The New Jersey Devils will be looking through the team’s black box to find out what went wrong this season. After a promising start, the Devils just couldn’t keep up. That’s why this offseason will demand careful consideration of what moves could propel the team out of its current funk.
One notable insider, David Pagnotta of the Fourth Period, believes that two veteran defensemen could hit the market this offseason. If they do, they could become targets for the Devils.
Last summer, the Devils tried to move Dougie Hamilton to San Jose. While Pagnotta believes that move may still be a plausible one, the Sharks also could target Morgan Rielly of the Toronto Maple Leafs or Darnell Nurse of the Edmonton Oilers. That is, naturally, if they become available.
Let's assume for a minute that the Devils manage to unload Hamilton on the Sharks. That situation would open the door for the Devils to target one of Nurse or Rielly. It's not hard to imagine the Leafs or Oilers looking to unload Nurse or Rielly's contracts.
However, the idea of the Devils shipping out a high-priced veteran defenseman for another may seem off the rails. The organization has been desperately trying to jettison Hamilton. So, why bring in another similar contract?
Both Rielly and Nurse come with four years left on their current deals. Nurse has a $9.5 million cap hit, whereas Rielly comes in at a more palatable $7.5 million.
Either way, it would seem outrageous to think that moving Hamilton for either one of Rielly or Nurse could solve anything.
But there may be one way to justify such a move.
Devils may seek 1-for-1 move
Nurse seems unlikely as part of a 1-for-1 trade involving Hamilton. While the Oilers are desperate to clear cap space, trading Nurse for an equally onerous contract might not be what they’re looking for.
As for a Rielly-for-Hamilton swap, there might actually be some logic behind that move. Rielly has been the longest-tenured Maple Leafs player. He’s closing in on 1,000 games in Toronto. But the situation surrounding the team has led pundits to believe he could use a change of scenery.
The same goes for Hamilton. Hamilton could certainly benefit from a change of scenery. So, swapping both players makes sense at that level. Plus, the Devils save about $2 million in cap space.
But there’s one other reason why Rielly in New Jersey wouldn’t be a ludicrous idea. The connection between Rielly and Sheldon Keefe could help the veteran defenseman rekindle his game.
Ultimately, this entire conversation may seem way out in left field. But Devils fans shouldn’t be surprised to hear some of this chatter pick up during the offseason.