The New Jersey Devils need to do something before the trade deadline on Friday. Prior to this week, they already needed some forwards. They have lacked secondary scoring, and their center depth is quite thin. Now, with Jack Hughes’ injury, they’re in desperate need of reinforcements.
The Devils are short on players who can put the puck in the back of the net. Tom Fitzgerald has a tough job to do. Will he be able to improve the Devils’ roster by Friday? A top trade target, Jake Evans, is off the board after signing an extension with the Montreal Canadiens.
Mikko Rantanen is someone who could fill a void. The Carolina Hurricanes recently acquired the winger from the Colorado Avalanche. They have yet to figure out an extension with him despite wanting to do so. Rumors have floated that he might be available again via trade.
Mikko Rantanen is a possible solution for Devils’ forward needs
According to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun, the Devils were already interested in Rantanen before Hughes went down. Now that their superstar is hurt, their interest in Rantanen and other forwards could increase. They’ve reportedly let the Hurricanes know that they want to be part of the conversation should the Canes decide to trade him. He fits in nicely with the Devils’ need for scoring.
Unfortunately, bad timing has left the Devils with uncertainty just ahead of the trade deadline. They don’t yet if Hughes will need surgery or how long he’ll be out. Since it's unclear if he'll have to go on the long-term injured reserve (LTIR), they don’t know if his $8 million cap hit will be coming off the books. This affects potential moves that New Jersey could make before the deadline. The Devils hope to have clarity on this before it’s too late.
While the Devils are interested, so are several other teams. Plus, a major question here is: would the Hurricanes trade Rantanen to a division rival? The two teams do not have a lot of history trading with each other.
If the Devils are able to right the ship and still make the playoffs, the Hurricanes could find themselves facing the Devils in the playoffs. They played each other in the second round two seasons ago. Would they be willing to deal a superstar to the Devils considering this possibility? It seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened.
If they somehow manage to pull off this move, the Devils would really benefit from having Rantanen on a wing in their top 6. If he is available, they at least have to try.