The New York Knicks are in the Eastern Conference thanks to a concerted effort of the front office to build a quality starting lineup. The Knicks are led by Jalen Brunson, but they get major contributions from Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby. It's a true team approach to the game.
That's how the Devils want to win games next season. They know they relied too much on Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Timo Meier for offense. So, they want to get more impactful offensive contributors this offseason. The secondary scoring was a problem, but the defense wasn't contributing offensively, either.
Despite having Luke Hughes in year two and Dougie Hamilton returning from injury, the Devils weren't generating enough offense from the defense. That's why it's so intriguing to hear reports regarding Quinn Hughes. The eldest Hughes Brother would be the biggest possible offensive upgrade short of somehow signing Mitch Marner.
Hughes added 16 goals and 60 assists to the Canucks offense, and that was a major drop off from his Norris Trophy-winning season of 2023-24. Hughes was trying to carry the Canucks as their captain, but the drama paired with a team-wide drop in production was too much for any player to overcome by himself. Hughes also dealt with a few injuries himself, which caused him to miss the 4 Nations Face-Off, the first chance he's had to play alongside his brother Jack Hughes in years.
There are a million reasons why the Devils should trade for Quinn Hughes, but the New York Knicks are a lesson in why the Devils should be careful in how they acquire Hughes, if they do it before he hits free agency in 2027.
The Knicks sent all of their supporting pieces and three draft picks to get Carmelo Anthony. Like Hughes, Anthony was close to free agency, and the prevailing wisdom was that he wanted to play in his hometown of New York. The Knicks could have waited and signed Anthony in free agency, but trading for him meant the Knicks could give Anthony a longer contract (similar to the Devils and Quinn Hughes).
Most analysts agree that the Knicks paid a hefty price for 'Melo. They were playing a scrappy version of basketball that stretched the floor and hit three pointers. Anthony changed their game, but it would have been fine if they didn't send their contributing pieces.
Losing a player like Danilo Gallinari is like the Devils losing Dawson Mercer. If that's the biggest piece lost, the Devils could survive, but the problem is the Knicks also sent the Nuggets Timofey Mozgov (Anton Silayev comp), Wilson Chandler (Brett Pesce), Raymond Felton (Johnny Kovacevic), and a first-round pick and two second rounders. The Devils would likely have to add another superstar prospect to make the deal work.
It's one thing to trade the youth on this team to make the deal work. The most popular example of a deal was defenseman Simon Nemec, Mercer, and a first-round pick in 2026. That wouldn't devastate the Devils and would keep the Canucks in the realm of decent expectations. It would reset Vancouver with great talent.
However, if they start to add too many NHL players to the deal if the Canucks are trying to stay relevant, it will hurt the Devils' chances to stay competitive. Unless one of those pieces is removing a Devils' problem (like Ondrej Palat's contract), it doesn't make sense for them to rush this and hurt themselves.