Could Devils Weaponize Cap Space With P.K. Subban Trade?

This season, more than most, teams with funds and salary cap space to spare will be able to do what the NHL is calling “weaponize their cap space.” Essentially, what that means is that a team with room to add players of higher salaries where other teams don’t, can get good returns for taking players off the hands of tight-to-the-cap teams or retaining salary in trades. Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet took a closer look at this strategy and named a handful of teams who can utilize this strategy.

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The Detroit Red Wings already weaponized some cap space when they acquired Marc Staal from the New York Rangers. The Rangers wanted to ship out Staal’s salary, the Red Wings had room, and the two sides made a deal that saw the Red Wings added a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft for nothing more than future considerations.

Are there other teams that could try a similar deal? Yes, and the New Jersey Devils top that list.

Dixon mentions the Devils as a possible team to watch here and specifically names P.K Subban as a player that could be moved out in such a deal. Subban is not a value for most teams at $9 million and almost no NHL club has the room to add him at that price. But, at $4.5 million cap hit, a handful of teams would consider it. That would involve the Devils retaining 50% of his salary for the next two seasons, something they could easily do.

Because the Devils have the room, this kind of deal isn’t that out there. New Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald could get creative, find a team that would like Subban at $4.5 million and maybe even take a player back. At the same time, he’d get a good prospect or draft pick in the deal.

Subban’s Short and Long-Term Future

Realistically, Subban and New Jersey probably aren’t a permanent fit. He’s got two seasons left and the Devils aren’t likely to be Stanley Cup contenders in those two seasons. Ultimately, the team will lose him or move him anyways and it’s not a huge loss. Why not do it early and get the best possible return now?

If the Devils have the cap space, (and they do) and they Subban will be gone (which he probably will), try to get a decent pick and/or prospect back from a team that could use a 31-year-old right-shot d-man with a chip on his shoulder while you can scrape together a sound return.

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