Perfect Steven Stamkos trade Devils must offer Predators

The New Jersey Devils they are currently on a three game losing streak, but could still be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators are 10-13-4, and the worst team in the Central Division. This led to rumors that The Devils could be interested in acquiring Steven Stamkos from Predator. A real offer has to be made to make this work, but the Devils could make one.

The Devils are 16-10-1 on the season, which puts them in third place in the Metropolitan Division. However, they are only three points behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the division. The Devils have been solid on the power play, ranking sixth in the NHL while also being ninth in penalty kill. They are 18th in defense but are allowing just three goals per game, which is tied for 16th in the NHL.

The Devils have been struggling to score lately. They have scored just six goals in their last three games. The team is also missing Jack Hughes, who is injured at the team dinner when he slipped and cut his hand. Meanwhile, Evgeny Dadonov is also on IR, as is Mark McLaughlin. The team needs help on offense because of all the injuries, and Steven Stamkos is a solid option.

Why trade for Stamkos?

The Devils need help on offense. Currently, five different players have scored over 20 points for the Devils this year. One of them is Hughes, who will be out for weeks to come. Jesper Bratt leads the team in goals, playing on the second line. He is joined by Donson Mercer, who is fourth on the team in points. Meanwhile, Nico Hischier and Timo Meier are second and third in the team in points. Both play on the front line with Stefan Noesen.

Moreover, the next three best-scoring options are all on the blue line. Arsenij Gritsuk is the only player from the back two lines with more than ten points. The Devils need top-six help while they wait for Hughes to return to the lineup. A trade for a player like Stamkos would also help long-term this year. He played on the left wing, but he can play in any forward position. This will allow the Devils to put another scoring threat on the third line and give them more depth.

Stamkos also needs a fresh start. This year he scored eight goals with three assists. That gives him just 11 points in 23 games so far, which puts him on pace for a total of 33 points. Stamkos only has one season in his NHL career that would be worse, and that was the 2016-17 campaign. He found the back of the net nine times and added 11 helpers, but played just 17 games.

He was also a prolific threat at the end of his time in Tampa Bay. In his last three seasons with the Lightning, Stamkos had 81 or more points, with 30 or more goals in each season. In his first campaign with the Predators, he had just 27 goals and 26 assists. It’s clear his time with Nashville isn’t going well, but if he can approach his previous form, he’d be a huge addition for the Devils.

Perfect trade

The first step in the trade is Stamkos’ no-movement clause. He would have to approve any move from the Predators’ NHL roster. The former first pick of the NHL draft has already won two Stanley Cups in his career, and he would certainly like to add a third. The Predators aren’t in a position to run like that, but the Devils are. Then there’s Stamkos’ salary. He is in the second year of a four-year contract. He will make $8 million per season. The Devils currently they only have $3.4 million in cap space, meaning the Predators will have to absorb some of Stamkos’ salary. If the Predators, who also have $3.6 million in cap space, are willing to take on some of the salary, a trade could be made.

Next, the question is what the Predators could get in return. The Devils have solid draft capital. They have their first-round pick each of the next three years, but Stamkos won’t be worth a first-round pick. They could trade this year’s third-round pick or a fourth-rounder from the Stars or Jets. The Devils don’t have a third-round pick in 2027, but they do have another, which would be needed. They could also pack another pick later. At worst, the team could send each of the next two second-rounders to get Stamkos.

Regardless, the Devils will have to give up a player who can impact the Predators in the future for this trade to happen. Seamus Casey is a great option. He currently plays for the Utica Comets of the Devils’ AHL affiliate. He’s proven to be a solid two-way defender, and the Devils currently have an overabundance of talent on the blue line.

Another option would be to trade an NHL-ready player like Simon Nematz, but he’ll probably be saved for a bigger trade option given his talent and that he’s only 21 years old. Regardless, trading two draft picks plus a player like Casey should be enough for the Devils to land Stamkos.