If the New Jersey Devils strike out on Dylan Larkin, Ryan O’Reilly is the name that jumps off the page.
That’s where things stand for a franchise that used to get attached to big names and usually wound up empty-handed. Tom Fitzgerald’s Devils built a reputation for finishing second in the chase for top talent, and for a long time that label fit.
They were in on Connor Hellebuyck in 2023 before refusing to part with Dawson Mercer, and they missed on plenty of other rumored targets too. The noise around them got so loud that it became hard to tell what was real.
But the script changed. The Devils finally made the move and landed Connor Hellebuyck.
A problem in goal was there one minute and gone the next. That kind of swing matters, because players notice when a team actually pushes chips in.
Maybe that’s part of why Dylan Larkin added New Jersey to his list of acceptable trade destinations. His situation with the Detroit Red Wings got more complicated after he was suspended, and that issue appears close to being sorted out.
For now, the Devils are still in the mix, but they look like an outsider. They already spent a big pile of assets in the Hellebuyck trade, which leaves them with less to work with if they try to send anything Detroit’s way.
Minnesota has long been viewed as the favorite anyway.
If Larkin doesn’t happen, the Devils may have to look elsewhere.
Chris Johnston’s in-season trade board for The Athletic offers one name that fits the eye test: O’Reilly. Larkin and teammate Simon Edvinsson sit at the top, but O’Reilly checking in at No. 4 is the kind of detail that gets attention. He’s still on the board, still available, and still the type of veteran who tends to draw serious interest.
There are reasons the Devils would look twice. O’Reilly is 35 and in the final year of a four-year contract, and the Predators have never exactly been easy on the asking price when it comes to him.
He doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but he also has one in theory, whatever that means. In practice, Nashville is signaling that any deal would require O’Reilly to be willing to go.
Would he be willing to go to New Jersey? Maybe he sees the situation in Nashville for what it is, and another strong playoff run could line up another payday for him. And he has produced, with seven goals and seven points in 13 games.
That’s why his name stands out here. The board says something may be moving, and if the Devils miss on Larkin, O’Reilly looks like the kind of pivot that would make sense.
Of course, the Predators could always decide he belongs in Nashville for the long haul and work toward a new deal. But right now, among the names out there, he’s the one that feels like the clearest fit for New Jersey if the Larkin path closes.
In Other News...
Jack And Luke Hughes Are Running Into A Costly Devils Problem
The Devils have gotten the kind of offense that should make the standings look friendlier than they do, with Jack Hughes still driving play and producing at a strong clip early on. Even so, there is a familiar problem hanging over the group: the attack is generating chances, but too many of those looks are getting swallowed up before they ever reach the net, which makes every offensive push feel a little more expensive than it should be.
Jack and Luke Hughes are both getting caught in that same traffic, and the blocked-shot issue is part of why New Jerseys scoring efficiency has lagged behind its overall production. For a team that expects its top skill players to tilt games, finding cleaner lanes to the goal could be the difference between good shifts and actual payoff, and it is the kind of detail the Devils will have to sort out if they want the offense to start cashing in more often. [Read more 🡒]
Jesper Bratt Debate Just Got More Uncomfortable For Devils Fans
Jesper Bratt has become one of the most important drivers of the Devils attack, but the conversation around him is shifting from admiration to uncertainty. After a career-high season, his goal total has leveled off and his assist production has dipped, which makes for a tricky evaluation of where his true baseline sits as he moves deeper into his prime and remains central to New Jerseys offense.
Analytics models have only added to the unease, suggesting that last years scoring surge may have been more of an outlier than a new norm. For a player whose value is tied so closely to his playmaking, that kind of projection matters, because it raises the possibility that the Devils may need to rethink how they measure his impact if the numbers keep settling in lower than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Trade Drama Just Got Murkier After Insider Walks Back Claim
The Devils defense group keeps finding itself in the middle of roster talk, and the latest twist only adds another layer of confusion. Elliotte Friedman has walked back an earlier report that said Brenden Dillon used his no-trade clause to block a deal last season, clearing up one part of the picture while leaving the rest of it unresolved. What is clear is that Dougie Hamilton did invoke his no-trade protection, which at least gives New Jersey one confirmed piece in a much messier puzzle.
The bigger issue is the one that still does not have a name attached to it. Friedman did not confirm who the other player was, even as Johnny Kovacevic and Jonas Siegenthaler remain possibilities, and that uncertainty matters for a team already working through plenty of defenseman trade chatter under GM Sunny Mehta. With the Devils continuing to adjust the roster, the distinction between rumor, leverage and actual contract protection is becoming harder to separate, and this is one of those stories that could still change depending on which side eventually clarifies it. [Read more 🡒]