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Canucks Fire Sale: 3 Devils Trade Targets Not Named Quinn Hughes
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- Canucks Fire Sale: 3 Devils Trade Targets Not Named Quinn Hughes
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Well, it's official. There's a fire sale out of British Columbia. The Vancouver Canucks are listening on all veterans not named Quinn Hughes , and they have a few pieces to consider in a New Jersey Devils trade.
Elliotte Friedman reported on Monday night via Sportsnet that the Canucks have made it clear to teams their priority right now is not to trade Quinn. He added that Filip Hronek is an unlikely candidate to be moved as well.
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However, "potential UFAs and potentially a player or two with term [may be moved], but the Canucks have also indicated they do not desire to tear it right down to the studs."
The Devils are off to an overall strong start in 2025-26, sitting second in the Metropolitan Division with a 14-7-1 record in 22 games.
Like most teams right now, they're dealing with a bit of an injury bug that has revealed some weaknesses in terms of depth at certain positions. So, where can the Devils find lineup reinforcements in the sale out of Vancouver?
Teddy Blueger —Center
Right away, you think about the Devils' center position as the weakest in terms of depth. After Jack Hughes and Cody Glass went down with injuries, you quickly saw how unbalanced the team became with little viable depth options.
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In fact, Sheldon Keefe had to move Dawson Mercer to the center position to make up for the loss.
Well, Teddy Blueger is a solid option to add to the Devils' center depth.
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For starters, the 31-year-old left-shot center is in the final year of a contract that pays him $1.8 million. He's on injured reserve right now, but it was recently reported he's nearing a return, beginning to skate with the Canucks again on Nov. 20th.
Blueger is a reliable bottom-six, two-way center who brings strong work ethic on the forecheck and in his own end, while chipping in modest offense. His biggest issue in recent years has been an ice-cold finishing touch—he simply can't bury his chances.
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However, if the Devils are looking to upgrade their depth and have a practical option not named Juho Lammikko , Blueger is certainly an upgrade at a cheap price tag.
The Devils need a center, it's their weakest position. There aren't many available, however, Blueger shouldn't break the bank. A mid-round draft pick, perhaps a B-rated prospect in exchange should be enough to reel him in.
Derek Forbort —Defenseman
The Devils didn't touch the blueline this offseason with the expectation that Simon Nemec was going to take on a full-time role, and he certainly has.
Johnathan Kovacevic is still waiting in the wings, and we're getting closer to 2026, when he's expected to return. And although Brett Pesce still isn't close, he'll be back eventually.
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Yet, the plethora of injuries has revealed the Devils lack a certain kind of defenseman. They have plenty of offensive puck-movers. However, they lack stay at home depth.
Enter Derek Forbort.
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The 33-year-old blueliner is a pure defensive third-pair defenseman. He offers very little offensively, but the Devils don't need that, anyway. He mostly just chips the puck out and, occasionally, turns it over—but he's solid at protecting the slot and is reliable on the penalty kill.
That's all New Jersey realistically needs. Someone who can help keep pucks out of their own net. They have plenty who can fill it.
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Like Blueger, Forbort is on a cheap, expiring $2 million contract. He's also injured, with an unclear timeline. However, was expected to return to the Canucks sometime around now.
Forbort could be a Brian Dumoulin-like acquisition for the Devils. A veteran who is on their way out on one team, and could be a stabilizer for another.
He should come at a cheaper cost than Dumoulin, however.
Kiefer Sherwood —Winger
The Devils certainly don't lack depth on the wing. However, if you can add Kiefer Sherwood, the Devils should probably consider it.
Look at Monday night's game against the Detroit Red Wings , for example. Things got chippy, and the Devils held their own. However, the narrative written about New Jersey has long been they lack an edge.
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Who better to add than the NHLs leading hitter in 2024-25 with 462, which is 156 more than the next-leading hitter.
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Plus, Sherwood has 12 goals already this season. How sustainable is that? Well, he's shooting above his average (12.1%) with a bloated 28.6 shooting percentage. However, he's only shown growth in the goal scoring department in recent years, tucking a career-high 19 last season. So, to see him in the 20-25 range at season's end isn't out of the question.
Sherwood is performing like the player the Devils want Paul Cotter to be. Cotter hasn't found that level thus far, and Sherwood is certainly an upgrade. Where he slots in the Devils' lineup is up to Keefe. The Canucks are currently utilizing him as a third-line right-winger and first unit power play trigger man.
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He's another cheap option, on an expiring deal that costs a mere $1.5 million. There's a logjam of wingers in New Jersey, and adding Sherwood would just create more of a clog. However, a move like this gives general manager Tom Fitzgerald options down the line to improve elsewhere on the roster.
You want more elbow grease in New Jersey? Look no further than Sherwood in a potential Devils trade.
To borrow a line from A.J. and Big Justice, Sherwood brings the boom.
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