The New Jersey Devils may not be finished after Friday’s Connor Hellebuyck trade. According to Elliotte Friedman, the blockbuster could be the first move in a larger plan to keep adding to the roster.
“I think everybody here is kind of looking at this and saying: Is this step one of some sort of multi-step move for New Jersey?”
Friedman made the comment in the aftermath of the deal, and the question hanging over the Devils now is what GM Sunny Mehta has lined up next.
Two names keep surfacing: Dylan Larkin and Quinn Hughes.
A move for Larkin would have to come through a trade, and with Larkin’s Team USA teammate now in New Jersey, the Devils would make sense as a destination on his trade list. There is also some speculation that the Red Wings have smoothed things over with Larkin, but the prevailing view is that a deal could still get done.
Hughes is a different situation. The path there appears to be free agency next summer, with the still-Minnesota Wild defenseman potentially signing then rather than arriving through a trade. If Hughes truly wants New Jersey, the Devils’ best play may simply be to wait and see whether he leaves Minnesota unsigned.
That waiting game is where timing takes center stage. Devils fans would love to imagine Hellebuyck, Hughes, and Larkin all landing together, but the reality is that each move has its own hurdles.
Larkin remains tied to Detroit’s asking price, and the issue is whether the Red Wings are demanding too much for the Devils to match. If that price stays sky-high, a trade may not happen until after the season.
Mehta also does not appear eager to force a Hughes trade with the Wild. If Hughes is serious about New Jersey, the more realistic approach may be patience, especially since his latest comments remain non-committal despite the praise he has given Minnesota.
For now, Mehta looks like he is playing the long game. He seemed to do the same with Winnipeg, waiting until the Jets lowered their offer enough to fit what he could provide.
That same approach could wind up shaping what happens with Detroit and Hughes too.
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Quinn Hughes Just Cooled Off A Devils Dream After Hellebuyck Trade
Trade chatter around Quinn Hughes has picked up again, and New Jerseys recent move for Connor Hellebuyck only added to the speculation that the Devils could be positioning themselves for another big swing. Hughes is still unsigned with the Minnesota Wild as his deal moves toward its expiration at seasons end, and the buzz has only grown louder because of the fit he would represent if he ever became available.
For now, Hughes is not feeding the rumor mill. He said he is not focused on the outside noise about his future, while also leaving the door open to a possible extension in Minnesota. His agent has said the defenseman will take a practical approach to signing one, which keeps the situation very much alive without offering any real clarity for teams waiting on the next move. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Win Streak Suddenly Has A Much Bigger Goalie Twist
The Devils kept rolling with a 3-1 win over the Kings, stretching their surge to three straight and five of their last six. Brett Pesce delivered the go-ahead goal, and Jake Allen handled the rest with 12 saves in a game that fit neatly into a team finding ways to win in a lot of different situations.
Connor Hellebuycks introduction before puck drop added another layer to the evening, even as Allen helped secure the result on the ice. For a club already carrying momentum, the timing of that goalie move gives New Jersey an even bigger storyline to watch as the season keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Just Changed The Metro Race In A Way Rivals Hate
The Devils have injected a major new wrinkle into the Metropolitan Division race by landing Connor Hellebuyck from Winnipeg, a move that immediately reshapes the conversation around New Jerseys net. Hellebuyck comes with the kind of profile that can change how opponents game-plan a series, and even with the suspension for missing preseason and training camp, the expectation is that he upgrades a position the Devils wanted to stabilize.
Around the division, the ripple effects are obvious. Carolina and the Rangers were both tied to related trade chatter, which only adds to the sense that New Jersey just altered the market as much as its own roster. Rivals now have to sort out what the Devils new look means for the rest of the Metro, and that answer may not come into focus until Hellebuyck is actually back on the ice and the standings start to tighten. [Read more 🡒]