With so little cap space and such a great need for bottom-six centers, the New Jersey Devils may be forced to part ways with a good young asset like Dawson Mercer to right the ship.
Mercer, 23, has yet to miss a game in his fledgling NHL career, but since exploding for 27 goals and 56 points in 2022-23, the former first-round pick has managed just 69 points in the two seasons he's played since.
With two years remaining on his contract at a $4 million cap hit, Mercer is a reasonably affordable player for another team to take a flier on. He hasn't done all that well at center when called upon, and the last season saw Mercer drop in the lineup in favor of veteran Stefan Noesen.
So, the Devils have to at least consider trading Mercer to find another player who could be of more value.
One name that stands out above the rest is Columbus Blue Jackets forward Cole Sillinger, a former No. 11 overall pick heading into a contract year.
With the recent addition of Charlie Coyle, Sillinger has presumably dropped on Columbus's depth chart, now sitting behind Coyle, Adam Fantilli, and Sean Monahan.
At the winger position, Boone Jenner, Kent Johnson, Dmitry Voronkov, Yegor Chinakhov, and Miles Wood are all left-shots, and the Blue Jackets probably would like to upgrade on Zach Aston-Reese, also a left-shot wing, at some point.
Cole Sillinger could be the answer for the New Jersey Devils
The 6-foot-2 Sillinger does the Blue Jackets no good in the bottom-six, and it won't help that he'll need a raise on his next contract.
Adding Mercer from the Devils gives Columbus a middle-six right wing capable of playing both special teams and is cost-controlled for two more years.
By dealing Mercer (and perhaps a pick or other asset) for Sillinger, the Devils shed some cap space, find a No. 3 center who can play higher in the lineup if and when needed, and buy themselves time on the cap situation for when the ceiling increases again next year.
Sillinger just turned 22 on May 16, can play center or wing, and already has four years of NHL experience. He's a career 45.9% in the faceoff dot, has some size at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, has thrown 100 or more hits in a season twice, and has reached 30 points in three of four seasons.
A similar player to Mercer, no doubt, but hasn't quite hit the same peaks offensively. That's fine, because the Devils can gamble on Sillinger improving his production on a better team, and they need someone who is more of a center, and certainly someone who is more of a physical presence.
If the Blue Jackets are willing to entertain offers on Cole Sillinger, the Devils must inquire. He's one of a few players worth pulling the plug on Mercer early.