Does Siegenthaler's Injury Change Devils' Trade Deadline Strategy?
Do the New Jersey Devils need to hunt for help on defense with Jonas Siegenthaler out at least 2-3 weeks with an injury?
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On Tuesday, the New Jersey Devils announced Jonas Siegenthaler underwent a procedure and that he'll be reevaluated in 2-3 weeks. As a refresher, he took an awkward fall in the team's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins just before the 4 Nations Break.
That timeline is a bit vague, but if Siegenthaler is out longer than two to three weeks, that could be a blow to the Devils' defense. He's been one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL this season, if not the best. Could the Devils now look to add a blueliner ahead of the trade deadline?
There Aren't Many Options for the Devils
It's not the best year to be a buyer in the trade market. One) There are plenty of teams still in the playoff race, specifically in the Eastern Conference. Two) There aren't a ton of difference-makers available.
That's especially true on defense, and when you look at some of the players available on defense, not many seem to make sense for the Devils.
Rasmus Ristolainen is pretty high on most trade boards, but he has two and a half years left on his contract at a cap hit of $5.1 million. Plus, he's a right-handed shot, so that's a hard no for the Devils. They do not need another right-handed blueliner.
Ivan Provorov is a left-handed shot and has been serviceable for the Columbus Blue Jackets. But they're in the wild-card race and may not look to move him before the deadline. His $6.75 million cap hit is also too rich for the Devils since they need that money to address issues up front.
Bowen Byram is an intriguing name because he's 23 and has plenty of team control, but who do the Devils move on the left side to make room for him? It certainly won't be Siegenthaler or Luke Hughes, and I doubt they would deal Brenden Dillon any time soon; he has no-trade protection anyway.
One option that could make sense for the Devils if Siegenthaler is out long-term is Brian Dumoulin. His impacts this season have been less than ideal, but he plays on an Anaheim Ducks team that's still among the worst in the NHL defensively.
If you look at what Dumoulin did a season ago with the Seattle Kraken in a third-pair role, he was quite good defensively:
Dumoulin is a pending UFA with a cap hit of $3.15 million, which is nearly identical to Siegenthaler's. If Siegenthaler is out long-term, he's someone I could see the Devils targeting to fill out a bottom-pair role.
Otherwise, I don’t envision general manager Tom Fitzgerald adding a defenseman with a pricey cap hit. The Devils need to add at least two forwards ahead of the deadline, and I expect that's where their focus will be.
Odds are that if the Devils add a defender, it'll be someone who can be a No. 6-7 and has a minimal cap hit, and they’ll be unlikely to pop up on a trade board.
Devils Will Have to Rely On What They Already Have
The Devils' best bet to get help on defense will come internally. Šimon Nemec got the call-up after Siegenthaler's injury and played in the Devils' final two games before the 4 Nations Break. It was a rocky two games for Nemec, but this is an opportunity to showcase the progress he's made in the AHL.
Before Siegenthaler's injury, Nemec had 22 points in his previous 27 games with the Utica Comets. If the Devils don't make another move for a defenseman via a trade, Nemec will likely get an extended run with the Devils until Siegenthaler returns.
There's also Santeri Hatakka, who's been playing with the Comets for the last couple of weeks after returning from an injury he suffered with the Devils during the preseason.
Hatakka played well in a small sample for the Devils last season, and if things go awry with Nemec again, Hatakka could get the call-up to fill out the left side in a third-pair role.
Having Hatakka would also put Brett Pesce back on the right side of the blue line, his natural position. Pesce has experience playing on the left and did play well in that position in the Devils' final two games before the 4 Nations Break, so they have that safety valve available to them, too.
Ultimately, I'd be very surprised if the Devils acquired a big-name defender unless they determine Siegenthaler is out for the season, and that doesn't seem like it'll be the case. Even someone similar to Marcus Pettersson, who the Vancouver Canucks acquired before the break, looks out of reach.
If the Devils acquire a defender, it'll be someone like Dumoulin or Urho Vaakanainen, who the New York Rangers received in the Jacob Trouba trade. Vaakanainen has a $1.1 million cap hit and can play a bottom-pair role, which seems like the type of defenseman the Devils should target if they need one.
And even if they don't need one, some defensive depth can never hurt. We'll knock on wood that Siegenthaler returns soon and is the only injury the Devils deal with on defense over the final two months of the regular season. But having a veteran seventh defender who can jump in and play without missing a beat would serve the team well down the stretch and in the playoffs.