4 Players Linked To Devils If They Trade 12th Overall Pick

Tuesday, May 12, 2026 , , , ,
Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat celebrates goal during 2026 game.

The New Jersey Devils held a 2.5 percent chance of jumping to second overall in the Draft Lottery.

It did not materialize.

They are locked in at 12th overall for the June 26 draft in Buffalo, which means they will not have a shot at Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg, the two players at the top of the class.

What they do have is a first-round pick in a draft tier that is valuable as trade currency, a clear and well-documented need for top-six winger help, and a new general manager in Sunny Mehta who is not yet emotionally attached to any particular draft philosophy.

James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now has said the Devils should aggressively dangle the 12th pick for an impact forward rather than use it on a prospect who will need two to four years to contribute at the NHL level.

"The Devils have a clear scoring problem," Nichols wrote. "Last season they ended the year 27th in the NHL with 2.76 goals per game. According to several scouts, they could also stand to add some size."

New Jersey's window with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt is now, not in three years.

Trading the pick is the right move if the right player is available. Nichols linked four specific targets.

Matthew Knies - Toronto Maple Leafs

The most intriguing name on the list and the most complicated.

The Devils were interested in Knies at the trade deadline, per multiple reports, but nothing materialized.

Now both organizations have new front offices.

Toronto won the lottery and holds the first overall pick, which means whatever direction new GM John Chayka takes the franchise will shape the Knies conversation directly.

If the Maple Leafs are rebuilding around a McKenna or Stenberg selection, moving Knies for a defensive asset makes sense.

If they are retooling, he becomes essentially untouchable.

A package centered on the 12th overall pick and Simon Nemec gives Toronto a blue line piece and a high draft selection to build around, and gives the Devils a 25-year-old physical winger who had 20 goals and 39 assists this season and who brings the size and compete level the Devils lack at the position.

Jordan Kyrou - St. Louis Blues

Kyrou is the fit that makes the most sense for New Jersey regardless of no-trade clause complications.

The 26-year-old brings elite skating and high-end offensive processing that would slot perfectly alongside Jack Hughes or Jesper Bratt.

The Blues hold three first-round picks already, including 11th and 15th overall, and are in the early stages of a rebuild that prizes draft capital.

Adding a 12th pick gives St. Louis four first-round selections in a single draft, an almost unprecedented accumulation that would satisfy any front office's desire to accelerate a rebuild.

The major hurdle is Kyrou's no-trade clause.

Any deal requires his willingness to waive it for New Jersey, which is not guaranteed given that Newark is not typically a top destination for players with leverage.

Jason Robertson - Dallas Stars

The most aggressive move on the list and the one with the most upside.

Robertson is a three-time 40-goal scorer who is a pending restricted free agent in a contract dispute with Dallas, a situation that could force the Stars to move him rather than let him reach unrestricted free agency a year later with nothing to show for it.

The Stars do not have a first-round pick in this draft and need a right-shot defenseman badly.

A package built around the 12th pick, Nemec, and potentially additional assets could give Dallas what they need while solving Robertson's contract situation by putting him in a new city.

Alex DeBrincat - Detroit Red Wings

DeBrincat had another productive season in Detroit but the Red Wings have failed to make the playoffs for the 10th consecutive year, and a franchise reset that includes moving established veterans for draft capital is very much on the table.

DeBrincat is a 50-goal threat in the right situation, a 5-foot-7 sniper whose production has remained consistent across multiple organizations.

Detroit has picks 11th overall through the Blues deal and could potentially use a 12th overall pick to rebuild a prospect pool that needs significant infusion.

Photo Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

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