Devils reportedly looking to make big splash, 10th overall pick is on the table

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Cooper Godin
June 4, 2024 (2:14 PM)

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The New Jersey Devils are one team to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and may be looking to make big splash on the trade market.

Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald recently sat down for an interview with Mike G. Morreale of NHL.com and said that his 10th overall pick is on the table, which he's told teams, but the return in a trade will need to be significant in order for them to consider parting with it.

""If we feel it helps us now and in the foreseeable future, then, yes, I'm listening," Fitzgerald told NHL.com's Mike G. Morreale on Monday. "I haven't gotten anything yet, but the more I talk to teams, I say 'Listen, I'm open to moving No. 10, but it's going to have to be something (significant).'"

Fitzgeral went on to mention that his priority is to find a goaltender for his team. Currently, Jake Allen is the only goaltender on their NHL roster that's under contract for the 2024-25 season. Kaapo Kahkonen and Keith Kinkaid are set to be an unrestricted free agents, while Nico Daws, who recently represented Canada at the World Championship, along Akira Schmid, are restricted free agents.

"I'm in the goalie market talking to teams, but there's a 'but' and the 'but' is how do we want to build our team?" Fitzgerald said. "We'd like to add up front, we'd like to add on the back end, so what are those pieces going to cost us. With the goaltending, what's that going to cost us?"

He added, "Does the No. 10 pick get you that type of player that you can add to the group? It's easy to say, 'Go get so-and-so and then you build from there.' But there are some guys who have different contracts, so how are those players going to re-price at? There's a lot to it, but, yes, the focus is on finding that goaltender."

The goaltending market is a bit of a mystery right now, however, names like Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators and Tristen Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins have popped up in rumours. If they're both available, they would be solid options for the starting role in New Jersey, allowing Jake Allen to be the backup, barring any signings in free agency this summer.

Saros makes the most sense, especially if the Devils have to part with the 10th overall pick. The Predators are set between the pipes for quite a while with Yaroslav Askarov, making Saros expendable. While Tristen Jarry would be a good option as well for the Devils, giving up a draft pick that high to a team within your division isn't ideal.

As we head towards the NHL Entry Draft, action is expected to pick up on the trade market and it'll be very interesting to see what Tom Fitzgerald is able to do to address his goaltending situation.