Devils & Golden Knights Are Ideal Trade Partners

The New Jersey Devils should be keeping an eye on the cap-strapped Vegas Golden Knights to take care of some roster needs.

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The New Jersey Devils have some needs to fill this summer. Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights have some cap problems to address. The Devils aren't flush with cap space like in previous summers, but they still have enough where the Golden Knights should be a suitable trade partner.

Not only do the Golden Knights probably need to sell a bit this summer, but they might have players the Devils covet to address some roster flaws. Let's look at four Golden Knights who the Devils could target in the coming weeks.

Shea Theodore

I'm not sure anyone saw the Golden Knights trading away Reilly Smith last offseason, but they're not afraid to make ruthless decisions. Like Smith, Shea Theodore is one of the original Golden Knights misfits, but I wouldn't call him a 100 percent lock to return after the Golden Knights signed Noah Hanifin to a massive eight-year extension.

In an article for The Athletic about who stays and who goes for the Golden Knights, Jesse Granger stated that Theodore could be a trade candidate for multiple reasons if the Golden Knights have their sights set on bigger changes.

Theodore has one year remaining on his contract, and after re-signing Hanifin for $7.35 million per season, they might not want to retain Theodore at a higher price than his current $5.2 million cap hit. He has the most value right now, so the Golden Knights could look to capitalize on that.

The Devils' most pressing need on defense is a left-handed shot, particularly for one who can move the puck. Theodore is one of the more underrated puck-moving defensemen in the NHL, as his microstats from this past season show. He essentially excelled in all facets of the game other than hits:

Via JFresh Hockey, data tracked by Corey Sznajder (@shutdownline)

In addition to being an elite puck-mover, Theodore would add some size on the back end at 6-foot-2, 197 pounds. Now, what would he cost in a trade? That's a bit of a mystery to me.

Theodore won't cost a bag of pucks, but if the Golden Knights are clearing cap space, perhaps he won't be that expensive. The Devils won't offer the 10th overall pick for one year of Theodore, but maybe a 2025 first with protections on it might work? I'm sure another pick and/or a prospect would probably have to be in the deal, but it might not break the bank.

Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said he's looking to add on the back end, so he should keep an eye on Theodore. They would have to move Jonas Siegenthaler's $3.4 million cap hit somewhere to get salary relief, but there's probably a path to fitting in Theodore.

Nicolas Hague

Nicolas Hague hasn't developed the way many thought he would when he first broke into the league. His game has essentially stagnated, but that's not necessarily his fault. The left side of the Golden Knights' blue line is pretty loaded, so the minutes haven't been there for him.