NHL Rumors: Devils Will Also Look To Add Depth At The Deadline

The New Jersey Devils are in a position they have not been in for a long time now as they are buyers come the NHL Trade Deadline. Even with the NHL Rumors ramping up around the Devils, general manager Tom Fitzgerald is still playing it cool regarding his strategy for the trade deadline.

In the Devils NHL Rumors article we looked at the potential fits New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald could make at the trade deadline for their need at the top six winger position. Again Fitzgerald prefers to make hockey trades and build in the summer rather than at the deadline. He does not want to give up premium assets for just a rental player. Rather he would like to continue to stockpile controllable assets that fit with the age of the core of the group and what he is building in New Jersey.

But as Fitzgerald noted to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic he would not be doing his job correctly if he was not looking to improve his hockey club. Outside of adding a top-six scoring winger, Fitzgerald is open to the idea of adding a rental depth piece. However, he knows so is the rest of the league. We have seen Fitzgerald make a move or two at the deadline that nobody expected that has helped the Devils get to this position.  In this edition of NHL Rumors, we are looking at some of the trade targets the Devils have in mind that would be helpful for depth.

Time to dive into the NHL Devils Rumors.

NHL Rumors: Devils Look To Add Depth

Forwards

Max Domi

The New Jersey Devils will be looking to add more sandpaper and toughness to their lineup as they push toward the playoffs. A name that is garnering interest is Chicago Blackhawks forward Max Domi. Domi is a perfect fit for what the Devils need in their bottom six. With Chicago going all-in for Connor Bedard, Domi will not only garner interest from the Devils but other teams around the league.

Other Potential Fits

While Domi is a name connected to the Devils, there are other names that could be a fit for what the Devils are looking to do to revamp their bottom six.

One name potentially the Devils could see come back is Adam Henrique of the Anaheim Ducks. Henrique the former Devil has one year left on his deal at $5.825 million. With his versatility and veteran presence, it is always a good idea to add players who have been to the playoffs before. He was there the last time the Devils made the Stanley Cup Final. Does it make sense, it all depends on the cost for a player like this. The Devils will hope the Ducks retain some money as well.

Nick Ritchie of the Arizona Coyotes is another player that has proven he can provide some extra punch for a team looking to bolster its bottom six. We know the Coyotes are sellers, so this player will garner interest from contending teams around the league. Could the Devils look at a Nick Bjustad as well?

Could a player like Ivan Barbashev of the St. Louis Blues be an option as well? Do the Devils and Canucks talk about Conor Garland. Time will tell, but the Devils should be looking to add depth to their bottom-six forward group.

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Defence

The old saying goes like this you can never have too many depth defencemen come playoff time.  That is an area the Devils can add as well. Especially adding size in front of their net. It also does not hurt to have another guy that can move the puck as well. The Devils are much better defensively this season, but the stretch run and the playoffs are a different animal.

Potential fits are guys like Dmitry Kulikov of the Ducks. St. Louis could be sellers and Niko Mikkola‘s name is out there. Mikkola is a big 6-foot-4 defenceman. The Devils have players in the system with that height but are not ready for the bright lights just yet. While Mikkola does not provide much offence, he is a solid defender. He also brings playoff experience as well. Not to mention he has a great cap hit. *** Update; With Mikkola going to the Rangers as part of the Tarasenko trade, the Devils who had interest will have to look elsewhere.***

Other players the Devils could potentially add are players like Sean Walker of the Los Angeles Kings and Nick Seeler of the Philadelphia Flyers. Do the Devils try to make a run at a guy like Mattias Ekholm of the Nashville Predators? General manager David Poille still has not decided what his team is, but Ekholm has playoff experience and is a good player to add. He has term left so the Predators will need to retain some money. But again the Devils need experience back there along with Dougie Hamilton and Damon Severson.

Goaltending

It is no secret the Devils are still unsure of what they have in MacKenzie Blackwood. The potential future of the team has been passed by thanks to the play of Vitek Vanecek. Adding a third goalie until they decide what to do with Blackwood isn’t a terrible idea. Or do you move him in a deal to acquire another goalie? Some options for the Devils would be to get an Anton Khudobin type that has made a deep run and knows what to expect in the playoffs. Or a starter that can be a backup like Karel Vejmelka.

It will be interesting to see what the Devils do at the trade deadline. They are in a good position. It will all come down to how Tom Fitzgerald sees his team and what players he feels best will fit into what he is building.