It seemed like the New Jersey Devils were destined to land star defenseman Quinn Hughes someday, whether that was via trade or free agency. Well, Quinn Hughes was just traded to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster deal. Tom Fitzgerald and the Devils now have to wait until the 2027 offseason to try to have all three Hughes brothers together in Newark.
It was reported by The Athletic's Pierre Lebrun that the New Jersey Devils indeed made a trade offer for Quinn Hughes, an offer that they felt was strong but did not generate traction. The return for Quinn Hughes was quite rich; it's hard to imagine the Devils, nonetheless, any other team would come close to a trade haul of that sort.
Hearing the New Jersey Devils made what they feel was a strong first offer to Vancouver on Quinn Hughes but it didn’t generate enough traction obviously
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) December 13, 2025
Now that the Quinn Hughes saga is over, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has a lot of work to do to fix this team and turn it into a Stanley Cup contender. It's not like New Jersey needs a defenseman right now; Brett Pesce and Johnathan Kovacevic are hopefully making a return to the ice soon. All eyes should be on upgrading the offense. The question is which players should they target? It is rumored that players such as Dawson Mercer, Stefan Noesen, Ondrej Palat, and Dougie Hamilton are players that the Devils have been willing to trade away to upgrade at other positions of need.
Ryan O'Reilly: Center, Nashville Predators
The Devils have been linked to Ryan O'Reilly for quite some time, dating back to last season, but every rumor has been that Nashville's asking price is very high. The 34-year-old center would be a huge addition to the Devils' offense. He has 10 goals and 13 assists in 30 games played this season. It is important to note that O'Reilly would have to approve any deal; he does not have a no-trade clause in his contract, but the Predators have made it clear that they would treat it as if he had one.
Ryan O'Reilly is scheduled to hit free agency after the 2026-27 season. He is making $4.5 million a year over the next two seasons. If a deal gets done, New Jersey would likely have to trade away a player like Ondrej Palat, since he is one of the Devils' bigger contracts.
Mikael Backlund: Center, Calgary Flames
The Devils are in desperate need of a third-line center. Mikael Backlund could be the perfect option. Backlund is a 36-year-old two-way center who has five goals and 11 assists in 32 games played this season. It would be hard for Calgary to trade away a homegrown player that has been with the team since he was drafted in 2007, but if the Flames aren't in the playoff race, that could be the case.
Acquiring a skilled player like Backlund would massively upgrade the Devils' bottom six at a lower price than a player such as Ryan O'Reilly. Backlund is reliable in faceoffs, clearly has a ton of leadership, which would boost the locker room, and would be great on the penalty kill.
Mikael Backlund would be a free agent in 2028 at the age of 39, making it unlikely that he would get another contract elsewhere once this one expires. Backlund is making $4.5 million a year.
Brayden Schenn: Center, St. Louis Blues
It isn't so common for teams to trade away the team captain, but Brayden Schenn is a trade candidate this season. Schenn is a 34-year-old center who has had a slow start to the season, posting just six goals and seven assists in 32 games played this season.
Adding a two-way center with a fantastic skillset like Schenn would be a big help for the bottom six. Brayden Schenn is a player who will do the dirty work and not be afraid to play in traffic. That sounds like a player the Devils need. Putting him alongside players like Arseny Gritsyuk and Connor Brown sounds like a line that will produce every night, not only in the regular season but in the playoffs as well.
Brayden Schenn is making $6.5 million over the next two years after this one. He is scheduled to be a free agent in 2028.