As the calendar creeps towards the Devils’ appearance in the Stadium Series on Feb. 19, the participants enter in unexpected positions. The Flyers are firmly ensconced in playoff position, while the Devils entered Tuesday (Feb. 13) four points shy of a postseason berth. With less than a month until the 2024 Trade Deadline on March 8, general manager Tom Fitzgerald must act quickly. The oddsmakers don’t favor the Devils’ chances at making the postseason, but hope is not lost. The Devils can draw inspiration from last season’s Stanley Cup finalist Florida Panthers, who, on Feb. 9, were also 4 points out of a wild-card spot with three other teams in better position and 10 points shy of a division playoff spot. The season is not over, but it is getting late fast.
1: Secure the Blue Line – Noah Hanifin
Rumors abounded this weekend the Devils had gotten close to acquiring Calgary Flames’ goaltender Jacob Markstrom. While those talks appear dead for now, the teams have clearly discussed and studied each other’s teams and prospects. Noah Hanifin is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA), and the hold up on any trade is whether the Flames will look to extend him or if they will try to move him to avoid repeating the Johnny Gaudreau saga where they allowed a top player to leave via free agency rather than maximize his value on the trade market. Hanifin also has a limited no-trade clause that could be used to block a trade to New Jersey but there is no evidence that New Jersey is on his list.
With several defensemen available on the market, including Hanifin’s teammate Chris Tanev, the Devils could attack the need for an extra defender in several ways. Hanifin, though, is the best two-way defenseman known to be available, and his style of play fits how the Devils want to play. In many ways, Hanifin is the best available replacement for Dougie Hamilton, who the Devils have sorely missed as he’s been out for 31 games due to injury and is still second on the team in goals and points by defensemen. Hanifin would immediately become the team leader in both categories if added to the roster. He also brings size at 6-foot-3 and the ability to play all three phases and move the puck quickly, which the Devils value. Fitzgerald has reportedly been loath to add rentals — especially at exorbitant costs, but Hanifin is worth it, and perhaps, like Timo Meier, the rental can turn into a long-term contract (though the Devils may have to move other contracts to make that happen.)
There will certainly be several suitors for Hanifin — and the price will likely be steep — but the Devils have the assets to get the deal done. Modelling a deal after the recent Elias Lindholm trade to the Vancouver Canucks, the Flames are looking for roster players along with prospects and/or picks. The Devils, or anyone, are unlikely to give up a similar haul for Hanifin that the Flames got for Lindholm as he was the top center available but if they can foster a bidding war, the Flames are in line for a good return. A package including Kevin Bahl, Graeme Clarke, and a future second-round pick should be sufficient to land Hanifin without either retention or an extension. Bahl has been good for the Devils this season and is under team control for at least two more seasons. The Devils are overflowing with left-side defensemen, and, even without Hanifin long-term, could replace Bahl from within.
Get a Goalie That Can Steal Games – Juuse Saros
The Devils have been chasing goaltending in the decade since Martin Brodeur retired. They have tried drafting, trading, and signing free agents and have been unable to find a permanent solution. If they want to seriously contend for the Stanley Cup, the final piece is a goaltender who can steal games. Last season, with just-above-average goaltending, this team set a record for wins, while this season, they have been unable to overcome a starting goalie who has consistently been among the bottom three in the league in Goals Saved Above Expected. With limited options on the market, the best short-term and long-term solution is finding a way to acquire Juuse Saros from Nashville. Saros fits all the criteria: relative youth, long-term success, manageable cap hit, contract term, and durability.
Related: Devils’ Best Goalie Option Is Juuse Saros
At the start of the season, it seemed the Predators were more willing to part with goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov than Saros, but recently, the opposite may be true. The Devils must take advantage of the Predators’ willingness to move Saros after missing the opportunity to acquire the Winnipeg Jets’ Connor Hellebuyck lat summer. Saros has not delivered the numbers that made him a Vezina trophy finalist, but after a difficult start to the season, he has gotten better as the season progressed. There is no doubting his ability to take on a significant workload nor his ability to play at a high level. Detractors will say that the Devils value size in a goaltender, and there are long-term concerns about Saros’ durability at 5-foot-11 and less than 200 pounds. With Saros signed for this season and next, those concerns can be assuaged by limiting any long-term extension. The counter-argument, of course, is the success and durability of smaller goalies like Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier, have shown.
Like Hanifin, a package to acquire Saros will not be cheap, but the Devils can afford to pay. Unlike Hanifin, Saros comes with affordable term and would also be around for a playoff run next year. Perhaps after that, the Devils will be ready to hand the reins over to Nico Daws or another goalie prospect. If not, Saros will still be only 30, and the Devils have successfully signed trade acquisitions to extensions.
The package to obtain Saros — or any top-tier goalie _ will necessarily be painful for the Devils. Likely, a combination of a first- round pick, Dawson Mercer, and Nolan Foote will get the deal done. Losing a player such Mercer — who brings an innate toughness and can play throughout the lineup — is not ideal but would be the right decision as he is in line for a significant extension this offseason. Predicted to be anywhere from a $4 -to $7-million annual deal depending on term, Mercer has earned an extension at that level, but the question is whether it makes sense for New Jersey to make that investment.
On balance, it does not. Had Mercer cemented himself as the third-line centre, it would make sense to have all three of their centers locked up for the next five seasons, but he has failed to establish himself as that player. Despite his two-way excellence and secondary scoring, as a winger, his value is diminished, and he would be replaceable.
Find Veteran Secondary Scoring – Jason Zucker
With the loss of Mercer, the Devils should then move to find a winger who could maintain the depth of the top nine. Looking at teams currently out of a playoff spot and with expiring contracts, the Arizona Coyotes are a good fit, and Jason Zucker would be an excellent addition to the Devils. Zucker brings experience, toughness, secondary scoring, and leadership. He was almost the centerpiece of a trade for J.T. Miller last season but instead put up career-high numbers for the Pittsburgh Penguins. With his contract expiring, the acquisition cost should not be steep, with the only issue being retention. Should the Devils request retention, they may need to add an additional pick or lower-level prospect. A deal including an AHL player and a fourth or fifth-round pick should be enough to pry Zucker loose. With 46 games of playoff experience, he would be a welcome addition for the stretch run.
Despite playing through a difficult situation in Arizona, Zucker has performed well. He has the second highest expected goals for percentage (xGF%) while on-ice of any of the Coyotes forwards (who have played a minimum of 350 minutes.) He also leads the forwards in on-ice save percentage with over 93%. Zucker has played both power play and penalty-killing shifts throughout his career and could add to New Jersey’s units should the need arise. While on an expiring contract, Zucker could be the type of player the team could look to extend to provide better depth for next season and beyond, especially if they are unable or unwilling to re-sign Tyler Toffoli.
Sentimentality With a Purpose – Tomas Tatar
Last summer, as a UFA, Tomas Tatar overplayed his hand. He tried to hold out for a deal with term, miscalculating the market in a league with many teams up against the cap. When New Jersey no longer had the space to sign Tatar, he inked a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche and was subsequently traded to the Seattle Kraken, where he has been a good fit. If the Kraken continue to slide down the standings, they should look to maximize an expiring asset like Tatar, and New Jersey should swoop in for a reunion. The acquisition cost should not be exorbitant as Tatar is on a team-friendly contract that is largely already paid and expiring, so retention is not an issue. An AHL player and a later-round pick should be enough, and with the Devils’ injury luck this season, having another veteran, two-way forward who has a track record of success in New Jersey is a no-brainer.
The Devils have the cap space to make these moves work and to sustain any necessary long-term commitments. They may need to find a corresponding move to trade away Vitek Vanecek but likely could hold him until the end of the season as insurance and then trade him or buy out the last season. The playoffs are only four points away, and by adding a defenseman, a goaltender, and then depth at forward, the Devils can put themselves in the driver’s seat to get into the tournament where anything can happen.
