5 Devils Trade Targets From Seravalli's First Trade Board

Frank Seravalli's first trade board of the 2024 offseason had plenty of intriguing targets for the New Jersey Devils

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We're exactly four weeks out from the NHL Draft, which means trade season is nearly upon us. Frank Seravalli released his initial trade board earlier this week, with 20 names who could be in play in the coming weeks. Let's look at some potential fits for the New Jersey Devils.

Goalies. Lots of Goalies

Every goalie you thought the Devils could target this offseason was on Seravalli's trade board. Linus Ullmark checked in at No. 2, while Jacob Markström was at No. 10. Even Juuse Saros was surprisingly at No. 6.

I imagine general manager Tom Fitzgerald will check in on all three goalies. But other netminders on Seravalli's list included Filip Gustavsson, who we looked at on this blog around two weeks ago, and Elvis Merzlikins.

If I had to guess, Markström will be a Devil by the time the draft rolls around, but I'm sure Fitzgerald will do his due diligence on every netminder available. It's priority No. 1 for the team this offseason, and I imagine it's something he discussed with Sheldon Keefe when hiring him to be the team's new head coach.

Reilly Smith

Cups in the room? Check. Boatloads of playoff experience? Check. Reliable middle-six to top-six winger? Check. A brother who just spent two seasons playing for the Devils? Also check. Reilly Smith may have had a down year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, totaling 13 goals and 40 points in 76 games, but he might be what the Devils need on the wing.

One reason the Devils should consider targeting Smith is he appears to be a good rebound candidate. He shot only 8.6 percent this past season, below his career average of 12 percent. His underlying numbers were solid, as he finished with an expected goals share (xG%) just above 53 percent. And his microstats were excellent, so there's plenty to suggest there's still a player there:

Via JFresh Hockey, data tracked by Corey Sznajder through his A3Z project

Smith has one year left on his contract at a cap hit of $5 million. The Devils should not be willing to take on his full cap hit (I don't expect they would want to, anyway). But if they can get a significant portion retained that brings his cap hit below $4 million, I can see the fit.

Smith is one year removed from a 26-goal, 56-point season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He's not a guarantee to rebound to that level, but even if he produces 20 goals and 50-ish points, the Devils could use that in their lineup, especially at a retained price. His veteran leadership would be invaluable, having made the Stanley Cup Final twice with the Golden Knights. He also seems like a player Keefe would want on his roster, though that's purely vibes.