3 early predictions for the Devils at the NHL Trade Deadline

1. The Devils will bring back a familiar face to New Jersey

Adam Henrique spent his first 7.5 seasons in the NHL with the Devils, providing them with many big moments including the goal that sent the Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals in his rookie year. Henrique was traded to the Anaheim Ducks at the 2017-18 trade deadline and has remained a steady middle-six forward since then for Anaheim.

The Ducks are one of the worst teams in the NHL making them an obvious trade deadline seller. What sellers often do is part with players on expiring contracts, and that's the situation Adam Henrique finds himself in. The 33-year-old has a $5.8 million cap hit for this season before hitting unrestricted free agency after the year.

The Devils are stacked in the top six but could use some help in the bottom six. New Jersey has gotten strong play out of guys like Michael McLeod and Curtis Lazar but has also been using guys like Nathan Bastian and Chris Tierney often when their play leaves a lot to be desired. Henrique would give the Devils another solid finisher, and another forward who can chip in on the penalty kill.

Henrique would give the Devils another solid scorer, and another forward who can chip in on the penalty kill. Adding another forward isn't nearly as important as adding a defenseman or a goaltender, but adding a player like Henrique who has come up big in New Jersey before, perhaps even with John Gibson, wouldn't be a bad thing.