Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumours! The Stanley Cup Finals begin on Saturday, but the offseason is in full swing. Today we focus on the NHL Draft and how the New Jersey Devils look to approach it.
NHL Rumours
Rumour: Mike Morreale at NHL.com discusses the Devils options at the draft
The Devils are one of the more attractive options as a team. Yes they missed the playoffs, but they have a young roster that is capable of doing something special. This team is led by the duo down the middle in Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. What Tom Fitzgerald has done to complement them is huge, as he went on to lock up Jesper Bratt long term and acquire Timo Meier. This team has depth and is young.
What the Devils also have going is the impactful youth in the fold. Dawson Mercer is likely to be in the teams’ future plans. Also, the young building blocks of Simon Nemec and Luke Hughes is going to be great going forward. However, the team could use a boost, which is what most assess when the season doesn’t go as planned. Morreale touches on what the Devils can do at the draft.
Devils Could Trade the Pick
The latest of NHL Rumours swirls around the Devils and the draft selection. After the draft lottery came and went, the Devils hold the 10th pick. According to Morreale, the Devils would be open to trading the pick. Fitzgerald went on to say,
“If we feel it helps us now and in the foreseeable future, then, yes, I’m listening,” New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald told NHL.com on Monday during a break from interviews at the NHL Scouting Combine. “I haven’t gotten anything yet but the more I talk to teams, I say ‘Listen, I’m open to moving No. 10, but it’s going to have to be something (significant).”
Fitzgerald went on to add that he would like to add to the forward group and to the back end. One of the biggest question marks is in the goal crease, which the Devils need to solve. The carousel in the crease needs to come to an end and the tenth pick could be used to land a goalie. In the past, the Devils have been linked to Linus Ullmark, Jacob Markstrom, and Juuse Saros.
The Devils could use a goalie of high calibre, as they ranked 30th in team save percentage (.886), and finished 26th in goals against. A boost in net could be of use to this team, but is the tenth pick the right move to go get one? Regardless the Devils are in a great spot moving forward.
Future of the Devils
Despite the NHL Rumours, the Devils are in a good place. The future is bright for the Devils. They brought in Sheldon Keefe to be the next head coach, which is a good hire for the Devils. He will be the next voice to help this team get over the hump and be a playoff contender. Thats what Fitzgerald imagines and believes he is the right person for the job.
The Devils are in a better position this year, as the roster constructed is stabilized for the most part. It’s now about complementing those pieces more and building a team further out. The Devils could be open for business and it’ll be interesting to see how it unfolds.
Main Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
