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New Jersey Devils

Prospect and NHL Draft News: New Jersey Devil Options

The New Jersey Devils have three first round selections in the 2020 NHL Draft.

After reappearing in the 2018 NHL playoffs, the New Jersey Devils have since reverted back into a non-playoff team. Despite two big off-season additions, Wayne Simmonds and PK Subban, the Devils were never in contention during the 2019/20 season after opening the with six straight losses.

The result was carnage. In December of ’19, Devils GM Ray Shero would relieve head coach John Hynes. Shero then dealt his biggest asset, Taylor Hall, to the Arizona Coyotes. The return for Hall was a nice haul of picks and prospects. Shortly thereafter however, Shero was relieved of his duties, and replaced by current GM Tom Fitzgerald in January of 2020.

Fitzgerald would garnish more assets in February of 2020 by moving long-time Devil Andy Greene to the New York Islanders. The Greene trade yielded a 2nd round selection in 2021, and former Medicine Hat Tiger defender, David Quenneville. Fitzgerald then pulled off another significant trade sending Blake Coleman to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a first round 2020 pick and the rights to former Kelowna Rocket, Nolan Foote.

These transactions have afforded the Devils significant cap space, as well as several premium 2020 NHL draft selections.

Devils 2020 Draft Options

Like the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey also has three first round selections – their own pick at #7, #18 from Arizona via Taylor Hall, and #20 for Blake Coleman to Tampa Bay (via Vancouver). This Round 1 premium provides the Devils plenty of flexibility with how they employ that advantage. Will the Devils stay the course and use those picks or entertain offers for the first-round selections?

Whether the Devils decide to use picks to acquire roster players or dip into the free agency market, they will specifically need help up front. Alex Chauvancy, from the Hockey Writers recently outlined five free agent forwards the Devils might look to acquire. Among the names listed by Chauvancy are Mikael Granlund, Jesper Fast, Evgenii Dadonov, Tyler Ennis and Craig Smith.

Will the Devils stir up the first round to gather assets on October 6th? Stay tuned into the Devils because they will likely be active over the next several weeks.

NEXT: Prospect and NHL Draft News: Big Names from the QMJHL

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