After Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill announced that he was seriously considering trading the #3 pick in this year’s draft, much of the attention turned to who teams could potentially go after in that slot to warrant moving up. Now, in an interview with Pierre LeBrun of TSN, New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero reveals that he’s already received calls on the first-overall pick as well. There’s no indication that the Devils would be willing to move it, but as with any asset there is always a chance (insert “Gretzky was traded” cliche here) should a team blow him away with an offer.
The Devils are in an interesting spot as they could likely get some strong additions to the NHL roster if they were to deal the pick, and with an aging core could use the help over the next few seasons. That would be taking a huge risk though, as we showed a month ago when we looked at previous trades involving the first-overall pick. Whether the Devils are eyeing Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier, moving down rarely results in more value than using the top pick in the long run.
It’s also interesting to ponder who may have asked about the pick as it would likely be a rebuilding club or perhaps someone that is afraid of losing a good young player in the expansion draft. Teams like Vancouver and Detroit who could both use the pick hardly have anything worth it on their current roster (unless you think Bo Horvat is going anywhere, which he’s not), while a club like Anaheim would likely want to add to their current roster with any expansion draft-fueled deals.
In all, Shero would be wise to hold onto the pick and start planning for several years from now when players like Michael McLeod and Pavel Zacha are established NHL forces. Adding a talent like Patrick or Hischier could open a new window for the Devils, one that isn’t hampered by the contracts of Mike Cammalleri or Andy Greene.
Tanev the #5 pick and the second 2nd rounder.