Scenario 3: Devils trade for a defenseman
For the Devils to make a run in the playoffs, they want a goalie trade. However, they need a defenseman trade. The blueline just isn't getting it done. Dougie Hamilton isn't coming back, and Jonas Siegenthaler and John Marino haven't been the anchors they were last season. Luke Hughes is making more mistakes than ever, and Simon Nemec is still playing well but not above his head.
The Devils have been tied to a two-for-one trade for Markstrom and Noah Hanifin. Just getting Hanifin would work at this point, but the Devils would want an extension attached to that. That might seem unlikely. The Devils have been trying to find a player with term, but that's hard to come by at this position.
There are options that won't cost as much as Hanifin, who is likely the best player at his position on the market. Jakob Chychrun could move, and the Devils make a lot of sense. Other moves make sense, but the point is the Devils can't go forward with the current crop. There's a big hole left by Hamilton's injury.
The Devils defense needs work, and the work has to come from outside the organization. Even some of the smaller names would really help.