Looking ahead: 3 players the New Jersey Devils could target at the deadline

Assuming the Devils perform anywhere close to expectations, they will be buyers at the trade deadline. Let's examine some potential targets.

Follow along on Twitter @ToddCordell | @InfernalAccess

Be sure to join the Discord channel to talk hockey with our writers and subscribers.

---

The New Jersey Devils are one of the most talented and balanced teams in the NHL. That’s why they finished 1st in the Metro Division, and 4th overall, in JFreshHockey’s first run of standings projections for the upcoming season.

Assuming that is anywhere close to accurate – and there’s no reason to think otherwise – the Devils will be buyers at the deadline. To what extent depends on player availability, injuries, areas of weakness that pop up, and so forth.

As it stands right now, the biggest ‘need’ is probably a top-9 forward. Specifically, a winger capable of slotting in the top-6, a center capable of playing in the top-9 (for more insurance or faceoff capability on Jack’s wing), or some combination of the two.

A less pressing concern is the left side of the defense. Although I like what he provided last season, the Devils are one injury away from Santeri Hatakka being an NHL regular.

For the purpose of this post, I’m going to isolate rental players on teams not projected to make the playoffs in JFreshHockey’s simulation.

As a refresher, here are the results:

Lars Eller - Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years and they didn’t do much (anything?) of note to improve their chances this coming season. They’re once again likely to sell at the deadline as a result.

Eller strikes me as a player who could be of interest to the Devils. He is a big, rangy, center who can win faceoffs, defend, and chip in some offense.

He won 53.7% of his draws in 2022-23 and 52.3% this past season. He is very adept in the dot.

His defensive game remains excellent. Eller’s even-strength defense was worth 8.5 Goals Above Replacement over the past two years, slotting him 11th among all forwards in that span.

He isn’t just a one-way player, though. Eller’s scored 10+ goals in 11 consecutive full seasons and has averaged close to 13 per 82 games over the last three years.

He also brings a wealth of playoff experience to the table, having appeared in more than 100 post-season games and won a Stanley Cup along the way.

If they were to acquire Eller, and everyone is healthy, I see him playing center and either Erik Haula or Curtis Lazar shifting to the wing.

Yanni Gourde - Seattle Kraken