The Devils have some pending free agents that could be on the move
TSN: Darren Dreger said that the New Jersey Devils are a team that could be getting close to making a move.
GM Ray Shero isn’t thinking the guys like Taylor Hall or Kyle Palmieri, but he could work something out with a team who is looking to make an early move.
“Because the ask on good players – specifically defencemen – is always the same this time of year. If you’re talking about a top-four defenceman, you’re talking about a first-round draft pick, you’re talking about a good prospect and then you’re talking about an NHL roster player.
“That doesn’t seem to change until somebody dives into the market until someone either overpays or underpays, and then I think people have to kind of embrace reality after that.”
Pending UFAs for the Devils include Marcus Johansson, Brian Boyle, Ben Lovejoy, Keith Kinkaid, Egor Yakovlev and Drew Stafford.
Chris Ryan of NJ.com: (mailbag) Marcus Johansson carries the most trade value among their pending free agents. He can be a top-six forward but has dealt with injuries the past two seasons. He does fit with what the Devils do want to build going forward though. Do they want to re-sign him or look to get a future asset for him at the deadline?
Don’t think that the Devils will want to trade Brian Boyle. Fits their bottom-six nicely and is a big part of their culture. Have to assume they want to bring him back.
The play of Mackenzie Blackwood may make Keith Kinkaid available. The Devils won’t be able to move Corey Schnieder’s contract any time soon. A team that is looking for some depth between the pipes could call the Devils.
Defenseman Ben Lovejoy has the experience and has some value. The Devils may look to move him to create an opening for a young defenseman.
The Devils likely won’t be looking to sign Artemi Panarin to a big deal, but Mark Stone, Matt Duchene, Jeff Skinner or Jordan Eberle could make sense.
The Devils won’t be in the rental market at the deadline, but maybe they look at someone with term – Wild’s Nino Niederreiter.