More and more, the New Jersey Devils are being tied to the “big names” on the market. Ironically, the one name they haven’t been discussed about as much as they should is Quinn Hughes, who is being tied to the Detroit Red Wings and Philadelphia Flyers way more than the Devils.
Some of the names the Devils have been tied to are Brayden Schenn on the St. Louis Blues, Blake Coleman of the Calgary Flames, and JG Pageau of the New York Islanders, but the latest rumor has Devils fandom worried about what Tom Fitzgerald will do next.
With the Metropolitan Division being so close in the standings, the stress level of Devils fans is off the charts. On a three-game losing streak, New Jersey has falled to the second Wild Card spot, barely hanging onto its playoff position with the Vegas Golden Knights heading to Newark on Friday night.
Many are saying the Devils have to make a move. With Jack Hughes out, they’ve struggled to stay afloat. And as everyone in their division keeps winning while the Devils’ losses pile up, it’s starting to look dire despite the Devils’ 16-10-1 record.
There aren’t many players who are available now without a massive overpay. One name that likely could be had is former Tampa Bay Lightning star Steven Stamkos. When he became a free agent in 2024, the Devils were reportedly interested. Now, after signing a four-year deal worth $32 million, the Predators appear to have buyer’s remorse.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the Devils have called about Stamkos. We’ve heard this before from the Predators. When Juuse Saros was “available,” Predators GM Barry Trotz used the Devils as a bargaining chip. Is that what he’s doing again now, or are the Devils really going after Stamkos?
The former 60-goal scorer is having a terrible season, especially at even strength. He has just two goals at 5v5. It’s not even bad luck. He’s only expected to score 3.7 goals this season according to Money Puck. That’s good for 212th in the league.
The New Jersey Devils should not touch Steven Stamkos
Stamkos is terrible at defense at his age, and his $8 million cap hit is an anchor heavier than Ondrej Palat.
Even if the Devils offload money in the deal or have the Predators eat some of the salary, being stuck with that contract for two more years after this one is a non-starter. Stamkos can be better than he’s been, but it will never be enough to make up for his salary. The Devils cannot make up for that.
We’ve talked about it before, but it bears repeating. Stamkos does not fix what ails the Devils. They need speed and scoring. Last season, Stamkos was still one of the fastest players in the league. His max speed of 24.21 miles per hour was seventh in the league according to NHL Edge stats. This season, his max speed is 21.88. That’s a large drop off when it comes to on-ice skating.
It could very easily be the lackluster team around him causing Stamkos to play this way. He might bounce back and have three really good seasons on the right team. The Devils can’t take that risk. This would be the ONE forward addition they could afford. It’s just not worth it.