The New Jersey Devils will move heaven and earth to improve this offseason. That is, if heaven is Ondrej Palat and earth is Erik Haula. We expect the Devils to make major moves to open cap space so they can comfortably afford a Luke Hughes extension while also upgrading the offense.
The Devils have a few free agency options, but many will likely be too expensive. The trade route is usually where Tom Fitzgerald likes to target his stars. They are already cost-controlled, and teams usually don’t let their best players walk away for free. A fair trade, on the other hand, is something GMs love to take part in.
The Athletic just came out with their first trade board (subscription required), and there were a few obvious candidates. Everyone knows the New York Rangers would love to trade Chris Kreider, and Marco Rossi is the top person in rumors as of late, after his contract demands became public. The Buffalo Sabres are a mess, and their very talented roster might want out, while John Gibson basically lives on these lists.
To find the most shocking name on the list, one must scroll down to number 15. That’s where we find Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust. On paper, trading Rust makes sense for the Penguins. They are in desperate need of a rebuild, but with Sidney Crosby on the roster, it won’t happen. However, they can at least sell their best assets to the highest bidder. They’ve done it with Jake Guentzel in years past, but they were surprisingly stingy with their assets this past season.
GM Kyle Dubas resisted trading Rickard Rakell, who was having a year worthy of a really good return. He also has term, so teams would be willing to give more. But Dubas reportedly put an insane price on him. That makes Rust’s appearance on this list even more surprising.
Yet, there is something here. Rust’s no-movement clause expires at the end of June. He’s also 33 years old. So, there’s a possibility we’ve seen the best of him. However, teams will line up to trade for Rust, and the Devils should be doing their best to get to the front of that line.
Bryan Rust would be a great target for the New Jersey Devils
The Devils desperately need scoring, and Rust would give them what they are looking for in a player who can pot 30 goals with the right linemates. Rust will probably thrive alongside Jack Hughes, and he will be a veteran presence on his line that keeps him motivated. We might see the best out of Hughes with Rust on his line.
Rust is also signed through 2028, so there’s incredible value to the length of the deal. The Devils prioritize cost-controlled assets, and Rust is just making $5.125 million per season.
This will cost the Devils, as the competition will be crazy for Rust. Teams will start the negotiation at a first-round pick, and the Devils don’t have one of those in 2025. So, they need to overpay through players and prospects. Will it cost Dawson Mercer? That might make Tom Fitzgerald grind his teeth, but he might end up saying yes.
Another reason why Fitzgerald will be in on this guy is that he was the assistant general manager for the Penguins when they drafted Rust. He knows the thought process behind the pick, and he’s probably not surprised at his success.
In fact, a draft rewind profiled Rust’s experience with scouting, and he said Fitzgerald talked to him “a lot” leading up to the draft. He is a player with a high compete level, which is what the Devils want in Sheldon Keefe’s system. This is a player who the Devils will move heaven and earth to get, so we might be looking for new jerseys for Palat and Haula.