The New Jersey Devils tried and failed for years to get star players to complement the ones that they already had in-house. Tom Fitzgerald famously said after one particularly rough trade deadline, that they “came in second.” That became the moniker for the Devils under Fitzgerald.
They came in second for Connor Hellebuyck in 2023 when they refused to trade Dawson Mercer, and he had his Hart Trophy season in Winnipeg. They came in second (or worse) for so many other players they were tied to that it became hard to trust any of the rumors we were hearing. There were so many leaks, and the purpose behind them was hard to decipher.
Things are different now. Out of the clear blue sky, the Devils traded for Connor Hellebuyck. The team’s goaltending was a problem, and in a moment, it was solved.
When players see a team willing to do that, they want to join the team. That’s probably why Dylan Larkin added the Devils to his list of acceptable trade destinations. Things escalated there when the Detroit Red Wings suspended Larkin, and that situation seems like it’s going to resolve itself soon.
For now, the Devils still seem to be in the Larkin sweepstakes, but they are likely an outsider. They just gave up a ton of assets in the Connor Hellebuyck trade, the one they actually got done, so the pieces they could theoretically send to Detroit are slim. Are they slimmer than the likes of the Minnesota Wild, the team that’s always been considered the favorite here?
The Devils may need to pivot to Ryan O'Reilly
The Devils might have to move to a different player entirely. The most likely scenario is that the Devils would just stay patient and wait for another long-term play to come around. We see surprising stars become available every season. With teams like the Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Philadelphia Flyers at the bottom of the standings, some interesting players could become available.
It might be a little early, but The Athletic’s Chris Johnston just released his in-season trade board. Things can change quickly, but this gives a sense of whose name has been out there.
At the top of the list are Larkin and his teammate Simon Edvinsson, but it’s who is at number four that has us interested. Mr. Ryan O’Reilly is still sitting there, available after all these years. Barry Trotz is no longer calling the shots, and his Chris MacFarlane has already made a deal with Sunny Mehta, trading him Luke Evangelista for two draft picks.
Why would the Devils want O’Reilly? He is 35 years old and in the final year of a four-year deal. The Predators have always asked for the moon for O’Reilly. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but he famously has one in theory, whatever that means. Basically, the Preds are saying they would only trade ROR if he accepted the move.
Would he accept a move to the Devils? He has to see the writing on the wall in Nashville, and another successful playoff run would possibly get him one more payday.
Does it make sense for the New Jersey Devils at this point? He does have seven goals and seven points in 13 games. Having him fourth on the trade board means something seems likely. Could the Predators accept that ROR wants to be there forever and re-sign him? Sure, but when looking at the trade board, this is the name that stands out.
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