Exclusive: New Jersey Devils named new captain, sign significant player…..
One reason the New Jersey Devils must pursue Leon Draisaitl and one reason they shouldn’t
The New Jersey Devils made one trade to bolster their goaltending unit, and it shows that they’re for real trying to get back into the playoffs and pick up where they left off in 2022-23. But there’s one more player out there who would more than help the Devils get near the 112-point threshold again, and that’s Leon Draisaitl, whose time in Edmonton could be coming to an early end.
Thanks to cap restraints and such, the Devils would be a difficult landing spot for Draisaitl should the Oilers move him. But if general manager Tom Fitzgerald somehow can figure out how to bring one of the NHL’s best forwards to Newak, why not inquire to Oilers general manager Ken Holland and explore the possibility?
It makes sense, as acquiring Draisaitl and inserting him into a lineup that already includes a plethora of high-scorers would make opponents cringe when they’re slated to play the Devils. And yeah, I know, the cap issue, because it would be tough to acquire Draisaitl without a plan to sign him to a long-term extension, which would sail north of $10 million.
But you can see why pursuing and trading for Draisaitl, if he’s available, would essentially make it safe to predict the Devils will make perennial deep playoff runs. That said, there are also major downsides to trading for Draisaitl, and the main one is the sacrifices Fitzgerald must make.