New Jersey Devils: 3 Under-The-Radar Defensive Trade Targets
With injuries to Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler, the New Jersey Devils are short on defense. Here are three potential trade targets to fill the void that you may not have considered.
It has been as difficult a year as you could imagine on the injury front for the New Jersey Devils. No player nor position has been safe. The latest comes by way of a Jonas Siegenthaler broken foot. Add Dougie Hamilton's torn pec back in December, and the Devils defense is suddenly being stretched ultra-thin.
Between the two injuries, the Devils have lost over 1,000 games in NHL experience. Consequentially, Lindy Ruff will have to lean on his younger defenseman. Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, and Kevin Bahl have all put in solid efforts but lack the experience to spearhead a playoff push. Together, the three of them have a combined 161 games of NHL experience.
John Marino has suddenly been thrust into the de facto number-one defenseman role, and like it or not, Brendan Smith and Colin Miller will be playing a lot of hockey together moving forward.
However, the one saving grace for the New Jersey Devils and their fans is that Tom Fitzgerald is the GM. "Fitzy" has been no stranger when it comes to making a trade, and now is as good a time as ever. Whether it be for a goalie or a top-flight defenseman, the Devils have had their nose in almost everything.
One of Fitzy's calling cards is trading for players whose names are not thrown around in trade discussions. The Siegenthaler and Marino trades are perfect examples of players who were not being talked about before being brought in. While Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev are the two hot names in trade rumors, do not be surprised if Fitzy makes an outside-the-box trade.
Adam Larsson, Seattle Kraken
A reunion between the Devils and Adam Larsson would be an interesting one. The Seattle Kraken are on the outside looking in of a Wild Card spot. They have been one of the hotter teams in the league over the past few weeks, but like the Devils, have not lived up to the expectations that the 2022-23 season brought them.
Larsson, the former fourth overall pick by the Devils in 2011, has carved out a nice career for himself since being dealt. He is currently in his third season with Seattle and has 11 points in 39 games. His $4 million AAV through 2024-25 does not pose as much of a hurdle as his 10-team no-trade list. However, New Jersey is a familiar destination with playoff aspirations, so the likelihood the Devils are on the list is slim.
What Larsson would bring to the Devils is a do-it-all defenseman who slides perfectly into the top four. He leads Seattle in total ice time, as well as at 5v5 and on the penalty kill. They ask him to do a lot, and he typically does it with positive results. With Siegenthaler out, finding a replacement for him on the PK will be crucial, which plays to Larsson's strengths. However, with him playing big minutes, as well as having an extra year on his contract, Fitzy would have to part with something significant to bring him in. That being said, if Seattle falls out of the race closer to the Trade Deadline and Larsson becomes available, a reunion could be a great decision.
Nick Seeler, Philadelphia Flyers
A trade between the Devils and Flyers would mark just the fourth time the two teams have ever done a deal together. A trade for Nick Seeler might be unlikely, but he is the perfect type of defenseman that can give you tough minutes with Siegenthaler out.
What makes Seeler so attractive is his contract. He is on an expiring deal and makes just $775,000. It is an easily tradable contract that requires Fitzgerald to not have to do any cap gymnastics to make it work.
The 30-year-old won't add much offense (just seven points in 40 games) but kills penalties and can give you top-four minutes. Seeler had stops in Minnesota and Chicago before coming over to Philadelphia, where he's found a home as the number four defenseman. His underlying numbers at 5v5 and on the PK have been solid and are better than the Kevin Bahls and Brendan Smiths of the world. Again, where the issue lies is with trying to do a deal with the Flyers. They have overachieved and are in a playoff spot. They likely won't be too inclined to help out a rival chasing them in the standings. The player may not justify the price, but it would certainly be worth a look.
Matt Dumba, Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are surprisingly well within the mix for a playoff spot out West. This could potentially take Dumba off the table, but when he signed for just one year, it screamed "Trade Deadline" trade. Dumba is a pending UFA making $3.9 million this year. Like Larsson, some cap maneuvering would be required, and putting Dougie Hamilton on LTIR and clearing $9 million is always an option.
Dumba has had an up-and-down career but has been a solid contributor for Arizona. His time in Minnesota started great, but the last few years were rough and that is what likely led to him only getting a one-year deal.
What Dumba would bring is an all-situations minute-eater for the New Jersey Devils. Simon Nemec stepped up to play big minutes when Hamilton went down, but nobody is waiting in the wings like he did to take Siegenthaler's minutes. Dumba can do just that. He's not an analytics darling, but they have improved since his move to the desert. Like Larsson, he leads his team in total ice time, as well as at 5v5 and on the PK. His cost will be dependent on Arizona's playoff status, but even so, they could look to cash in on him before he hits the market again in the summer.
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