New Jersey Devils: 5 players they should trade this season
It’s clear the New Jersey Devils need to trade a few players to make their future brighter. Which players should they move?
After making numerous offseason moves, the New Jersey Devils were expected to at least be in the running for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, a slow start has derailed that idea, and trying to win now was perhaps a route they shouldn’t have taken in the first place.
The Devils are currently much closer to the bottom of the NHL standings than they are to a spot in the postseason. As of Dec. 5, they are 11 points out of the second wild-card spot. No team since the restructuring of the divisions has been 11 points out on Dec. 5 and made the playoffs.
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It would take nothing short of a minor miracle for the Devils to make the playoffs at this point. They have 22 points through their first 27 games, which is roughly a 67 point pace over 82 games. 95 points is a pretty consistent benchmark for making the playoffs. In order to get to 95 points, the Devils must pick up 73 of the remaining 110 points available. That’s roughly a 109 point pace over 82 games.
To put this in context, the Tampa Bay Lightning were the only team to get at least 109 points last season (though the Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins both had 107 points). Making the playoffs is not impossible, but time is quickly running out. The Devils seem to realize that, as Elliotte Friedman noted in his latest 31 Thoughts column that general manager Ray Shero has put Taylor Hall on the trading block.
There’s no sense in trying to save this season. The Devils must bite the bullet and start listening to offers for just about anyone on their roster. Obviously, Hischier, Hughes, Damon Severson, and their top prospects should be off the table. Here are five players they need to move on from.
5. Andy Greene
Years Left: 1 (expires after 2019-20)*
Cap hit: $5 million
*has a no-trade clause
The Devils need to shake things up. Team captain Andy Greene, a 37-year-old defenseman, could be on the trading block. Of course, there’s the issue of talking him into waiving his no-trade clause. Greene has been a darn good soldier for the Devils, leading them for years.
He’s had a heck of a career for an undrafted defenseman, as he’s in his 14th season. Greene’s no longer a great defenseman, but he can still kill penalties and hold down a third-pairing role. In a pinch, he might even be able to fill in on the second pairing.
4. Miles Wood
Years Left: 3 (expires after 2021-22)
Cap hit: $2.75 million
It wasn’t long ago that the New Jersey Devils saw Miles Wood as a potential long-term piece. A promising 2017-18 season, during which he barely missed scoring 20 goals, led him to sign a four-year deal with the Devils. Since then, Wood hasn’t been able to repeat his performance from 2018.
In 76 games during the 2017-18 season, he had 19 goals and 32 points in 76 games. Since then, Wood has played in 90 games, as of Dec. 5. During that time, he has just 13 goals and 31 points. Wood’s discipline issues haven’t gotten much better, as he’s still averaging nearly a penalty minute per game.
It should come as no surprise that the Devils, according to Elliotte Friedman, are trying to trade him. Wood could use a fresh start and maybe a wakeup call. He has a ton of talent, but has yet to put it all together.
At worst, Wood’s a solid bottom-six forward. His defensive numbers are solid and his cap hit isn’t unreasonable. Teams also might hope a change in scenery could help him get back to being the two-way force he was in 2018.
The Devils don’t necessarily need to trade Wood because he’s a useful player and he still has term left on his contract. However, there’s no reason the Devils shouldn’t at least entertain offers for him. If they can get a mid-round pick and a decent prospect for him, trading Wood might be worth it.
3. Wayne Simmonds
Years Left: 1 (expires after 2019-20)
Cap hit: $5 million
Wayne Simmonds is an obvious trade candidate for several reasons. First of all, he will be a free agent in July. There’s no reason the New Jersey Devils shouldn’t listen to trade offers for him. Secondly, it makes very little sense to try to keep him around. Simmonds is 31 years old and clearly on the decline. He has 11 points through his first 27 games, so he’s not a guy the Devils should prioritize.
Thirdly, Simmonds is someone the Devils could likely trade for a decent haul. His perceived value is higher than his actual value. Last season, despite struggling with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Flyers were able to trade him to the Nashville Predators for a conditional fourth-round pick and Ryan Hartman.
Simmonds is no longer the top-notch power forward he was, but teams love to acquire gritty players at the trade deadline. There won’t be a shortage of suitors for him. Even if the Devils just get a fourth-round pick for Simmonds, it would help them recoup the draft capital they gave up during the 2019 offseason.
If the Devils are smart, they’ll subtly pump Simmonds trade value up a bit. Giving him more power play time should give him a decent boost in production. Again, the Devils aren’t going to have a lack of suitors for Simmonds. He’s the kind of guy teams love to add at the deadline.
2. Sami Vatanen
Years Left: 1 (expires after 2019-20)
Cap hit: $4.875 million
Much like Simmonds, defenseman Sami Vatanen is going to be a free agent in July. It would make a ton of sense for the New Jersey Devils to trade him as a rental to the highest bidder. And unlike Simmonds, it’s not hard to see the Devils getting a haul for Vatanen.
He’s a top-four defenseman who can play over 20 minutes a night and produce at a pretty respectable rate. There’s a good chance Vatanen will be the best rental defenseman available. At the very least, he’ll be one of the better ones.
However, unlike Simmonds, it makes some sense for the Devils to try to keep him at a reasonable price. Their blueline isn’t that stacked. The Devils are going to need guys capable of playing 20 minutes a night. If they can sign Vatanen to a four or five-year deal at a reasonable cap hit, say below $7 million, keeping him, in a vacuum, makes sense.
That said, he’ll likely want to test free agency. So even if the Devils are interested in keeping him around, trading him is probably the right call. Andy Greene is another trade option on the blueline, but he has a no-trade clause. Vatanen doesn’t have one.
1. Taylor Hall
Years Left: 1 (expires after 2019-20)
Cap hit: $6 million
It’s time for the New Jersey Devils to trade Taylor Hall. They can’t be blamed for at least trying to keep him around. But it’s clear Hall’s most likely not sticking around in New Jersey. If he was going to sign an extension, he likely would have done it by now.
As great as Hall is, the Devils need to trade him. They can’t afford to lose him for nothing. Losing a player like Hall is never easy, but it shouldn’t be hard for Shero to get a huge haul for the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner. He’s by a significant margin the best rental forward on the market.
If the Devils play their cards right, they could set themselves up for success in the near future by trading Hall. He’s not going to have a lack of suitors. Hall’s one of the best wings in the NHL and multiple teams have already expressed interest in him.
Next. 3 Teams That Should Trade For Taylor Hall. dark
Even a pessimistic view has the Devils getting a ton for him. A first-round pick is going to be a part of the return. That’s indisputable. Another first-round pick, conditional on him re-signing or making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, will likely be a part of the deal as well. On top of that, there will be at least one high-end prospect or young player included in the return.