We’re now less than two weeks away from the Mar. 7 deadline, meaning time is running out on the New Jersey Devils to improve. At the time of writing, they occupy the third Metropolitan Division playoff spot with a 31-20-6 record. But their eight-point lead isn’t comfortable enough to be satisfied. Since Dec. 28, they have a 7-9-3 record – 29th in the NHL.
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Thankfully, there are a few good names out there who would be massive improvements to the roster. The Devils have a pretty solid farm system and some draft picks that could possibly be dealt.
It’s tough to tell what their cap situation will be, depending on whether Jonas Siegenthaler ends up on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). But regardless, adding these players is likely within the realm of possibility with salary retention:
C Ryan Donato (Chicago Blackhawks) – Status: Pending UFA | Age: 28 | $2M AAV | 53 GP, 19 G, 18 A
Donato has truly emerged this season and seems to get better as time goes on. He doesn’t have blazing speed but his wicked shot and overall hockey IQ make him an ideal middle-sixer, as proven by his ~29 goal pace.
goals in back-to-back games for Ryan Donato‼️ pic.twitter.com/0nQhb9C1yH
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 12, 2025
Furthermore, his $2 million cap hit with that production makes him an absolute bargain. His asking price might be a little higher as a result, but he’s the secondary scoring that the Devils desperately need.
LW Brandon Tanev (Seattle Kraken) – Status: Pending UFA | Age: 33 | $3.5M AAV | 55 GP, 9 G, 8 A
When you look at his numbers and overall production, one would think that Tanev’s cost would be very low. He’s a minus-11, too…and his underlying/advanced numbers are kind of ugly. But plugging him on the third line could still be beneficial to the Devils. He’s one of the faster guys in the NHL with a top skating speed of 23.1 miles per hour (MPH – via NHL EDGE). The Devils have slowed down a lot and certainly need to add that element back. He’s also received some down ballot Selke Trophy votes in the past, as his defensive game may be faltering simply due to Seattle’s struggles as a whole.
He also draws penalties pretty frequently, which is key for the Devils, who are 4th in the NHL on the man advantage (27.5%). Lastly, he’s very physical and adds 82 games of playoff experience to the roster.
RW Kyle Palmieri (New York Islanders) – Status: Pending UFA | Age: 34 | $5M AAV | 55 GP, 16 G, 21 A
It’s pretty clear that the Devils have needed a sniper since they traded Tyler Toffoli. As a team, they’ve scored 13.08 goals below expected at 5v5 (via Natural Stat Trick). Palmieri has shown that ability his whole career, scoring over 20 goals six times. This season, he’s scoring at a ~24 goal pace.
He’d be playing with more talent in New Jersey, where he’s already a fan favorite. Like the other additions, he’s not a superstar, but when you combine them all, they help fix the secondary scoring crisis the Devils have faced.
Possible Post-Deadline Lineup
Here would be a possible Devils lineup with these acquisitions. It’s important to note that the Devils’ defensive corps, even through the team struggles, have remained one of the better groups in the league. With limited cap space, prioritizing forward acquisitions should take precedence:
Erik Haula — Jack Hughes — Jesper Bratt
Timo Meier — Nico Hischier — Kyle Palmieri
Brandon Tanev — Ryan Donato — Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat — Paul Cotter — Stefan Noesen
Jonas Siegenthaler* — Dougie Hamilton
Luke Hughes — Johnathan Kovacevic
Brenden Dillon — Brett Pesce
Jacob Markstrom
Jake Allen
* Dependent on health, Santeri Hatakka/Simon Nemec as depth options
Scratched: Curtis Lazar, Kurtis MacDermid, Simon Nemec
Traded/Waivers: Tomas Tatar, Nathan Bastian
Lineup Explanation
At the absolute minimum, the Devils should add one of Donato/Palmieri, and then Tanev, if they want to be considered contenders. But all of the above would be ideal. Tomas Tatar and Nathan Bastian haven’t done enough to warrant being regulars in the lineup.
As strange as it may look, putting Erik Haula next to Jack Hughes is certainly better than having Ondrej Palat next to him. Haula can take the draws, as his faceoff percentage (FO%) of 54.4% is way better than Hughes’ 37.3%. Per Natural Stat Trick, since Dec. 28th, Palat – Hughes – Bratt has a 47.1 expected goals percentage (xGF%), meaning they’re getting consistently outplayed. Since 2022-23, in 253 minutes of Haula replacing Palat on that line, they have an incredible 61.9 xGF%. High danger chances are 72-27 in favor of the Devils.
Palmieri with Timo Meier and Nico Hischier makes for a line that could potentially score at-will. Then Tanev and Donato added to Dawson Mercer makes for a third line that could do a little bit of everything. Bumping Noesen, who is on pace for ~27 goals, down to the fourth line shows how much deeper this team would be.
Would this be your ideal scenario for the Devils post-deadline? If not, what would you do differently? Let us know in the comments.
