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New Jersey Devils trade for depth at a premium position

The New Jersey Devils made a relatively small trade with the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night, but it was a necessary deal after going for years with bad centers in the minor leagues.
ByNick Villano|
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Detroit Red Wings forward Amadeus Lombardi (78): Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Detroit Red Wings forward Amadeus Lombardi (78): Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The New Jersey Devils are starting to make moves. After Sunny Mehta assessed the market and made some front office changes, he started making trades to upgrade the roster and address the issues heading into the offseason. 

First, Mehta traded Simon Nemec to the Calgary Flames for three draft picks and a prospect. Many believe that is going to be the trade before the trade. The Devils need big additions this year if they want to compete with the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. 

On top of the big move, the Devils need to do a better job at building depth. They had a really good starting lineup if everyone stayed healthy, but unfortunately, very few players stayed healthy last season. It was time to address the depth, especially at premium positions. 

The New Jersey Devils trade for center depth at a crucial time

On Thursday night, Sunny Mehta made his first move to address that depth. He sent a fourth-round pick to the Detroit Red Wings for Amadeus Lombardi. Lombardi is a 23-year-old center who spent all of last season with Detroit’s AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. 

He’s relatively small, standing at 5’11 and 185 lbs., but he has a ton of skill, and when he’s on the ice, it can be electric. He does have a history with injuries, but in 47 games last season, he had 42 points. That’s not bad for the AHL. 

The Devils desperately need center depth. They are in pretty good shape down the middle in the NHL, with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Cody Glass, and Nick Bjugstad signed next season, but behind them, things get rough quickly. Marc McLaughlin has some upside, but he spent most of last year on the injured list, and he’s a free agent this season. Matyas Melovsky is probably the Devils’ best center prospect, but he’s already 22-years-old and had just 26 points in 55 games last year in the AHL.

Lombardi should make a major impact to the Utica Comets, but he might make an impact in New Jersey, too. With how many injuries the Devils faced last season, depth is important. 

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