Devils 2024 Trade Deadline Targets

The New Jersey Devils have a few needs to fill before the March 8 trade deadline. Here are some names to watch over the next five weeks.

Feb 02, 2024

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Injuries have plagued the New Jersey Devils, but even when healthy, they have a couple of needs to address. Among the most pressing is goaltending, but that's not all. Let's look at some players the Devils could target over the next five weeks before the March 8 trade deadline.

Forwards

Adam Henrique

I already did a standalone piece on Adam Henrique, so there's no need to cover it much here. If the Devils go on a run coming out of the All-Star Break, adding some forward depth would help them, especially since Jack Hughes has had trouble staying healthy.

Henrique has been a model of consistency throughout his career and one of the Anaheim Ducks' best players this season. He's on pace for 25 goals and 55 points and can play left wing or center, versatility Devils coach Lindy Ruff would welcome.

Henrique is a pending UFA, so the Devils might hold off on trading for him until they get a better sense of where they are in the race. But there's no doubt he's a fit if they pursue help up front.

Jake Guentzel

I still don't think the Pittsburgh Penguins decide to sell, but if they do, Jake Guentzel will have plenty of suitors. The pending UFA is having a terrific season, totaling 22 goals and 49 points in 46 games at the All-Star Break.

Guentzel won't be cheap, likely costing a first-round pick, a top prospect and an NHL-ready player. That could look like a first-rounder, Alex Holtz and a prospect for the Devils. They’ll likely need those assets to acquire help in net or on defense, so I'd file this under "unlikely to happen."

The Devils would also need an extension with Guentzel, but that isn't much of a concern. If they were to acquire him, I'm sure the two sides would work on that before striking a deal.

Reilly Smith

In his latest article for The Athletic, Peter Baugh mentioned Reilly Smith as a possible Devils trade target. Smith is having a down year by his standards, with 20 points in 40 games for the Penguins. But there is reason to believe it's just a down year and not him declining.

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Smith's individual point percentage sits at 63.64 percent at the All-Star Break, well below the 77 and 72 percent IPPs he posted in his previous two seasons. He's not a rental like Guentzel or Henrique, as he's under contract through next season at a cap hit of $5 million.

Smith also has plenty of playoff and Cup experience from his time with the Vegas Golden Knights. He should not cost anywhere near as much as Guentzel or Henrique to acquire and may make more sense than a rental for where the Devils are now.

Arthur Kaliyev

Based on multiple insiders' reports, including Elliotte Friedman on the Feb. 1 episode of The Jeff Marek Show, the Los Angeles Kings will likely move on from Arthur Kaliyev ahead of the March 8 deadline.

Kaliyev has struggled this season, with 14 points in 38 games, but there's reason to believe he can thrive on a new team. His two-way impacts at even strength have been excellent; he just hasn't gotten the results:

Kaliyev may not be the best skater, but he was a top scorer in juniors. He's only 22, has a cap hit of $894,167, and will be a restricted free agent this summer. He'd be just a depth move for the Devils, but there's potential for more in the long run. They need to find value buys if they plan on re-signing Tyler Toffoli and adding help in net and defensively. And Kaliyev could be one.

Defensemen

Noah Hanifin

Elliotte Friedman reported on the Feb. 1 episode of The Jeff Marek Show that the Calgary Flames would like to keep Noah Hanifin if possible. They've made a generous offer to him, but he has to decide if he wants to stay or go.

We'll see how it plays out, but I can't imagine the Devils aren't monitoring the situation. Hanifin is a top-four left-handed shot, which is the Devils' most pressing need on defense. Even when Jonas Siegenthaler returns from a broken foot, that'll still be true.

Additionally, Kevin Bahl has struggled mightily, strengthening the case for a top-four left-handed shot. It'll take top assets to acquire Hanifin, but I don't think that'd deter the Devils, even though he's a pending UFA. He's only 26 years old and would fit with the team's long-term plans, so I think they'd make a strong attempt to sign him to an extension.

Jakob Chychrun

I've also written extensively about Jakob Chychrun. I won't spend much time on him here, either, but he's a very underrated two-way defender. Even on one of the worst teams in the league in the Ottawa Senators, he's been terrific this season. And his three-year sample shows he’s a stout two-way defender:

Chychrun is under contract through next season at a very manageable cap hit of $4.6 million. His offensive ability should mesh well with how the Devils want to play, and he has the defensive game to back it up. He'd likely fit in seamlessly somewhere in the Devils' top-four. It'd cost top assets to get him, but he's worth the price of admission.

Goaltenders

Jacob Markström

After trading Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks, it appears the Flames have entered seller mode. Whether that means they're ready to move on from someone like Jacob Markström remains to be seen. But the Devils will surely be interested if he becomes available.

Markström has had a bounce-back season with the Flames, totaling a .912 save percentage at the All-Star Break. His high-danger SV% of .864 ranks third out of 63 goalies who have at least 1,000 minutes logged at all strengths. As most Devils fans know, their goalies have had trouble stopping high-danger shots this season.

Markström also ranks in the top 10 in goals saved above expected this season. He's under contract for two more years after this one, meaning the Devils could get three playoff runs with him. That only adds to his value, and it wouldn't surprise me if the Devils see him as their top target because of that.

Juuse Saros

I'd be surprised if the Nashville Predators dealt Juuse Saros before the trade deadline. But perhaps GM Barry Trotz could be enticed by an offer he can't refuse, especially with Yaroslav Askarov inching closer to being ready for the NHL.

Saros has not had a great season, with a .903 SV% while giving up six goals above expected. But the track record suggests it's a blip on the radar and that he should rebound. He's under contract through next season at a cap hit of $5 million, making him enticing for the Devils.

If I had to guess, Saros and Markström would be the Devils' top targets since they have term, especially Markström. So it'll be something to watch over the next few weeks since they're ideal fits for the Devils.

Kaapo Kähkönen

The Devils may want a goalie with team control, but Kaapo Kähkönen should still be on their shortlist. The San Jose Sharks have been miserably defensively, but Kähkönen has quietly been excellent.

His .901 SV% may not catch your attention, but his underlying numbers have been fantastic. His high-danger SV% of .851 ranks eighth out of 63 goalies who have at least 1,000 minutes logged at all strengths. He's saved 5.4 goals above expected, placing him in the top 20 league-wide.

Kahkönen will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he should not cost the Devils their best assets to acquire. He's only 27 years old, so he could be part of the solution if he comes to New Jersey and plays well. The reality is the Devils may need two new goalies, so it'd be wise to consider Kähkönen.

Goaltending is the Devils' most pressing need, and as Pierre LeBrun alluded to in The Athletic yesterday, that move is most likely to come first for the Devils. After that, we'll see. Getting a healthy Jack Hughes back could punt upgrading at forward until the offseason. But if Fitzgerald can make everything work, he will if it makes sense for the team.

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