Devils suggested trade for Maple Leafs Matthews is off the rails

A suggested trade involving the New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs is one of the wildest ideas to hit the internet in a while.

A discussion by the crew at Daily Faceoff posited a potential swap between the Leafs and Devils, one that would send Auston Matthews to New Jersey.

The trade is predicated on the uncertain situation facing Matthews in Toronto. Despite winning the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, there is little clarity in Toronto. The club could end up turning things around or completely falling off a cliff.

It’s that uncertainty that has implications for Matthews’ potential permanence with the Maple Leafs. In fact, the chatter has picked up regarding the possibility of Toronto trading its captain.

And the idea of sending him to New Jersey is one of the most creative. Here’s the idea:

Devils get:

• Auston Matthews, F

Maple Leafs get:

• Nico Hischier, F
• Simon Nemec, D
• 1st round pick.

All told, the Devils would be sending the equivalent of three first-round picks to the Maple Leafs. Two of those were picked in the top two of the draft. Most importantly, the Devils and Leafs would be swapping captains. Right off the bat, this deal is about as insane as they come.

Trading Hischier for Matthews just doesn’t make sense. The idea here would be to add, not subtract. If the idea was to bring in Matthews and keep Hischier, well, that’s another story. But switching top-line centers just doesn’t make sense. Even if the salary cap implications would be hard, there’s no reason why sacrificing Hischier makes any real sense.

Yes, Hischier needs a new contract. But that doesn’t mean trading him in a deal like this. If anything, getting three pieces back for Hischier would be a much better deal than giving up that much for just one player.

Why Matthews would make sense for Devils

That Matthews makes sense for the Devils, there’s no question. Matthews could well play alongside former Team USA teammate Jack Hughes.

Matthews could either play ahead of or behind Hischier. Plus, Matthews would add a major weapon on the power play.

Then, there’s the connection to Sheldon Keefe. Keefe coached Matthews for about five seasons in Toronto. That connection could bode well for both coach and player. Perhaps a reunion with Keefe would allow Matthews to get back to his 60-goal form.

That said, the goal would be to team up Hischier and Matthews to create a powerful one-two punch down the middle. On top of that, the Devils could deploy someone like Dawson Mercer as the 3C.

The 4C spot would be much easier to fill, considering the top three centers already in the fold.

While it might seem that landing Matthews might be a bit of a pipe dream at this point, Devils fans shouldn’t discount the possibility. Things can change in a hurry. And with the way things are going in Toronto, there’s little doubt that the new management team would be willing to listen to offers on just about every player in the organization.

So, there’s always the chance that something unexpected could happen. We’re not suggesting this trade is imminent. But at least it’s not impossible. For the right price, the Devils should certainly pursue this trade.

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