Entering the 2026 offseason, the New Jersey Devils are in a bit of a cap bind. They have a shade over $11 million in cap space, with notable entry-level contracts ending for Simon Nemec and Arseny Gritsyuk, among several others on expiring deals. As such, clearing space is of paramount importance for new GM Sunny Mehta.
One such name that makes a lot of sense as a cap-clearing candidate is Stefan Noesen, who, at 33 years of age, underwent season-ending knee surgery in January. He also began the 2025-26 season by missing all of training camp and the first two weeks of the season due to recovery from a groin surgery. When he came back, it was clear he just wasn't the player he'd been even a season ago.
In his 38 games in 2025-26, Noesen had an expected goal share (xGF%) of just 45.92%, according to NaturalStatTrick. Among players with at least 30 games played, this ranked third-worst on the team behind only Paul Cotter (41.81%) and Luke Glendening (36.58%). Noesen scored three goals and seven total points in those games to boot.
The veteran grinder is entering the last season of his three-year, $2.75 million AAV contract, and while there are other, more notable ways to clear cap space (namely, trading Dougie Hamilton), shedding Noesen is one of several smaller moves New Jersey can make to be more comfortable financially. Given his production, decline, injury history, and the fact that there are more impactful players the Devils can ice for a third of the salary, it might be time to explore what the Devils might be able to get back -- if anything -- in a trade.
Stefan Noesen is a clear cap casualty for the New Jersey Devils
There are a couple of comparable trades in recent years to work from, which makes hypothesizing a potential trade a bit easier. One such trade was centered around veteran energy winger Brandon Tanev, who was dealt from the Seattle Kraken to the Winnipeg Jets in March of 2025 in exchange for a second-round draft pick. Tanev was making $3.5 million at the time, all of which was absorbed, and totaled 17 points in 60 games that season.
Another comparable trade is the one that sent Wayne Simmonds from New Jersey to Buffalo, with the Devils getting a conditional fifth-round pick in return. The Devils retained 50% of Simmonds' $5 million salary in the deal. The then-31-year-old veteran power winger had 24 points in 61 games to that point.
Of note, Noesen is just one year removed from his 22-goal, 41-point campaign with New Jersey. In 2024-25, his utility as a netfront presence was exploited on the power play, though he did also play in middle-six minutes. Preceding that, he had two straight 35-point seasons with the Hurricanes. That production clearly has value, as do his leadership qualities, physicality, and ability to play up and down the lineup.
Given those two trades, should the Devils be looking to move on from Noesen -- something they absolutely should be trying to do -- it's reasonable to assume that a mid-round pick (a fourth-rounder, perhaps) will be the return coming the Devils' way. The veteran does have a seven-team NTC, but there would be teams asking for his services.
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