3 reasons why the Devils should make a strong push for Juuse Saros at the trade deadline

The New Jersey Devils have 62 points, and as of Monday afternoon, they are seven points outside of the second wild card spot. 

For a season that began with so much hope and high expectations from everyone in the NHL universe, the Devils may be the biggest disappointment leading up to the 2024 trade deadline. But it’s also not like this team has taken a collective step back, even if injuries have been issues since the puck first dropped in October. 

New Jersey is still one of the best scoring teams in the NHL with 191 goals, which ranks 10th in the league. They also boast an above-average power play unit, and even their penalty kill isn’t terrible, along with some solid numbers at 5-on-5.

For one of the league’s youngest teams, New Jersey is still playing well despite the overall disappointing performance to date. That said, it’s not like they are out of the playoff race, and a simple trade for a goaltender could even help this team embark on the run we were all expecting following the March 8th deadline. 

The Devils aren’t out of the race if they acquire a goaltender at the deadline

New Jersey needs a goaltender, and fortunately for them, there are several potential fits listed to potentially be on the move as the trade deadline nears. Names like Jacob Markstrom, Kaapo Kahkonen, Jake Allen, and Elvis Merzlikins are just a few netminders for whom the Devils could make a run. 

However, Juuse Saros could be the most prominent name of the bunch if the Nashville Predators decide to trade him. Saros is coming off of a great three-game outing between February 17th and February 24th, but his overall performance has been lower this season with a 0.904 save percentage, a 2.95 GAA, and a modest 0.522 quality starts percentage.

Despite these lower numbers and a potentially high price tag, it doesn’t mean the Devils should shy away from trying to trade for him, and here are three reasons why.