The New Jersey Devils are back in a position to be buyers again at the NHL Trade Deadline. Last year, it was about filling gaps and moving out players as it was clear the Devils were not going to make the playoffs. However, even as the NHL Rumors ramp up, Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald remains on the hunt to improve his club for a deep playoff run.

While Tom Fitzgerald filled needs in the off-season, as the season rolled on, it was clear the Devils still had holes to fill on their roster. However, we know the Devils GM likes to make hockey trades in the summer rather than at the deadline. He is not afraid to make a trade for the betterment of his club. Sometimes, it is a move nobody sees coming.

He has built the current Devils roster that way, especially on defense with guys like Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic. While Fitzgerald is not afraid of going after rental players because New Jersey has become a destination for player gain, he would rather add a player with term or someone that is controllable as he continues to build towards bringing a championship back to the Devils organization.

As Full Press Hockey has documented, the Devils entered the season needing a top-six scoring winger. That is a need Fitzgerald will look to fill at the deadline. In addition, the Devils are looking for help down the middle, like most of the NHL. But having center depth is key, especially one who can win faceoffs. The final area is on defense. Contending teams can never have too many depth defensemen.

Again, Tom Fitzgerald is not allowed to name any names, but he is looking to add and be active at the deadline. In this edition of NHL Rumors, we are looking at some of the trade targets the Devils have in mind for that position.

Time to Dive into the NHL Devils Rumors.

NHL Rumors: Names Link to the Devils
Top Six Scoring Winger

One player the Devils continuously are linked to is the Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser. Boeser scored 40 goals last season. Boeser is off the pace this season. These two teams have been linked going back to the 2022 NHL Draft. The Canucks are battling for the final wild-card spot in the West, so it will have to take a high package for Vancouver to move him, as the Canucks need him for goal-scoring too.

Boeser is a pending UFA and will probably demand a high AAV on his next deal. But he has shown he can get it done in the playoffs. He has 11 goals in 29 playoff games. Last season, Boeser led the Canucks with seven goals in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He is the type of player the Devils could use. The key will be with Boeser needing a new deal. Is New Jersey willing to part for Simon Nemec in a trade package, as they do not have a first this year?

Again, if the Devils do not want to go that route, maybe they should consider a player like Pavel Buchnevich from the St. Louis Blues. Now, Buchnevich would have to waive his modified 12-team no-trade clause to come to New Jersey. Could the Devils convince St. Louis to retain some of Buchnevich’s $8 million salary in the deal to make it more reasonable?

Around Full Press Hockey

Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver Canucks Have a Tough Decision to Make with Brock Boeser

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New Jersey Devils: NHL Rumors: Could the New Jersey Devils Eventually Trade Simon Nemec?

Montreal Canadiens: NHL Rumors: Montreal Canadiens Will Likely Trade Jake Evans

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As Full Press Hockey has documented, don’t expect the Devils to have a reunion with Kyle Palmieri. Even if the New York Islanders GM feels like his team is out of it, Lou Lamoriello will not trade him to his former club. Plus, he does not fit into the Devils lineup anymore. Remember, there was a reason why Tom Fitzgerald didn’t offer Tyler Toffoli and Jonathan Marchessault longer-term deals than what they got. The cost of diminishing returns.

Unless the Devils are willing to mortgage part of the future, this type of transaction might be difficult to make now.

The Best Fit at Center

The Devils have been looking for a center even since Michael McLeod had his incident off the ice. New Jersey continues to be linked to the Montreal Canadiens and Jake Evans. Evans is a perfect fit with his $1.7 million cap hit. He is a good bottom-six forward who can add offense and kill penalties. It appears the cost will be a second-round pick. The Devils have three of them. New Jersey could use one of them for Evans. It makes sense to add a player like that.

Another player could be Ryan Donato of the Chicago Blackhawks. Donato has a $2 million cap hit, which is slightly higher but doable for the Devils. Again, he is another player who adds depth. He can score around 20 goals and is around 46 percent in the faceoff circle.

Other names out there include Yanni Gourde of the Seattle Kraken and Christian Dvorak of the Montreal Canadiens. With the Boston Bruins potentially selling, they could go after Trent Frederic, but that cost would be high as he is a coveted player around the league. Not to mention, let’s see how long he could be potentially out of the lineup with an injury.

But Evans and Donato make the most sense for the Devils. Gourde would be tougher to add, but if Seattle retains salary, the Devils could do it.

Who are the Targets on Defense

The New Jersey Devils strength has always been defense. According to Kevin Weekes of ESPN, the Devils are in the market for a defenseman.

@NJDevils have had a really good season to date, I’m told they’re interested in potentially adding more scoring and depth on D. #NJDevils #HockeyX

— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) January 15, 2025

The Devils are without Jonas Siegenthaler after he had knee surgery done prior to the Four Nations Break. With Seamus Casey up, the Devils will give him another test run. Casey has looked fine in all nine games he has played in. However, he is still a rookie, and the NHL schedule can be taxing. It has been taxing on the Devils top six this season. Adding a depth defenseman for the playoffs is smart.

As the old saying goes, you can never have too many defensemen come playoff time. Could a guy like Mario Ferraro be a player the Devils are interested in outside of San Jose? Again, no names have been officially linked to the Devils, but New Jersey is always keeping an eye out for another body or two as they want to let their kids develop more.

Jamie Oleksiak of the Seattle Kraken and Connor Murphy of the Chicago Blackhawks are two names to watch. Again, they have not been linked to New Jersey directly but are pending UFAs that can fill a need.

The NHL Trade Deadline is March 7th. Stay tuned for the latest rumors, especially about what Tom Fitzgerald and the New Jersey Devils could do.

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