Connor Hellebuyck trade could be part of a bigger Devils plan

The New Jersey Devils may not be close to done following Friday’s Connor Hellebuyck trade. As insider Elliotte Friedman discussed in the post-trade fallout, the Devils' massive blockbuster may just be the beginning of a bigger push to bolster the team.

“I think everybody here is kind of looking at this and saying: Is this step one of some sort of multi-step move for New Jersey?”

Friedman added that if the Hellebuyck trade is just the first part of a broader plan, everyone is curious to see what GM Sunny Mehta has up his sleeve.

Of course, those other parts point to Dylan Larkin and Quinn Hughes. The idea of landing Larkin would have to be via trade. And with Larkin’s Team USA teammate now in the New Jersey, it makes sense that Larkin would add the Devils to his trade list.

As for Quinn Hughes, the likelihood here is that the still-Minnesota Wild defenseman would sign as a free agent next summer.

It will be fascinating to see how everything unfolds. While there is some speculation that the Red Wings have smoothed things over with Larkin, the prevailing wisdom is that a deal will still happen.

Timing is everything following Hellebuyck trade

Ultimately, timing is everything for the Devils following the Hellebuyck trade. While Devils fans would love to see Hellebuyck, Hughes, and Larkin all join the club at the same time, the bottom line is that timing will be everything for the organization.

The biggest issue with landing Dylan Larkin remains the Red Wings’ asking price. If Detroit remains hellbent on asking for a king’s ransom, the Devils may struggle to get the deal over the line. If that’s the case, a trade may be more likely once this season is over.

The same goes for Hughes. It’s unlikely that Mehta will purse a trade with the Wild. Why would he?

If Hughes really wants to be in New Jersey, the best thing the Devils can do is just hold their breath and hope that Hughes doesn’t extend in Minnesota. Given Hughes’ latest comments, he remains non-committal despite the platitudes he has extended to the Wild.

So, it looks like Mehta, the poker player that he is, is just willing to wait out the other GMs. It seems that’s what he did with the Winnipeg Jets. He waited until the Jets brought down their offer slightly enough to match what he could offer.

That could very well be the case with the Red Wings and Hughes.

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