New Jersey Devils
How Recent NHL Trade Market Affects Potential Devils Moves
As a result of recent NHL trade activity, it’s been revealed how the New Jersey Devils could be affected heading toward the deadline.

It’s not uncommon for a few teams to get ahead of the NHL trade market by making some moves well ahead of the deadline. That’s been the case this winter, however, perhaps the trades we’ve seen thus far are of a bigger magnitude than before. Regardless, by looking at two of the recently transpired NHL trades, we can at least deduce the meaning of what the activity tells us of potential moves for the New Jersey Devils.
Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald admitted himself that he’s in the NHL trade market. The fifth-year GM explained he’s searching for a third-line center who can help with depth scoring.
It’s likely the Devils need another forward, too. Perhaps one that could skate as a compliment in the top-six.
Recent NHL trade history has at least revealed what the market is going to look like when it’s the Devils’ turn to take a swing.
First, there was the mega-deal, the shocker, the jaw-dropper between the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes. Everyone expected Rantanen to take a similar path as Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog. The patient approach to squeeze out as much money out of Colorado as he can, before signing a long-term extension at the 11th hour.
Instead, the Avalanche got ahead of what they believed was going to be the ultimate loss. Rantanen, walking in his first year of unrestricted free agency, and getting nothing for their former superstar.
READ MORE: Hurricanes Go All In, What Will Devils Do?
The deal turned out to be a three-team trade. The Carolina Hurricanes received both Rantanen and Taylor Hall, the Avalanche received Martin Necas and Jack Drury, along with a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft from Carolina. The Chicago Blackhawks got their own third round pick back from the Hurricanes.
Last night, the Philadelphia Flyers and Calgary Flames connected on a trade of bigger magnitude as well. The Flames received forwards Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee in exchange for forwards Andrei Kuzmenko, Jakob Pelletier, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2028 seventh round pick.
Both were very much hockey trades to which all five teams involved made a deal that moves another pawn on their respective chess boards.
The interesting note about each of the trades is that they both involve some impact NHLers and one superstar. Yet, neither of the deals includes a first-round draft pick. It’s a shocking development, especially in the Rantanen deal.
However, that’s fantastic news for the Devils.
New Jersey doesn’t own their first round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. They used the pick over the summer to acquire their No.1 netminder, Jacob Markstrom. It’s a move that has paid off for Fitzgerald, as the Devils have finally solved their long-lasting goaltending issues.
The bad news for the Devils? In each deal, there were current roster players of impact who were moved.
One thing we know is that Fitzgerald typically likes to acquire players who he can hang onto for more than just a handful of regular season games and a playoff run.
Therefore, if he’s going to go to the NHL trade market, perhaps a roster player going the other way will be required, depending on whom the team is the Devils are dancing with.
Otherwise, their tradable assets such as the three second-round picks they own at the upcoming draft or their plethora of blueline prospects—which includes Seamus Casey—could hold enough value for Fitzgerald to add without subtracting from the current roster.
The prices for impact players seems deflated. For the Devils, if they’re in the market for rentals, it’s good news. Said cost could be quite low. However, if the Devils perhaps try to go a bit bigger, it could cost them someone on the roster.
We’ll see how this all plays out.
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