Speculation: NJ desperate for a high end 3c/decent 2c

[Habs Halifax]

He doesn't! We need talented heavy players. Yes warrior type. More skilled Frederic, less aged Tanev. Hamiltons full NMC changes on July 1. Dpeending on what happens in the playoffs may dicate some of this. Most NJ fans donet see Nemec being moved before Hamilton.

I do agree that if the Devils add, they should add some grit. Not someone with hard hands and no skill but someone who can play physical and also score.

I understand your approach with Nemec. I do like his top 4D potential (not top pairing) but not sure how long it takes him to get there.

 

[dgibb10]

I do agree that if the Devils add, they should add some grit. Not someone with hard hands and no skill but someone who can play physical and also score.

I understand your approach with Nemec. I do like his top 4D potential (not top pairing) but not sure how long it takes him to get there.

Well based on my calculations, Nemec is negative 1 years away from being a top 4D at the NHL level, you know, since he did it last year.

But apparently Nemec's 19 year old season is his ceiling

 

[TBF1972]

What would the Devils offer for both Evans and Anderson?
* Evans with an extension (5x $3.5M)
* Anderson with 50% retention (2 more years at $2.75M)
* Habs can take back a contract dump (Haula maybe?)

I think these are the exact type of pieces the Devils are after.

the devils have still a young core. no reason to panic and shorten the contention window.

not interested in anderson at any price.
max a second for evans and his career year as a rental.
for sure no nemec, casey or silayev and nothing valuable from the roster.

 

[TBF1972]

I totally agree Nemec is off limits.
I actually value him higher then Casey. But a lot of Devils fans do not. I'd use Casey as a piece to make a go for it move this season if cap permitted.

which rhd do you expect to be on the devils roster in october 25? pesce, hamilton most likely, kovacevic unlikely
which rhd do you expect to be on the devils roster in october 26? pesce, hamilton unlikely

the devils have a need for both nemec and casey in a not so distant future.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

He definitely does. A young 20 goal scorer at a good cap hit. Never misses a game.

I don't get rhe Mercer chastising.



Only chance of that is if it's a sign and trade with Evans.

you don't get chastising a player that is a literal ghost most of the time?

I don't care that he never misses a game. He stinks most of the time.

 

[Eggtimers]

...I can't imagine that Armstrong would ask for anything less than Nemec + Mercer, which would probably be more than the Devils want to pay...

Wait what ? Nemec PLUS Mercer ???
Ya no . I’d love to add Schenn but I wouldn’t do Nemec OR Mercer.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Wait what ? Nemec PLUS Mercer ???
Ya no . I’d love to add Schenn but I wouldn’t do Nemec OR Mercer.

...then you probably don't get Schenn...

 

[Omar Little]

Jake Evans is a tweener 3rd / 4th line center, who is 28, who has no meaningful playoff pedigree nor any particularly elite or special skillset (eg faceoffs, speed, physicality), is a UFA next year, and is currently shooting 21%. I'm not sure why that merits a 1st round pick.

 

[Eggtimers]

...then you probably don't get Schenn...

I don’t mean to come off as rude. Just that is a ton to give up and I would think a Mercer plus Nemec package would bring back a lot more than Schenn .Thats all

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

I don’t mean to come off as rude. Just that is a ton to give up and I would think a Mercer plus Nemec package would bring back a lot more than Schenn .Thats all

...amigo, no need to apologize for anything...and I actually agree with Jersey passing, I just pointed out that it would take a sweet package from Jersey to nab Schenn...all good...

 

[Oneiro]

...amigo, no need to apologize for anything...and I actually agree with Jersey passing, I just pointed out that it would take a sweet package from Jersey to nab Schenn...all good...

I don't even want him on NJ, but you'll never get that for Schenn. He's an overpaid 33 year old 1/2 point per game player.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

I don't even want him on NJ, but you'll never get that for Schenn. He's an overpaid 33 year old 1/2 point per game player.

...and yet St. Louis made him their Captain...maybe cuz he brings ALOT more than just points to the table...

 

[Eggtimers]

Jake Evans is a tweener 3rd / 4th line center, who is 28, who has no meaningful playoff pedigree nor any particularly elite or special skillset (eg faceoffs, speed, physicality), is a UFA next year, and is currently shooting 21%. I'm not sure why that merits a 1st round pick.

Don’t quote me on this as I don’t watch Evans play often , nor do I know his stats when it comes to this but I read others saying he has a very good face off % and is up there in take aways / other defensive metrics / great on the PK . Which is exactly what the Deviks need . Someone besides Nico that can take a key faceoff and handle eating up some minutes playing against tougher comp. I don’t think that means he’s worth a 1st plus “ a B prospect “ like someone has said , but if he is that type of player , he is exactly what the Devils need and he should be considered as a possible trade target by Fitz .

 

[dgibb10]

...and yet St. Louis made him their Captain...maybe cuz he brings ALOT more than just points to the table...

View attachment 971978

Remind me to use this pitch when I try and sell ondrej palat to someone for their best prospect++

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Remind me to use this pitch when I try and sell ondrej palat to someone for their best prospect++

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

To
C Jason Dickinson (50% retained)
Leafs 2026 2nd round pick

To
RW Nathan Bastian
Devils 2026 1st round pick

- Devils get Dickinson thru the rest of this year and next at a nice $2.125 at cost of downgrading 2026 1st into a 2nd rounder

- Hawks use last retention spot to upgrade one of our three 2nd round picks next year (Leafs) into a likely late 1st round pick. Bastian is just warm body thru rest of year for Hawks and is FA after season

 

[HBK27]

I don’t think this season look to be one to go all in to the point you move a top product for a rental. If Markstrom is injured do you have to add another goalie over a forward? If Hischier stays hurt do you have any real chance to compete down the stretch? So many questions right now. I imagine NJ brass wants to see their team after the break and if everyone is genuinely healthy they can assess where they are at that point.

Plus right now it’s a very crowded east and the sellers versus buyers are hard to discern once you get past the top six teams. Any team that wins for or five in a row can take the last playoff spot. Some Montreal fans want to move Evans but if they win a few more games they are buyers at the deadline not sellers. Lots of hockey to play and still a fluid playoff picture outside of thr obvious bottom teams.

Yeah, I think the smart move is for Fitz to wait until closer to the TDL when the Devils have accrued more cap space and there are more sellers on the market before he makes a move, particularly given they're not expected to make a big splash but more to add a bottom 6 forward or two.

Most teams look to add depth defensemen at the deadline, but the Devils are fine here between Hatakka set to return from injury soon to give some added depth on the left side and having Nemec also available as a call-up, plus I'd assume a healthy Casey by the time the playoffs roll around.

Nemec, Casey, Silayev, Gritsyuk, Hameenaho & Yegorov should all be off the table at this point - those are guys you trade when you're going big game hunting - moves the Devils already made in acquiring Meier and Markstrom over the past year and a half. They have 3 late 2nd round picks to work with, so maybe you see one or two of those moved at the deadline along with some lesser prospects.

 

[Volica]

Backlund would be a 10/10 fit here.
I just don't think he has any interest in moving, I don't think the Flames have any interest in moving him either.

 

[TGWL]

To
C Jason Dickinson (50% retained)
Leafs 2026 2nd round pick

To
RW Nathan Bastian
Devils 2026 1st round pick

- Devils get Dickinson thru the rest of this year and next at a nice $2.125 at cost of downgrading 2026 1st into a 2nd rounder

- Hawks use last retention spot to upgrade one of our three 2nd round picks next year (Leafs) into a likely late 1st round pick. Bastian is just warm body thru rest of year for Hawks and is FA after season

Seems steep for NJ to pay a 2026 1st. While I don't see some disaster happening, this feels like way too much value being passed to Chicago. I think 4.5 million is also better spent elsewhere for them.

EDIT: Missed the retention. I still think a 1st is too much.

 

[Smitty426]

Yeah, I think the smart move is for Fitz to wait until closer to the TDL when the Devils have accrued more cap space and there are more sellers on the market before he makes a move, particularly given they're not expected to make a big splash but more to add a bottom 6 forward or two.

Most teams look to add depth defensemen at the deadline, but the Devils are fine here between Hatakka set to return from injury soon to give some added depth on the left side and having Nemec also available as a call-up, plus I'd assume a healthy Casey by the time the playoffs roll around.

Nemec, Casey, Silayev, Gritsyuk, Hameenaho & Yegorov should all be off the table at this point - those are guys you trade when you're going big game hunting - moves the Devils already made in acquiring Meier and Markstrom over the past year and a half. They have 3 late 2nd round picks to work with, so maybe you see one or two of those moved at the deadline along with some lesser prospects.

All great points and I agree. The problem is the cap space even at the end of the year. Its look like right now its $2.6M between now and the TDL. They would need to add very small additions and equal contracts out would have to to be moved. Their 4th line has not produced all year! Who is that in your eyes? Bastian, Tatar, Dowling. Only others I see are non-rostered players with cap hits- Foote and not much more that other teams would have interest in.

 

[HBK27]

To
C Jason Dickinson (50% retained)
Leafs 2026 2nd round pick

To
RW Nathan Bastian
Devils 2026 1st round pick

- Devils get Dickinson thru the rest of this year and next at a nice $2.125 at cost of downgrading 2026 1st into a 2nd rounder

- Hawks use last retention spot to upgrade one of our three 2nd round picks next year (Leafs) into a likely late 1st round pick. Bastian is just warm body thru rest of year for Hawks and is FA after season

I get that the drop from a Devils 1st round pick to a Hawks 2nd round pick could be relatively minor, but that's also a huge risk for the Devils to take if somehow things went off the rails next season.

That's basically what happened last year - Devils went from setting a franchise record for points in 2022-2023 and winning a playoff round to getting a top 10 draft pick last summer.

A player like Dickinson is not one that you trade away your only 1st round pick in the next two drafts for.

 

[HBK27]

All great points and I agree. The problem is the cap space even at the end of the year. Its look like right now its $2.6M between now and the TDL. They would need to add very small additions and equal contracts out would have to to be moved. Their 4th line has not produced all year! Who is that in your eyes? Bastian, Tatar, Dowling. Only others I see are non-rostered players with cap hits- Foote and not much more that other teams would have interest in.

Not sure what the solution here is, but this is clearly where the lack of forward depth is coming back to bite the Devils.

They should've never let go of Jesper Boqvist, who would be a great fit right now. McLeod situation is unfortunate and out of their control, but his replacement was never really addressed this past offseason. Was tough to let Zetterlund go in the Meier trade, but might've had no choice. Nolan Foote busting definitely hurt, though with 27 points in 36 AHL games this season maybe he deserves another look this season given the other options on the table. Maybe Beckman gets a look as he at least has some NHL experience, but the lack of options in the AHL definitely hurts. Stillman pick also still hurts.

Fortunately, Bastian, Tatar and Lazar are all UFA's this offseason as the 4th line needs a complete overhaul.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Max Bultman and Harman Dayal made an article where they picked five contenders and assigned each of them a perfect fit. The Devils and Jake Evans was one of these perfect fits.

"The perfect fit: Jake Evans

The trade: Evans for a 2025 second-round pick, 2026 third-round pick"

I think this is fair value for Evans, but I have seen here that the Canadiens fans think that they can get a first for Evans.

2025 NHL trade deadline perfect fits: Proposals for Brock Nelson, Ryan O’Reilly and more

It's an unusual year for midseason trades in the NHL. Let's pick some ideal destinations for names still on the board.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Smitty426]

Not sure what the solution here is, but this is clearly where the lack of forward depth is coming back to bite the Devils.

They should've never let go of Jesper Boqvist, who would be a great fit right now. McLeod situation is unfortunate and out of their control, but his replacement was never really addressed this past offseason. Was tough to let Zetterlund go in the Meier trade, but might've had no choice. Nolan Foote busting definitely hurt, though with 27 points in 36 AHL games this season maybe he deserves another look this season given the other options on the table. Maybe Beckman gets a look as he at least has some NHL experience, but the lack of options in the AHL definitely hurts. Stillman pick also still hurts.

Fortunately, Bastian, Tatar and Lazar are all UFA's this offseason as the 4th line needs a complete overhaul.

Fitz usually does trades with players who have term. I wonder if he'd take on expiring contracts with extension in mind (assume thats the case, FA is always tricky though). So for example, does an Evans come over with a wink to resign.

Zetturland is exactly what we need. I wonder with his new deal comong up if there is any interest in moving him back? Most likely no Grier did go on getting him in the deal

 

[devsfan8]

I think he is targeting either a player with term or a UFA in their plans beyond this season. Evans and Frederic fit that ilk.