Devils' Top Trade Deadline Target Should Be Jared McCann

The New Jersey Devils should have Jared McCann atop their trade board if he's available before the trade deadline

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You had to figure trade rumors would begin leaking out during the 4 Nations break. Yesterday, Jared Stoller, who covers the Winnipeg Jets for Sportsnet, reported that the Seattle Kraken could make Jared McCann available before the trade deadline.

McCann is not scoring at the torrid rate he has in past seasons, but he still has 14 goals and 42 points in 57 games — a 20-goal, 60-point pace over 82 games. The New Jersey Devils desperately need another finisher in their top six, and McCann might be the perfect fit.

McCann Is a High-End Shooting Threat

I've made note of the Devils' finishing woes quite a bit since the Christmas break. It depends where you look, but they're generally a bottom-five finishing team in the NHL.

On Natural Stat Trick, the Devils have scored 174 goals on 194.5 expected goals at all strengths. That actually improved a bit heading into the 4 Nations break, but they're still performing well below expectation when it comes to goal-scoring.

Enter McCann, who could cure some of the Devils' scoring woes. Though he's only on pace for 20 goals this season, he has a proven track record of goal-scoring. He finished with 29 a season ago and totaled a career-high 40 tallies in 2022-23.

McCann shot 19 percent the season that he totaled 40 goals, so I wouldn't expect that from him again. Still, he's averaged 31 goals per 82 games over the last four seasons, this one included.

McCann's goal-scoring is not an accident, either. Via NHL EDGE, his shot has a top speed of 99.58 mph, ranking in the 99th percentile this season. Even last season, his shot ranked in the 92nd percentile, so you get the point.

If you want to take it a step further, MoneyPuck has had McCann's shooting ability at about 21 percent above the league average over the last two seasons. Simply put, he can rip the puck.

The one worry I have about McCann is he's not the fleetest of foot. His skating has ranked below the 50th percentile in two of the last three seasons, and the Devils could use more pace in their lineup.

On the flip side, Tyler Toffoli was not the fastest skater by any stretch, but he had no problem fitting in with the Devils, and they played a fast-paced game under Lindy Ruff in Toffoli's one season in New Jersey. If Toffoli can fit in with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, I'd bet McCann could too.