With the trade deadline approaching, all eyes are on New Jersey Devils general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald as he tries to push the Devils toward a firm playoff position. They’ve had a disappointing season, but that can mostly be chalked up to injury woes and atrocious goaltending. A splash at the trade deadline can certainly be enough to put the Devils back into a comfortable playoff spot.
One name that could go the other way in a trade is Alex Holtz, a 22-year-old sniper who hasn’t gotten quite enough opportunity with the Devils. The former seventh-overall pick has 13 goals and 24 points in 55 games, which, though it doesn’t seem like all that much production, is quite respectable considering he’s spent the overwhelming majority of the year in the bottom-six, particularly on the fourth line. On the season, Holtz is sporting an expected goals share (xGF%) of 48.41% and is third on the team in 5v5 points with 22. He should garner a ton of interest from other teams as an already-productive young NHLer with sky-high potential, and the Devils should be looking to move him as someone with excellent trade value and an inability to move up in the lineup.
Calgary Flames
One team the Devils have constantly been linked to this season is the Calgary Flames. Between stud goaltender Jacob Markstrom and defensemen Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev, there are plenty of reasons for Fitzgerald to look to the Flames as a potential trade partner. Pair that with the fact that the two parties have already traded with each other this season — a deal that sent stud goalscorer Tyler Toffoli to the Devils in exchange for young up-and-comer Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick — and the Devils and Flames may reconvene for another trade closer to (or at) the trade deadline.
I don’t think the Devils would consider moving Holtz for Tanev, but I could see a world in which he’s used in a package to get either — or both of — Markstrom and Hanifin. The Devils are in dire need of goaltending and defensive help, and could afford to sacrifice a young offensive chip should the Flames present a fair offer. For the Flames, their season hasn’t lived up to standard either, and they’ve been teetering on a rebuild for a couple seasons now. It might be time for that to get kickstarted, and who better to acquire than a young, talented player that they can put with the likes of Dustin Wolf, Connor Zary, and Matt Coronato?
Nashville Predators
The Devils have also been linked to the Nashville Predators of late, with insider Pierre LeBrun reporting that the two have spoken about Juuse Saros. With Nashville GM Barry Trotz reportedly unwilling to part ways with young, promising netminder Yaroslav Askarov, it only makes sense that he and the Predators would consider a Saros-centric trade. There are a couple other names to monitor for the Predators, too, such as defenseman Alexandre Carrier and forwards Yakov Trenin and Tommy Novak.
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The Predators, much like the Flames, are due for a rebuild. Let’s face it — this isn’t a playoff team, and if they do somehow make it to the postseason, it won’t be very far. They could use a true reset, and already have a few young pieces to build with. Adding Holtz to the likes of Askarov, Jusso Parssinen, Luke Evangelista, Joakim Kemell, and many other talented prospects would be the makings of an incredibly strong team in a few years. Holding on to veteran players who can be had for futures, like Saros and Carrier, is only going to prolong their death.
Anaheim Ducks
Yet another team that’s seen many trade rumors involving the Devils is the Anaheim Ducks. They’re obviously rebuilding, and have a few appealing options for a trade. While John Gibson is the obvious — albeit risky — player to keep an eye on, the Ducks do have some intriguing forward choices in Adam Henrique and Frank Vatrano. Henrique has tallied 16 goals and 36 points this season and would be an ideal candidate for a third-line center, barring some salary retention, now that they’re down Michael McLeod. Vatrano leads the Ducks in goals (26) and points (45), and could be an extra punch on offense should they choose to keep the back end as-is.
For the Ducks, acquiring Holtz obviously makes sense as the team has been mired in a rebuild since being a first-round exit in the 2018 Playoffs. They’ve already stocked up on a ton of young talent, particularly at center. Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish have the potential to be one of the most potent 1-2 punches down the middle in the NHL in a few years. GM Pat Verbeek would be smart to acquire wing talents that complement their centers, and Holtz certainly has the makings of an excellent shoot-first passenger player who thrives when his center does the transitional heavy lifting.
Vegas Golden Knights
Though it’s been relatively quiet on the trade rumor front for the Vegas Golden Knights, a trade that sends Holtz to the Neon City might make sense for both sides. For a cap-strapped team like the Golden Knights, a near-league-minimum player who can slot in anywhere in the top-nine and likely find success there should be a no-brainer. They’ve had to rely on a couple youngsters who haven’t proven themselves in a full-time role, like Mason Morelli (though he did score in his one and only game) and Grigori Denisenko. They could use a Holtz-esque player.
For the Devils, the story is much of the same in regard to what they should be looking for from Vegas. There were murmurs in the offseason that 26-year-old goaltender Logan Thompson was being called on for a trade, and considering that they have Adin Hill, who carried them to a Stanley Cup last season, and Jiri Patera, who has filled in well enough for a backup role, it’s entirely possible that he could be moved to help the Golden Knights get a little more oomph in the middle-six. Another player that would be a good fit for the Devils is Nicolas Hague, who plays on Vegas’ third pairing. He’s huge — 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, to be exact — and is a smooth-skating, two-way threat who has excelled in sheltered minutes in his career. He’d bolster the Devils’ defense corps amicably.
Holtz Will Most Likely Be Moved
I’m under the assumption that Holtz will be traded at or before the March 8 deadline. He’s been unable to prove himself in Ruff’s eyes — he hasn’t gotten much ice time this season and has been questionably benched at times despite showing flashes of brilliance with bottom-six players that would naturally come more often with more playing time and better teammates — and it might just be time to move on completely. He’s undeniably talented and has an astronomical ceiling, so other teams would be foolish not to consider asking about the Swedish sniper.
