3 Reasons New Jersey Devils Avoided Making A Trade Now
The New Jersey Devils have dealt with major injuries and serious inconsistencies this season, but despite their place in the standings and the expectations, Tom Fitzgerald hasn't pulled the trigger on a trade. Why?
The New Jersey Devils beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Friday night. It was a necessary win after losing to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. The Devils haven't been nearly as good as their preseason predictions. They are currently out of a playoff spot, and they are fighting six teams for two Wild Card spots.
The Devils seem like the obvious team for a trade. Everyone has tied them to every goalie on the market. That might be because Tom Fitzgerald has asked about every goalie. At one point, the Devils couldn't buy a save. Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid were, in a word, awful. So, with so many rumors tying the Devils to upgrades, even ones that could include a defenseman, why hasn't it happened?
Reason 1: The Market is Insane
We've said this many times. Nobody has made a goalie move despite many teams being desperate for goalies. True Stanley Cup contenders like the Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Carolina Hurricanes have incredible needs in net. Yet, no team is making a move outside of claiming the Columbus Blue Jackets' third-string goalie off waivers.
The #Canes have claimed goaltender Spencer Martin on waivers.
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) January 19, 2024
Details » https://t.co/W1BUhvQ7WZ pic.twitter.com/ABVFTK61E6
There's a reason John Gibson, Jakob Markstrom, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Elvis Merzlikins are still on the teams they started the season with. The price for a goalie is astronomical. Teams just aren't willing to pay what teams are asking. The Ducks probably want two or possibly three transformible pieces in a Gibson trade. The Flames hold all the cards in trade matters because they have Markstrom, Noah Hanifin, and Elias Lindholm all probably available.
The Devils are never going to overspend. That's just not Tom Fitzgerald's nature. He could have overspent on Johnny Gaudreau, but he didn't. He could have overspent on Timo Meier when it looked like the Sharks had better offers, but he waited for the right deal. We have countless examples. Fitzgerald will never overspend on an asset. He will occasionally undersell an asset, but he will never overspend.
Reason 2: Letting Depth Play Into Their Role
The New Jersey Devils are incredibly injured right now. Even with Timo Meier returning, the Devils are waiting on Jack Hughes, Ondrej Palat, Tomas Nosek, Nolan Foote, Dougie Hamilton, and Jonas Siegenthaler to return to the lineup. That opens a lot of spots for players like Max Willman, Santeri Hatakka, Cal Foote, Chris Tierney, Curtis Lazar, and Alex Holtz.
Some of those players have really stepped up in the absence of half the lineup. Foote actually looked pretty good in his short time. Holtz has become a legitimate scorer despite the pushback from Head Coach Lindy Ruff. Even Max Willman has shown he can make an impact in the NHL. Meanwhile, Curtis Lazar has proven he should be in any lineup every night. These players might have found roles that should still be there when the lineup is finally healthy.
Maybe this was Fitzgerald's plan all along. Maybe it's better for the long term if more depth pieces become obvious. The Devils made depth signings a priority this season, adding the likes of Nosek, Chris Tierney, Cal Foote, and Shane Bowers this past offseason. The opportunity was there to give these guys NHL experience in games during less important NHL regular season games.
The Devils hope they make the playoffs. If they do, they hope these players aren't necessary. However, if they are, they want them to be ready.
Reason 3: Maybe the Belief Isn't As High As We Hope
This one is hard to even express, but it's possible. The Devils might not be making a major move because they might think this team isn't good enough to go far in the playoffs. It seems unlikely, but it has to at least be discussed, right?
The Devils haven't been good this season. Just plain and simple. They've been disjointed, they've started flat, and their miscues are costing them games. That can't be fixed with one trade. The hope would be that a trade would be a wake-up call or a motivator for this team, but that alone isn't making this team a contender. They need to be cleaner in how they play.
Why would the Devils lose top prospects like Seamus Casey or Lenni Hameenaho, first-round draft picks, or even promising NHL players like Alex Holtz or Dawson Mercer for a pipe dream? The Devils could still make the playoffs with no moves. Nico Daws is enough to keep the goaltending position afloat. The defense will get better as Luke Hughes, Kevin Bahl, and Simon Nemec develop. Fitzgerald might want to make a move closer to the trade deadline when he understands what this team's floor and ceiling might be.
It's not something Devils fans want to hear, but it's one of the harder decisions a GM has to make. Some would want them made earlier than this, but again, the Devils are right on the playoff bubble. Each win is important, which is why many fans want a trade now, but patience might be the Devils most important virtue.
feed