By Nathan Erb
The New Jersey Devils have been in the middle of a competitive Eastern Conference battle in the standings all season. While as of today they sit in 6th, that's still the 8th highest point total in the league. The Devils were certainly expected to take a step forward this year, but not be a legitimate playoff team just yet. New Jersey has a plenty of young talent who still haven't reached their ceiling, so the team is expected to stick with the plan.
"We're thrilled with the performance of the guys this year," said the Devils GM, "But we aren't going to sacrifice the future for playoff rentals."
That said, expect the Devils to make some moves. It would be unfair to the current roster to not fill some holes for the playoffs and give the team a chance at a run.
Several names have been in the rumor mill, though the team maintains that their priority is to acquire a player who will be around long term, and will look for "bargain" rentals.
Martin Kaut and Michael Rasmussen are two former 1st round top prospects who could be used as trade bait. The Devils have also made it known their 1st round pick is available, since they also own Pittsburgh's in the upcoming draft.
"We've talked to nearly a dozen teams, but nothing is imminent. I would expect the dominoes to start to fall by the weekend."
8/11/2021 - 237 words
