What is depth scoring? That’s the question New Jersey Devils general manager, Tom Fitzgerald, contemplated at his season’s end availability. He knows the offense underachieved, and is actively seeking ways to improve the roster. There will be a number of free agents this summer who New Jersey could try to lure in to help fix the goal scoring issue. However, in order to avoid a bloated contract that could turn out to be a mistake, a Devils trade could help them absolve them of a disaster.
READ MORE: Devils’ Aggressive Cap Space Strategy for 2025 Offer Sheets
First and foremost, the Devils are likely going to need a bit more cap space. Perhaps a hockey trade, money in/money out, is a solution. Or, there will need to be more than one Devils trade to create the room.
With some contractual changes as of July 1st, it’s not an impossible task. In fact, it makes Fitzgerald’s job a bit easier to improve.
So, who can the GM target in a Devils trade?
Drake Batherson
The Ottawa Senators will be looking to add goal scoring to their roster this offseason, however, it could cost them Drake Batherson.
The 27-year-old forward is an intriguing option on the trade market due to his $4.975 million average annual value for the next two seasons in a rising cap era.
Batherson, although inconsistent in 2024-25, still scored 26 goals and 68 points over 82 games this year.
At the end of their season, the consensus became that Ottawa needed to improve in the goal scoring department. They also have key pending free agents in Claude Giroux, Fabian Zetterlund, and Anton Forsberg to address.
If the Senators see them as an upgrade over Batherson and want to be players in the free agent market for some impact goalscorers such as Brock Boeser or Nikolaj Ehlers, they may have to move his near $5 million cap hit. Especially if they want to retain some of their key pending free agents.
Batherson drew a bunch of interest at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, and although he wasn’t moved, the Senators fielded offers on the winger.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they will move him this summer. But, it at least seems like the Senators aren’t totally against moving on from the player.
He’d certainly have an opportunity to work out those inconsistencies alongside Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier.
Alex Tuch
The less distraction for the Buffalo Sabres, the better. If they can’t work out an extension with Alex Tuch early, it could be in their best interest to trade the 29-year-old forward.
Tuch has proven to be a top-line threat in Buffalo, turning in 36-goals in two of the last three seasons.
The Sabres need something new next season to legitimize their franchise. For far too long now, they’ve had the talent but seemingly can’t put themselves over the hump of being a bubble roster.
Perhaps removing Tuch makes that path more difficult, but there certainly is a need for a right-shot defenseman to compliment their plethora of quality lefties.
As of July 1st, the Sabres will have $21,426,153 in cap space, yet have a handful of key pending restricted free agents to address such as J.J. Peterka, Ryan McLeod, Jack Quinn, and Devon Levi.
In fact, if they don’t have full faith in Levi to at least back up Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the Sabres are going to need another goaltender as well.
In short, the Sabres have a lot of work to do this offseason to legitimize their roster for a chance to finally return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That could mean they’re spending to the salary cap ceiling.
With one year left on his deal, Tuch’s $4.75 million cap hit will be easy to break away from as there will certainly be suitors.
The Devils should be one of them.
Pavel Dorofeyev
National Hockey Now colleague, Hannah Kirkell, writes that for the Vegas Golden Knights, a revamp is required and only Jack Eichel is untouchable.
The Devils could look to Vegas for gold in the form of Pavel Dorofeyev who broke out last season for 35 goals.
The concern in Vegas is that their window could be closing. They have an aging roster with some monster contracts. That hasn’t stopped them from shopping for the big fish before.
However, they have no youth or prospects to work with, and a dark age of a rebuilding roster looms.
The Golden Knights could expedite that process, turning the rebuild into a retool, and stay relevant in the process by building around Eichel. However, that would have to start now. They need picks, prospects, and young players.
Subtracting Dorofeyev might seem counterproductive, however, he’s one of the easiest contracts to move with one year left at a $1.835 million cap hit.
Vegas has never been afraid to be aggressive, therefore, predicting what Kelly McCrimmon might do is moot. From the Devils perspective, however, Tom Fitzgerald should target Dorofeyev—noted as an offensively gifted forward—who fits the age of the core at 24 years old, and addresses a goal scoring need.
And hey, Fitzgerald and McCrimmon connected last summer on the Paul Cotter/Alexander Holtz deal. The history suggests they could do it again.
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