The New Jersey Devils are in a unique spot. They are, for the most part, winning games. They have 24 wins, which is tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the most in the Eastern Conference. They are established as a contender in the conference, and for the most part, things are going incredibly well.
Then, there are these pockets where they stink. The Devils are in one of those pockets right now, in the midst of a three-game losing streak where they haven’t played particularly well. Right before this, the Devils held opposing offenses to 20 shots or less for seven straight games, an NHL record.
And just like that, the good feelings go away.
The Devils lost a devastating game to the Carolina Hurricanes, where the referees gave them an impossible hill to climb with an unnecessary major penalty on Timo Meier in the third period of a tie game. They went on to lose to the Anaheim Ducks, a game they absolutely should not have lost, and the Los Angeles Kings in yet another shutout loss.
This has some Devils fans and analysts calling for the team to make a move. Some moves have been made, but most are strange situations, like the David Jiricek trade and the Kaapo Kakko trade. Those are teams trying to make the most of what’s in front of them. It’s finding a change of scenery for a once-promising prospect.
It’s a little early to be calling this season from Simon Nemec a need for a change of scenery, but it’s a situation that has some wondering if Nemec works better as a trade asset. The Devils have found money in Johnathan Kovacevic, one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL. If the Devils re-sign Kovacevic, who came from the Montreal Canadiens in the last year of his deal, then they have three right-handed defensemen on long-term deals.
Would New Jersey Devils include Simon Nemec in a trade for a rental?
That leaves Nemec and Seamus Casey on the outside looking in unless the Devils get creative or find a spot for someone on the left side (which is also stacked with Brenden Dillon, Luke Hughes, and Jonas Siegenthaler). Does that mean the Devils would be willing to trade one of these premium assets for a rental?
There are a few really intriguing rentals that would help the Devils scoring woes. This is a particularly strong free agent class, but we expect it to dwindle as more players sign long-term contracts. Igor Shesterkin already signed a long-term deal, but we expect Mikko Rantanen and Mitch Marner to also sign long-term deals.
When looking at the possible rentals, the Devils have options. Brock Nelson of the New York Islanders has scored 30+ goals for four straight seasons, and it looks like it might be a rebuilding year on Long Island. Brock Boeser is somehow still 27, and while Elias Pettersson would be lovely, Boesser is at least realistic. Frank Vatrano is the exact kind of versatile forward who would give Sheldon Keefe options with his lineup.
That said, is it worth it to give up Nemec for one of those three players? It seems like a lot to give up when these players could leave in July. Nemec is a former second-overall pick. Casey looked like a player who belonged in the NHL before his injury. Losing either one of those players would hurt in these trades.
However, there is a finite asset base this season. Only a few teams sit at the bottom of the standings, and most of them are floor-to-ceiling youth. So, when a player is available and would impact this roster, it makes sense for the Devils to jump on it. There is no Timo Meier for the Devils this season. They don’t have the money to make a deal like that work without big money going the other way.
It’s hard to pull the trigger on a deal like this, but what else would a team want? Could the Devils get away with secondary assets like Lenni Hämeenaho? It’s more likely that Tom Fitzgerald will wait until the right move comes his way, and we can’t see Nemec as a part of that deal unless the trade involves a long-term asset.