3 intriguing prospects the Devils cannot trade at the 2024 deadline

Graeme Clarke has come too far for the Devils to trade him away

Some players in the Devils prospects pool should be ready to roll next season, and Graeme Clarke is someone who will be a serious contender to break into the lineup. He made his NHL debut earlier this season, so that alone indicates he’s on the brink of making it to the next level. 

The former third-round pick in 2019 has also more than paid his dues in Utica and Binghamton, appearing in 199 contests as of February 29th, 2024, and getting better with each passing season. While he may not supersede the 58 points he scored with the Comets last year, the overall progression in Clarke’s game is what matters at this point. 

New Jersey also has three forwards slated to be unrestricted free agents come the 2024 offseason, so Clarke, at minimum, will be a part-time player in Newark next season should the Devils move on from their pending UFAs. Until then, Clarke will continue as a premier scorer, where he is currently on pace to notch a career-high 28 goals this season. 

He can eventually work his way into the lineup full-time as a depth forward, and from there, maybe he will take that dynamic scoring with him to the NHL. Regardless, the organization has spent too much time developing Clarke since he signed with them.