Devils Linked To Three Veteran Forwards
The New Jersey Devils have lost five games in a row and something has to change while Jack Hughes is injured. It can't be yet another season that goes down the drain because their best player is sidelined. With that, the team is looking for upgrades this season to provide even more depth.
According to David Pagnotta, "I fully expect Tom Fitzgerald (Devils' GM) to be engaged in some of the big fish, whether it's Marchessault or Stamkos...Brayden Schenn in St. Louis."
The Nashville Predators are at the bottom of the league and don't appear to have it in them to get better and climb back into the playoff race. This is a team that is due for an actual rebuild after a failed retooling. Ideally, the Devils would want Dawson Mercer on the right wing like he has been playing and playing well this season, instead of in the middle of the ice to try to spread out scoring.
With Stamkos and Schenn, this is a possibility. When Hughes comes back, then the depth and options on the wing and at center would also be much better. Marchessault isn't a center option, but he can produce and is a playoff performer. Stamkos has recently heated up, but both Stamkos and Marchessault have suffered on the bad Predators and in that system compared to what they played in prior. The Devils can score and are more like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights than Nashville is.
The St. Louis Blues are also near the bottom of the standings despite winning more games recently. They are in need of some changes and Schenn, with two more years left on his contract at $6.5 million AAV, is one of the most obvious moves to make. He plays hard, so he would be a good physical and gritty presence for the third line in New Jersey. Stamkos, two more years at $8 million AAV, and Marchessult, three more years at $5.5 million AAV, along with Schenn's contract, aren't going to be that easy to fit in without money moving back. But if New Jersey is looking at these types of players, there is a plan or multiple options in place.
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