Devils Should Remain Buyers Despite Jack Hughes' Injury
We don't know the extent of Jack Hughes' injury yet, but the New Jersey Devils should still be buyers at the trade deadline
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Jack Hughes' injury certainly throws a curveball in the New Jersey Devils' trade deadline plans. He went hard into the boards late in the third period of yesterday's game against the Vegas Golden Knights, favoring what looked like his right shoulder.
We don't know the extent of the injury, and The Star Ledger's Gabe Trevino reported earlier that the injury may not be as severe as some expect. Either way, the Devils shouldn't wave the white flag on the season. They should remain buyers, and I expect them to, especially if they can find long-term solutions.
Mittelstadt May Now Be an Option
Even before Hughes' injury, the Devils desperately needed a center. They can slide Dawson Mercer to the middle for now, but that's unlikely to be the solution they need. Their center depth would be Nico Hischier, Mercer, Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar. Yikes!
Colorado Avalanche center Casey Mittelstadt has been in the rumor mill for most of this season. The fit hasn't been great in Colorado, but he has 33 points in 61 games — a 44-point pace over 82 games. That's certainly better than what the Devils have at center now.
Mittelstadt was close to a 60-point player in his final two-and-a-half seasons with the Buffalo Sabres. He's not a big goal-scorer but is a high-end playmaker who can create offense off the rush and transition the puck through the neutral zone. Take a look at his microstats from last season:
Mittelstadt has struggled this season. There's no doubting that, but he's a good change-of-scenery/bounce-back candidate. He's under contract for next season at a cap hit of $5.75 million, and the Devils could afford that this season if Hughes has to go on LTIR; that's a big IF, of course.
I'm not sure what the Avalanche are seeking for Mittelstadt. If they're hoping to complete a hockey trade to acquire another center, I don't see the Devils as a fit. But if they're looking to clear Mittelstadt's contract to make another move, the Devils should be willing to fork over assets for him.
One) If the Avalanche want to clear the contract, Mittelstadt shouldn't cost much in a trade. Maybe a second-round pick and another lesser asset. Two) There's your third-line center for next season, too. I think it's an easy play for the Devils and one they should consider this week.
Devils Should Still Seek Long-Term Solutions
I would be hesitant about paying top dollar for rentals, but there should be players with term available. I've written plenty about Jared McCann as a fit on the wing. While that'd be the goal with him, he has played center before, making him an even more attractive target now.
Players under team control like McCann are what Fitzgerald should still target this week. If there's a deal in place to acquire JJ Peterka or Alex Tuch from the Buffalo Sabres, you don't pass up on it. Peterka will be a restricted free agent this offseason, so he has plenty of team control. Meanwhile, Tuch has a year and a half left on his deal.
The same arguments apply to Rickard Rakell, who has three years remaining on his contract after this season, and Oliver Bjorkstrand, who's under contract through the end of next season. You can't pass up on acquiring them if the opportunity arises.
Obviously, the Devils need a center and maybe two now. If Hughes is out until the playoffs or longer, they'll have LTIR money to work with to get aggressive. Aside from Mittelstadt, I would be calling the Nashville Predators about Ryan O'Reilly, who's under contract through 2026-27 at a cap hit of $4.5 million.
O'Reilly would be another solid addition to this team because he can play a second-line role and move down when Hughes is healthy. I think it's unlikely the Predators would trade him, but you have to do your due diligence.
As far as rentals, I'm not opposed to it if the price isn't outrageous. The Montreal Canadiens seem to be playing hardball with Jake Evans, but if they're OK with a single second-round pick to acquire him, why not?
The same is true of Ryan Donato, who'd improve the Devils' five-on-five goal-scoring without sacrificing the farm. Otherwise, I'm probably staying away from the high-priced rentals.
Devils Can't Punt Another Season
I've had plenty of fans in my mentions over the last 24 hours telling me the Devils should punt this season if Hughes is out long-term. While I completely understand that, that'd be a mistake.
One) You only have Jacob Markström for another year after this one. He was in the Vezina conversation before his injury and looked great in his return against the Golden Knights yesterday. He and Jake Allen will keep this team competitive.
Two) Fitzgerald can't waste another year of Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier. Sure, the Devils might not go anywhere in the playoffs without Hughes, but making the playoffs is still important for this group.
And who knows, you might surprise a team if you acquire Mittelstadt or McCann and another forward.
Three) The Devils are 33-23-6 as of this writing. They probably only need to win 10-11 of their final 20 games to get into the playoffs. It's not that tall of a task, and the right additions would most likely get them in.
With potential LTIR money, if Hughes is out until the postseason, the Devils can probably pull off a trade deadline that sees them acquire McCann and Mittelstadt. If he doesn't go on LTIR and the Devils trade for McCann and Donato or Evans these next few days, that should also be good enough to get them in the postseason.
Finally, missing the playoffs would be an epic collapse. Hughes is irreplaceable, but one player shouldn't doom your season if you're a good team. If it does, you have bigger problems to attend to. This is not to say they should panic into trades, but missing the playoffs is really not an option. They need to get in, or there will be wholesale changes.
To sum everything up, the Devils should stay as buyers despite Hughes' injury. Players with term like McCann should remain top targets because they're long-term solutions. And if there's an inexpensive rental to be had, it'd be worth considering. Don't waste another year, especially in a season where the Eastern Conference doesn't look great.
The depression and acceptance has set in.