4 Trades Toronto Maple Leafs & New Jersey Devils Can Make – Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

As the New Jersey Devils officially introduced Sheldon Keefe as their next coach on Tuesday in Newark, general manager Tom Fitzgerald can turn his eyes to the daunting task of filling out his roster. Another option would be to favor players who played under Keefe in Toronto to speed up the learning curve in the Devils’ locker room and give the new coach some comfort. Earlier this week, Hockey Writers checked out potential free agents who might be of interest to New Jersey. However, there may be more value in looking to add to the team in a trade with the Maple Leafs.

Related: Pending Free Agents Devils Fans Should Watch During Playoffs

On the face of it, the groups look exactly the same. Both are built around a front line full of aggressiveness and ultimately succumb to an inability to win in tight spaces and find a timely, adequate goal. Their differences may be different, but they are significant. The Maple Leafs have made the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons and failed to advance to the second round. They have passed the point of no return and seem to want to re-implement their system and style of play. The Devils are still in the beginning. In that same eight-year span, they have only reached the play-offs twice and never made it past the second round. With both teams in flux and at different points in their respective rivalry windows, perhaps there is a trade partnership that could improve both clubs. Here’s a look at four trades that might work.

“Changing Style” Trade

Devils Send Nathan Bastian, Kevin Bahl, 2025 4th round pick for Calle Jarnkrok & Nicholas Robertson

The impact of how both new coaches – Craig Berube for the Maple Leafs and Keefe for the Devils – want to play will require a shake-up of the roster. Two players who fit the physical, heavy forechecking style that Berube preaches are winger Nathan Bastian and defenseman Kevin Bahl. The Devils will also part with a 2025 fourth-round pick that helps fill the empty cupboard of future draft picks owned by the Maple Leafs. In exchange for the hard-hitting midfielder and defenseman for the Devils, the Leafs would trade center-six player Calle Jarnkrok and limit free-agent Nicholas Robertson to New Jersey. Both players excelled in Keefe’s program and would work under Berube.

Jarnkrok would be especially suited to the role Tomas Tatar played successfully over the past two seasons in New Jersey. He resembles Tatar in stature but is regarded as a two-way player at this stage of his career and an excellent penalty killer. Like Tatar, he is quick, not overly physical, and versatile enough to play on all four lines. He was used as a defensive matchup forward and spent time on the power play and penalty kill. His ability to play in the center and on the wing will add depth and flexibility to the Devils but he was hampered last season by injury.

Robertson is an excellent host. He is small but has a quick release with an accurate shot and can drive plays from the wing. That should sound familiar to Devils fans. He’s probably not Berube’s size, but only needing a qualifying offer of $813,000, the Devils may want to take a flier on the talented young man so he can be dangerous if used correctly. he could provide the second layer of goals from the middle six that the Devils failed to get last season from Dawson Mercer or Ondrej Palat.

“Time for a Change” Trade

The Devils sent Ondrej Palat, John Marino, Seamus Casey, and a 2024 5th round pick for John Tavares, Simon Benoit and a 2024 4th round pick.

Off the bat, of course, this is unlikely since three of the four majors have some level of trade protection, but when you think about it, a trade would be a win-win for both teams. Two summers ago, after losing out on the Johnny Gaudreau sweepstakes, the Devils quickly signed Palat to a five-year, $30 million contract. At the time, the move was announced to show that the Devils are ready to compete and will take Palat’s experience and leadership in winning two Stanley Cups. The reality is that Palat has been inconsistent throughout his time in New Jersey and has been plagued by injuries for the better part of two seasons. When he’s healthy, he’s shown flashes of a player who remains popular in Tampa Bay. He’s the type of player Berube covets: strong up front, solid on the walls, and able to deliver offensively in the clutch.

Similarly, John Marino had two different seasons with New Jersey and seems to be regressing significantly in his play this season. He can benefit from a change of position, and the Leafs will benefit from a two-way, puck-moving, right-shot defense. Moving Marino would also allow the Devils to give Simon Nemec more ice time than the top four and get an inexpensive defenseman to round out the third pair. The sweetener expected is Seamus Casey, a junior defenseman who excelled at the University of Michigan and would rise to the top of the Maple Leafs’ defense.

Tavares, 34, is not what he was even five years ago, but the veteran leader is exactly what the Devils need and would fit right in next to Hughes. Tavares would add a potential 30 goal scorer who is also a 54% faceoff winner. The Devils will also benefit from his experience, leadership, and hunger to lift the trophy before he retires. The Devils may use the offseason to decide if they want to try to keep Tavares long-term or use him as a one-year rental to pick up Palat and Marino for a combined $10 million over the next three seasons.

Simon Benoit is a player who has blossomed under Keefe’s tutelage and will give the Devils a young, inexpensive, and solid linebacker on their end. Casey is a serviceable piece for New Jersey from Nemec and may never be worth more than he is now. While the move for both teams is not expected, it is a deal that could help both move forward into their new era.

“Pure Hockey” Trade

The Devils submitted Kevin Bahl and Akira Schmid over Simon Benoit and David Kampf

This is the simplest of the four and the most straightforward. The Devils get two players to improve their defense while the Leafs get a big man, a young defenseman and an undrafted young goaltender. David Kampf can cover the Devil’s hole in the center of the fourth line while Benoit will be the big defender, on the left side, who is the third player they crave. Kampf may be overpaid at $2.4 million with three years remaining, but at just 29 years old, he could be a useful player in New Jersey, especially if he can win 59% of his faceoffs like he did in 5-on-5 faceoffs with the Bruins in. first round of the 2024 playoffs.

Bahl was discussed above and will be an immediate addition to the Maple Leafs roster. Akira Schmid continues to develop but is active in New Jersey, as they have five legitimate goaltenders fighting for ice time. He doesn’t seem ready to step in as Toronto’s starter. Still, after his late-season run in the American Hockey League and his summer with the Swiss National Team at the IIHF World Championship, he should be ready sooner rather than later to enter the NHL crease, even if initially as a backup. He is still exempt from waivers, allowing Toronto to use him as needed. What should interest Toronto is his potential. Last season, he brought out Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin to help New Jersey beat the New York Rangers after Vitek Vanecek left the team at 0-2. He is known for his composure and his presence, coupled with his size, makes him a strong goalkeeper, which is needed in Toronto.

“Three Team Bonanza”

Devils send John Marino and Alexander Holtz to Chicago Blackhawks, 2024 3rd round pick to Toronto; Toronto sends Mitch Marner to New Jersey; Chicago sends Seth Jones and a 2024 second round pick to Toronto

The Devils need a winger to play with Hughes, the Chicago Blackhawks need a young talent, and Toronto needs a defenseman and draft picks, so why not a three-way deal? The Leafs seem to want to leave their core four, and Mitch Marner is the one who may be removed from the team. Marner would be a perfect pairing with Hughes or Nico Hischier, as he is a perfect 200 meter shooter and one of the most creative players in the NHL. He would also quickly replace the loss of right tackle Tyler Toffoli on the power play. The power play starting unit of Dougie Hamilton, Hughes, Hischier, Timo Meier, and Marner will compete in any league. Equally important, Marner has shown that he can succeed under Keefe and he can become the first player in Devils history to break 100 points with Hughes. His discovery will drive Hughes a competitor rather than intimidate him.

Pairing Seth Jones with Morgan Rielly would give the Leafs the elite top pair they have been chasing for a decade. Jones showed at this year’s World Championship that he can still play top minutes in intense competition. Although it’s not a lot of money and requires a time commitment, the reset is beneficial for Toronto. Also, they add second and third round picks, which they don’t currently have. Chicago benefits from under-hitting and the salary cap for Jones while picking up a shooter who can play alongside Connor Bedard and a top-four, right-shooting defenseman. The deal applies to all teams but will require many players to waive their no-movement clause. It could give Jones a chance to win a trophy soon. For Marner, it’s a chance to show he can thrive away from Auston Matthews and a chance to join another strong offense under a coach who knows exactly how to use him.

The NHL calendar flipped to the start of the “nonsense season” for all but four teams. These proposals are all frameworks that reflect the partnership between the Maple Leafs and Devils and perhaps provide a road map for each team to help the other improve as they begin their journey with new coaches.