• HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • Site Index
  • NHL Salary Caps
  • Hockey 101: A Beginner’s Guide
  • Join Our Team
  • Free Newsletter
  • Store
  • Log in
The Hockey Writers
  • HOME
  • NHL Teams
    • North Division
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • East Division
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Central Division
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • Dallas Stars
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Nashville Predators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
    • West Division
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Arizona Coyotes
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • Minnesota Wild
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • NHL Prospects
  • World Juniors
  • Archives
  • Podcast Network
  • More…
    • CHL
      • Ontario Hockey League
      • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
      • Western Hockey League
    • Columns
    • Women’s Hockey
    • Other Leagues
    • NHL Entry Draft
    • Books
    • NHL History
Home
New Jersey Devils

Why the Devils Should Trade David Clarkson Now

By Dan Rice May 25th, 2013

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

 

Like the New Jersey Devils, David Clarkson started the season on fire: he had 10 goals in their first 14 games (9-2-3). Also like his employers, Clarkson struggled the remainder of the 2013 NHL season — the 29-year-old right winger potted five goals over their last 34 games (10-17-7). Once the Stanley Cup playoffs are over, the Devils have many decisions to make regarding their roster, including several key players. Clarkson, along with Patrik Elias, Dainius Zubrus, Marek Zidlicky, Steve Sullivan, Alexei Ponikarovsky & Peter Harrold are all unrestricted free agents, while Adam Henrique, Andrei Loktionov & Matt D’Agostini are all restricted free agents.

David Clarkson Devils

Will Clarkson be in New Jersey next season? Highly unlikely. (Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE)

The Devils should trade Clarkson now, meaning before he hits UFA status (perhaps at the NHL Draft) and I have narrowed his likely destinations down to three possibilities: Colorado, St. Louis, or Anaheim. If they don’t he could end up spurning them and going home to Toronto like when his former teammate Zach Parise dumped the Devils last July. All three choices would send the feisty Clarkson to Western Conference teams, an option that GM Lou Lamoriello seems to prefer when swapping major players (see: Petr Sykora, John MacLean, Jason Arnott).

OPTION 1:

Package Clarkson and Henrik Tallinder to the St. Louis Blues for Chris Stewart (RFA) & a late-round pick.

Stewart, like Clarkson, is a hot & cold player and when we last saw him in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Kings he was ice-cold. He could give the Devils that consistent, net-mouth presence that they have lacked severely in recent years. Clarkson does that job sometimes, but for whatever reasons he isn’t as effective at it as the Gionta brothers have been for New Jersey. Both Stewart & Clarkson would get a fresh start in a new environment and obviously each would have to ink a new deal with their respective new teams. You can never have enough defensemen, but the Devils have a surplus of young blueliners who could be ready to crack the big league lineup (Jon Merrill, Alex Urbom) so Tallinder would be expendable.

Chris Stewart - St. Louis Blues

Stewart was the Blues’ regular season goal-leader. (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

OPTION 2:

Trade Clarkson and the ninth overall pick to the Colorado Avalanche for Paul Stastny and the Avs 2nd round pick.

Stastny’s dad Peter was a former Devil and if Lamoriello could swipe Paul from Colorado by throwing in the ninth overall pick than I say do it. It’s unlikely that the new regime of the Avs would do a straight up, one-for-one swap, but the allure of continuing their rebuild with two, top-ten picks could be too tasty to pass up. He is still signed for one more season ($6.6 million), and New Jersey can decide after the 2013-14 season if he fits in their long-term plans or not. The Avalanche have a lot of skilled wingers, but other than Steve Downie they really lack grit and toughness among their top-9 forwards. Clarkson would slide right in as a first or second line winger and could also act as a bodyguard for players like Gabriel Landeskog & Matt Duchene.

Paul Stastny Avalanche

Could Paul join the team his dad Peter once suited up for? (Icon SMI)

OPTION 3:

Trade Clarkson and Anton Volchenkov to the Anaheim Ducks for Bobby Ryan and Patrick Maroon.

Devils fans have longed for Ryan (from Cherry Hill, NJ) since the now 26-year-old was selected by the Ducks second overall in the 2006 NHL Draft. Not to mention he would fit quite nicely in that vacated no. 9 jersey, and he could also slide right onto the first line alongside Travis Zajac & Ilya Kovalchuk. This is probably the least likely scenario of the three I listed, because it has seemed that Anaheim has been unlikely to part with Ryan, despite annual rumors that he is on the trading block. But the glimmer of hope is that maybe after an unexpected first round exit in this year’s playoffs Ducks management might finally get serious and trade one of their assets that is not locked-up in a long-term deal.

Bobby Ryan

Could Bobby Ryan come home to New Jersey this summer?(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)

Chances are that wherever Clarkson plays next season, he will be making more than the $3 million that he made last season and if I were a betting man, I’d bet that he isn’t going to be calling Prudential Center home next season. For a lot of Devils’ fans, it will be a tough pill to swallow because he is a HUMONGOUS BIG fan favorite and he does a lot of great charity work in New Jersey. But his stats are wildly inconsistent from year-to-year and he doesn’t kill penalties or give you much on the defensive side of the puck.

Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Devils fans, but I’m just preparing you for what just seems to be inevitable in my eyes as another homegrown Devil prepares to fly the coop. Clarkson has stated again and again that he wants to stay in New Jersey, and one of his best friends on the team is living legend Martin Brodeur, but as President George W. Bush once said, “fool me once, shame on me, fool me… won’t get fooled again.”

 

Dan Rice can be reached via Twitter: @DRdiabloTHW or via Email: drdiablo321@yahoo.com

  • Tags
  • Bobby Ryan
  • Chris Stewart
  • David Clarkson
  • Henrik Tallinder
  • Martin Brodeur
  • Patrick Maroon
  • Paul Stastny
  • Peter Stastny
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp

Get theScore App Now!
Recent Posts
Jan 26th 5:05 PM
Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Unlikely to Call Up Former Fan Favourite Darling

Jan 26th 4:40 PM
Archives

The NHL’s Best Farm Systems Ranked – 2020-21 Season Update

Jan 26th 4:32 PM
Archives

Jimmy Howard’s Red Wings Legacy

Jan 26th 4:25 PM
Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins Not Playing to Full Potential in Comeback Wins

Jan 26th 4:15 PM
Colorado Avalanche

Mediocre Avalanche Road Trip Plagued by Inconsistency

Jan 26th 4:05 PM
Buffalo Sabres

Sabres Coach Ralph Krueger is a Jack of All Trades

Jan 26th 3:55 PM
Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Cap Issues Look Less Problematic After 6 Games

Jan 26th 3:45 PM
Women's Hockey

Metropolitan Riveters Impress In Lake Placid With Undefeated Weekend

Jan 26th 3:25 PM
Column

Prospects News & Rumors: Kravtsov, Bracco & ECHL

Jan 26th 3:15 PM
Commentary

NHL Should Eliminate the Shootout & Finish Games With 3-on-3 Overtime

Editor’s Picks
Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Wayne Gretzky - The Great One's 10 Most Unbreakable Records

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Test Your Wayne Gretzky Knowledge With Our Quiz

Masthead

Newsletters

RSS Feeds

Privacy Statement

Contact Us

About THW…

Founded in 2009, The Hockey Writers is a premier destination for news and information on everything hockey. Updated daily with news and features from over 130 writers worldwide. Over 2 million monthly readers now come to THW for their hockey fix.

© The Hockey Writers 2020. All rights reserved.
logo
  • HOME
  • Hockey Headlines
  • NHL Rumors
  • North Division
    • Calgary Flames
    • Edmonton Oilers
    • Montreal Canadiens
    • Ottawa Senators
    • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Vancouver Canucks
    • Winnipeg Jets
  • East Division
    • Boston Bruins
    • Buffalo Sabres
    • New Jersey Devils
    • New York Islanders
    • New York Rangers
    • Philadelphia Flyers
    • Pittsburgh Penguins
    • Washington Capitals
  • Central Division
    • Carolina Hurricanes
    • Chicago Blackhawks
    • Columbus Blue Jackets
    • Dallas Stars
    • Detroit Red Wings
    • Florida Panthers
    • Nashville Predators
    • Tampa Bay Lightning
  • West Division
    • Anaheim Ducks
    • Arizona Coyotes
    • Colorado Avalanche
    • Los Angeles Kings
    • Minnesota Wild
    • San Jose Sharks
    • Seattle Kraken
    • St Louis Blues
    • Vegas Golden Knights
  • World Juniors
  • CHL
    • Ontario Hockey League
    • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
    • Western Hockey League
  • THW Podcast Network
  • Store
  • FREE Newsletter
  • Search THW
  • More…
    • Join Our Team
    • The THW Archives
    • Prospects
    • The Goalie Page
    • NHL Salary Cap Information