Tom Fitzgerald and the New Jersey Devils need to find top-six scoring help before the NHL Trade Deadline. While they have elite pieces that can find the back of the net, like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier, they need more support. Sheldon Keefe and his staff have tried a few different strategies, but nothing has clicked consistently. So it's up to Fitzgerald to find help via the trade route. The Seattle Kraken have a forward that not only would provide that scoring but be helpful in other facets of the team.
Jared McCann is a versatile forward who can do a bit of everything. The 28-year-old has been in the rumor mill over the past week with the reported potential that Seattle could move the winger before the deadline. The Kraken are struggling and don't appear to be heading to the playoffs. If that's the case, Fitzgerald needs to make acquiring the Stratford, Canada native a top priority.
I'm hearing Jared McCann could be made available before the deadline.
— Jacob Stoller (@JLStoller) February 11, 2025
McCann is a versatile scoring forward that can kill penalties and play centre, if needed.
The 28 yr old carries a $5M AAV until the end of the '26-27 season
Would make a lot of sense for the #NHLJets
McCann is currently fourth on the Kraken in goals with 14 and first on the team in points with 42. He also has the best +/- in Seattle with seven. While he hasn't scored as much as in the past, he is coming off two seasons that showcase more of what he brings to the ice. In 2022-23, he added career highs in goals (40) and points (70). Last season, he had 29 goals as well as 62 points.
Simply put, McCann can score in bunches when he's on his game. He's a proven 30-goal scorer with the speed to fit seamlessly alongside Hughes and Bratt. However, he has also been known to be reliable on penalty kills, as well as his ability to play center. Per Puckmarks, McCann is in the 94 percentile in PK success, which is elite. While his faceoff percentage at 46.3 this season isn't outstanding, he would be a better center fit on the top-6 and allow Hughes to focus more as a winger with Bratt.
If McCann is truly made available by the Kraken, what would it cost? Keep in mind that he carries a cap hit of $5.5 million AAV until the end of the 2026-27 season. The Devils could get him for potentially three separate playoff runs. With him having a term on his deal, the price could be higher if there's a bidding war. Pucks and Pitchforks own Alex Chauvancy and Rob DeLuca did a piece that included a potential package for a McCann trade
The deal included Dawson Mercer and one of the three second-round picks the Devils currently had. It's also an option that you could replace the second-round pick with a Top 5 or Top 10 protected first in 2026 to make the deal more enticing if need be. Mercer could potentially become what McCann already is, but swapping the two would give the Devils more of a player in his prime who's a better play driver.
"The argument against acquiring McCann and including Mercer is that you think the latter could become McCann. Perhaps, but McCann is a proven 30-goal scorer, and he's even hit 40 once in his career."Alex Chauvancy, Pucks and Pitchforks
Adding scoring help to the top six is a priority for Fitzgerald and the Devils. They must do whatever they can to acquire McCann. It would not only help them for this year's run but for several runs moving forward.