3 New Jersey Devils Most Likely to be Traded

The pressure is on in New Jersey, as Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald is taking a lot of heat for how the team is playing this season. The Devils entered the Olympic break with a 28-27-2 record, and since Fitzgerald is committed to head coach Sheldon Keefe, he'll be turning to his roster to re-tool ahead of the Mar. 6 trade deadline.

The Devils have already added Nick Bjugstad recently, and ever since they lost out on Quinn Hughes joining his brothers, it's become paramount for the team to do something creative to spark their team. The core of the roster could certainly be changing, as we saw with Ondrej Palat also being moved recently to Long Island.

Here's three Devils who are most likely to be traded before the deadline:

Dougie Hamilton

Hamilton wants out, his agent has been working with other teams on the parameters of deals, and once the break is over, expect to see Hamilton moved. The two-way defenceman has taken a step back this season and is playing a much lesser role on their blueline, and if it wasn't for injuries, he would have been moved already. Look for the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs to battle it out for Hamilton's services. He has a 10-team trade list he's submitted to Fitzgerald, and word is both the 'Canes and the Leafs are approved destinations by Hamilton.

Seamus Casey

The 22-year-old defenceman is someone who Fitzgerald could flip for an impact top-nine forward, especially a young, NHL ready talent. Casey is among the best Devils prospects in the system, and even though he'd get more run if Hamilton wasn't in his way, he's been involved in trade talks, and was reportedly included in their offer for Quinn Hughes. Casey's posted eight points in 16 NHL games, split between the last two seasons.

Paul Cotter

Cotter may not jump off the page like some trade candidates, but he's an energetic bottom-six forward who knows exactly what his role is, each and every game. Cotter is a pending restricted free agent and his team control could lure a team to make a move to acquire him. Cotter's posted five goals and 10 points in 54 games this season, playing 11:31 a night, and has landed and impressive 150 hits. He's capable filling in down the middle if needed, and expect to see a contending team reach out to the Devils to try and add Cotter to their bottom six. 

Photo credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images