3 New Jersey Devils prospects who work better as trade bait
The New Jersey Devils have a large volume of prospects and a young roster. With so many players available, some will undoubtedly make sense as trade bait over waiting if they grow into NHL players.
The New Jersey Devils are in an interesting moment in their franchise’s history. Right now, some of their biggest stars are either just entering their primes, or they aren’t there yet. They have four top-five picks between the ages of 20 and 25 years old. They also have Jesper Bratt (26 years old), Timo Meier (27 years old), and Dawson Mercer (22 years old) who are stars themselves and would absolutely go in the top 10 of a “redraft” if it were held today.
This gives the Devils an enviable position when it comes to its prospect pool. They can be patient with young players, letting them grow at their own pace. However, more often than not, it usually means the Devils trade once promising players for less than their true value. That’s what happened with players like Reilly Walsh and Tyce Thompson. The Devils didn’t want to wait to see what they would become, and they traded them for another prospect at a different position.
Before the Devils see their top prospects lose value, it might make sense to trade them for high-quality NFL help. They are in their Stanley Cup window, as they showed by trading for Jacob Markstrom. They want a fourth Stanley Cup in New Jersey, and these three prospects could be used as trade bait.
The New Jersey Devils could use these three prospects in future trades for help.
1. Chase Stillman
Chase Stillman is a first-round pick that surprised many when the Devils jumped for him in 2021. He was the 29th-overall pick that the Devils got in the Kyle Palmieri-Travis Zajac deal. The Devils already took Luke Hughes in that draft, so they felt they could take a chance with their next pick. It feels like a miss now, as most Devils fans were hoping to get Logan Stankoven, who somehow survived another 17 picks.
Stillman played his first season in Utica last year, putting up 14 goals and 24 points in 54 games. Honestly, it wasn’t bad for his first season in the pros. However, he probably isn’t necessary now that the Devils have Paul Cotter. Cotter is already the rich man’s version of Stillman, and he’s only 24 years old.
His first-round pick pedigree, along with his scoring prowess in the AHL, could lift Stillman’s value. Will that translate to the NHL? It’s hard to believe, but there is hope until he proves one way or another. That’s really all these prospects are: hope.
2. Herman Traff
Herman Traff is brand new to the Devils organization, coming here this past season with the 91st-overall pick. Traff is a big right winger who was a part of the Devils new philosophy, adding size to every part of the team’s prospect pool. We’re sure Traff is a fine player who could turn into something.
Traff has already got some of his first tastes of professional hockey out of the way, playing 10 games in the SHL last season. Many expect him to play more games of professional hockey this season. Ironically, he might play next to former Devils first-round pick Matias Tedenby.
Already, Traff has some really good moments. He’s expected to play a role for Team Sweden’s U20 team, and some would hope he makes them for World Juniors in January. He was also really good at the Devils development camp, so there are eyes on him.
The reason he’s someone the Devils should dangle is he should see his stock rise significantly over this season, and he’s someone who isn’t focusing on the skill he’s actually good at. Let’s focus on the latter since the former is pretty self-explanatory. Traff is a great passer, and he could be a player who gets 60 points. However, in Sweden, he’s been focusing on scoring. That’s all well and good, but to make it in the NHL, a player this young should be making his best assets one of the top in the world. It’s an easy fix, but is it one the Devils want to make? Traff could be really good in the NHL, and that’s why he makes sense as an NHL trade prospect.
3. Seamus Casey
This one is going to cause Devils fans to hate this, but we want to be very clear that this would be for a very good player. This isn’t throwing Seamus Casey away for a bottom-six contributor or a depth defenseman. Casey appears to be an amazing offensive contributor already. He had 45 points as the top defenseman for the University of Michigan, who used him to replace Luke Hughes. Now, he’s signed with the Devils and preparing to play with Utica this season (one would assume).
He should be able to contribute offensively on the pros. His skills are easily transferable. Casey has everything one would expect to want out of an offensive defenseman.
One issue is fit. Where will Casey fit with the Devils? Currently, the Devils have both Dougie Hamilton and Brett Pesce signed for the next four seasons (six for Pesce). Behind them is Simon Nemec, who is a former second-overall pick. Those are the right-handed defensemen for the foreseeable future. On top of that, the Devils are pretty set on the left side, too.
So the Devils options are getting Casey forced playing time on the left side, an injury gives him an opportunity (likely after this season since Nick DeSimone and Jonathan Kovacevic are on the roster and both right handed), or he transitions into a forward. All three seem unlikely or at the very least out of his control. The other option is a trade, and teams will pay handsomely for a righty who can play offense like Casey.
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