There are two major issues facing the New Jersey Devils this offseason that most fans know. The first one is that the Devils do not have a game-breaking top-six forward they can put along with Jack Hughes. Jesper Bratt is good, but they need something else, so he is not the only one carrying the load. Timo Meier just has not panned out, and Nico Hischier is more of a two-way forward than a scorer.
The other issue is the goaltending. Jacob Markstrom, with a two-year contract extension kicking in, has not been what anyone wants or needs him to be. Markstrom has been borderline unplayable the last year in New Jersey. While he has shown flashes of why he was traded for a first-round pick and Kevin Bahl, the overall tenure has been a disaster.
The other goalies on the team include Jake Allen. Being paid like a backup, Allen has routinely been the better of the two goalies as the oldest tandem in the NHL. In the system, Nico Daws has been waiting patiently for his turn, and the others are simply not ready.
So, how does new general manager, Sunny Mehta, decide between the two problems to fix first? The Devils have needed a scorer in the top six for years now, and Markstrom is under contract for the next few seasons. It would make sense to make the forward the first move. Enter the Carolina Hurricanes.
It was reported during the week leading up to the NHL Draft that the Hurricanes were interested in the American netminder. The Hurricanes, who just came off a Stanley Cup victory, have been a thorn in the Devils' side for the last few seasons. The two teams have faced off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice in the last four years, and each time the Hurricanes provided the Devils with a gentleman's sweep.
The New Jersey Devils must beat the Carolina Hurricanes to the top trade options at their most-needed position
If the Hurricanes add who most people think is the best goalie in the world, the Hurricanes will become even more of a thorn in the league's side, not just the Devils. At that point, we should just have a Hurricanes and Florida Panthers Eastern Conference Finals every year because it is hard to see any other team coming close to what those teams can do, given their offseason additions and a potential Hellebuyck add.
The timing of the Hurricanes' interest in Hellebuyck is the reason why Sunny Mehta should be offering a king's ransom for Hellebuyck. While he has a No Movement Clause, Hellebuyck might be able to be sold on New Jersey. A team that needs a game-breaking goalie is in the US, and he can team up with his fellow gold medal-winning teammate, Jack Hughes.
The Devils acquired multiple first-round picks for Simon Nemec, and in no sane world should Mehta use them when the time comes. These picks should be flipped for a player of Hellebuyck's stature and pedigree. He will be, on paper, the best goalie the Devils have had since Martin Brodeur. Yes, Cory Schneider was great in his tenure, but he never won a major award with the red and black. Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina winner and a Hart Trophy winner.
The one obstacle in the way of this move is the current Devils goalie situation. What can you do with Jacob Markstrom? Mehta might have to attach a prospect or draft pick sweetener for a team to take on the full contract. Moving Markstrom should be Mehta's first in-house priority. Then, trying to add Hellebuyck should be his next move on the trade market.
With NHL Free Agency coming up shortly, Mehta has a mountain of work to do and not that much time to do it. The main thing is that he cannot allow a team that has already been wreaking havoc on the Devils and the league to get even better. The clock is ticking.
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