can make the playoffs that way. It's just impossible, especially with these versions of Haula and Lazar.
The Devils need to make a trade. Who cares if people have you over a barrel? Annoy the hell out of Barry Trotz and get Ryan O'Reilly. Make a call to Seattle and ask them what it takes to get Jared McCann. Heck, get them both! If they can't be had, go get Ryan Donato from Chicago.
Everything is on the line here. We really hope they don't trade Simon Nemec or Dawson Mercer, but it might be impossible to avoid that scenario. The Devils have no leverage and the biggest needs. The deadline is on Friday, but these trades can happen quickly. Get someone on the phone and get an actual offensive center.