NHL Trade Rumors: 3 potential Jonathan Drouin landing spots

New Jersey Devils

The Devils could be the most interesting fit for Drouin. They have an undeniable need for skilled forwards. They have one of the weakest prospect systems in all of the NHL. A great way to continue their quietly efficient rebuild would be to get a skilled left wing like Drouin.

There are some issues that could prevent the Devils from trading for Drouin. The most obvious one is that the Devils won’t be able to get Drouin for cheap; they’ll have to pay. They don’t have too much to offer the Lightning. Defenseman Eric Gelinas might intrigue the Lightning a bit with his relatively low cap hit until he becomes an RFA after the 2016-2017 season. He’s shown flashes of potential, especially on the power play. They might also be interested in Damon Severson, but the Devils are most likely not interested in trading him.

Another one is that trading for Drouin would likely be more of a move for the future than a move that helps them immediately. The Devils aren’t that far from a playoff spot. Will Ray Shero be interested in moving at least one significant piece and draft picks for someone like Drouin?

The Devils would likely need to borrow an idea from the NBA and MLB: a three team trade. The Devils certainly have a need for Jonathan Drouin and Ray Shero has certainly proven that he can be bold when he wants to be. The question is, how badly does Shero want Drouin?