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The Devils could take advantage of the cap-strapped Avalanche and address their own needs via trade.
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It’s beginning to sound like there are going to be very few sellers this offseason. We know the New Jersey Devils want to add offense, but nearly every team in the NHL this offseason is looking to improve. It’s a unique situation in a rising cap era. That’s why, management may have to take advantage of cap strapped teams via Devils trade.
There’s one obvious, glaring team that GM Tom Fitzgerald should be calling.
The Colorado Avalanche.
Look, we’re not reinventing the wheel here.
Every NHL club is going to do their research, if they haven’t already, to survey the league’s salary cap situation. And what they will all find is that the Avalanche have the least cap space in the entire NHL as of July 1st.
After inking forward Brock Nelson to an extension, acquired for a haul at the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Avs GM Chris MacFarland has just $1.20 million to work with this summer.
After three long seasons, Gabriel Landeskog made his anticipated return, adding $7 million annually to their cap for the next four seasons. Not to mention Logan O’Connor’s new contract kicks in on July 1st, the first year of a six-year deal that carries a $2.5 million AAV.
Add the fact that the Avalanche have six unrestricted free agents, and a key pending restricted free agent, one could deduce that the Avalanche need to free up some money.
It’s no secret that the Devils want to improve the depth scoring. It’s also not a secret that they have a hole at the third-line center position to fill.
If Fitzgerald plays his cards right, he could certainly take advantage of the situation via Devils trade. So, who can they target that will address their needs?
If Martin Necas is truly unhappy in Colorado, he’s a candidate we’ve already discussed. However, in a bottom-six role, there are two options we’re looking at.
Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but Ross Colton is a perfect Devils trade target.
Look at the landscape of the NHL these days. There are a lot of players who want to play close to home. That’s why Brett Pesce chose the Devils last summer. That’s why Jonathan Toews is narrowing down his list of preferred destinations, and the Winnipeg Jets are on it. The Florida Panthers might not be able to afford to keep Brad Marchand, and that’s why he could end up with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
So, why not bring Colton home?
Colton, a resident of Robbinsville, New Jersey, does it all.
He can score goals, win faceoffs, throw the body, and is defensively responsible.
Colton ended last season scoring 16 goals in 61 games, a 21.5-goal pace over 82 games. The 28-year-old forward is a former 20-goal scorer, and has potted 16 or more goals in each of the last three seasons.
There were spurts of play last season where Colton played up in the lineup alongside the likes of Nathan Mackinnon and Mikko Rantanen (before he was traded), and he thrived.
Perhaps he would be a top-six option, but Colton could slide snuggly into the 3C role behind Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier with his $4 million cap hit over the next two seasons.
Before he landed in Colorado, we banged the drum that the Devils should go after Colton pre-Tampa Bay Lightning departure. Given the circumstances, we’re picking up the sticks and banging that drum, again.
Perhaps Charlie Coyle, who—like Nelson—was acquired at the 2025 NHL trade deadline, can also be pried away from the Avalanche.
However, seeing as the Boston Bruins had to give up Casey Mittelstadt for him, he might be harder to acquire than Colton.
Still, it’s at least worth investigating.
Coyle is going into the final season of his contract that carries a $5.25 million AAV. He’s very similar to Colton in the sense that he can pot close to 20 goals, play a physical brand of hockey, is responsible in all three zones, and is tough on the forecheck.
The big-bodied, 6-foot-3, 215-lb forward is another candidate to slid right into the 3C role behind Hughes and Hischier much like he does Mackinnon and Nelson.
As a shoot-first mentality, Coyle can not only create chances for himself, but can drive play on the third line by creating chances for his wingers as well.
Again, Coyle could be tougher to pry given what they gave up to get him, and Coyle does have a three-team no-trade list. However, the money isn’t going to free up itself, and if the Avs are going to trade him, why would he say no to a contender like New Jersey?
Perhaps MacFarland has his sights set on adding in a different department. Thus, Colton and Coyle certainly could find themselves on the Avalanche chopping block.
Yes, the Devils would perhaps need to shed some salary themselves with an anticipated Luke Hughes extension inbound. However, both players come with favorable cap hits in a rising salary cap era. Fitzgerald shouldn’t hesitate to take advantage via Devils trade.
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Logical Devils Trade Target May Not Actually Be Available
Until salary is shed, the constant barrage of trade ideas, offer sheets, and FA signings is pointless.
Devils and Colorado would make horrible trade partners since they both need to shed salary. So either a third team is brought in to eat some salary (at an additional cost) or Luke’s extension will have to wait.
Right now, the Devils are in no position to take salary off anyone’s hands.
I really don’t care what Fitzmoron does this off-season. Dougie went down & Fitzy left $10 in LTIR on the table knowing he’d get Dougie back in the playoffs. He totally messed up the Markstrom deal & gave up after that. Where could we be right with a Toffoli extension instead of trading him.
Jack went down for the season & Fitzmoron again gave up on the season leaving $13 in LTIR on the table.
We had a GLARING need at goalie in the off-season & during the whole season & Fitzy never fixed it until the following season. Then we had a glaring need at #3C that he didn’t fix in the off-season & during the season. I am soooooooo sick of “winning the off-season” & then don’t fix problems during the season. What’s gonna happen this season that Fitzmoron will use as an excuse to not fix problems that come up during the season????? If he proves he can fix the teams issues during the season instead of on paper improving the team in the off-season I’ll start caring about the off-season again.
Waaaayyyyy to many seasons of hype that doesn’t translate to the ice. The only thing I care about this off-season is who on the right side defense is getting traded. Going into the season with Dougie, Pesce, Kovacevic, Nemec, & Casey would be extremely dumb. Their value is as high as it ever will be. Only playing limited minutes when injuries happen will only drop their value
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