The NHL Trade Deadline is moving fast and furious on Friday, and the former top piece available is now off the board. Darren Dreger of TSN reports the New Jersey Devils are trading Tyler Toffoli to the Winnipeg Jets. The report goes on to say that draft picks will be the return for the Devils.
Winnipeg Jets and New Jersey devils are closing on trade sending Tyler Toffoli to Wpg.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 8, 2024
The Devils came out on Monday and said they weren't shopping Toffoli, but Tom Fitzgerald would take calls. It seems those calls came in droves as the trade market heated up. Despite the Devils win on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues, the playoffs are still a long shot after the Flyers beat the Panthers. So, it seems they are selling the pieces without long-term impact to the franchise.
Reports said the Devils and Toffoli were working on an extension, but there were hurdles to getting a deal done. Fitzgerald said that term was probably the biggest. It makes sense since Toffoli is 31 years old, and this will be the last big contract he signs in the league. He wants to set his life up for good, but the Devils have to be careful with how they use their salary cap space.
So, that led us to today. With no contract in place for Toffoli, he is now likely a member of the Winnipeg Jets. The Devils will pivot to other NHL Trade Deadline priorities, including what to do with Brendan Smith and Colin Miller. They could possibly get a goalie, too, but that seems unlikely at this point.
We will wait to see what the final deal is. If the draft picks aren't first-round picks, many might feel disappointed by the return. If they are, most would be happy since Toffoli was an asset that could have been lost for free in the offseason.