Trade Proposal: Alex DeBrincat to The New Jersey Devils..
New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald had made it known before the 2022 NHL draft lottery that he is open to trading his first round pick.
What wasn't known at the time was that he would move up to the second overall selection. So, with that said, would Fitzgerald entertain the idea of trading that valuable draft pick for say... the Hawks' Alex DeBrincat?
Adding a top scorer (73 goals in his last 134 games) has to be quite the enticing possibility. Considering DeBrincat could be joining such talents as Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, he has to be excited with the prospect.
Let's face it, the Blackhawks are going to be in the thick of a rebuild, and what better way to supplement it than to add a #2 draft pick?
The Devils didn't fare much better during the 2021-22 season than the Hawks with just 63 points to the Windy City club's 68 points. It seems to be a potential trade that would help both teams going forward.
DeBrincat is only 24 years old and has a $6.4 million cap hit through next season. The New Jersey Devils have a huge $25.3 million bankroll to add players and could easily afford DeBrincat's salary. The main reason the Devils will have so much cap space is due to the salary of $9 million which will expire for unrestricted free agent defenseman P.K. Subban.
If the Blackhawks can acquire the #2 pick, who would they take? It is projected to be either winger Juraj Slafkovsky, or center Logan Cooley. Not a bad choice to help the Hawks' rebuild. Slafkovsky is huge at 6'-4", 218 pounds and may not replace DeBrincat's scoring prowess, but one must admit he has an NHL sized body already and could really help the Blackhawks' front line.
As always, each club's GM is looking to improve their respective team. Some general managers get impatient waiting for prospects to develop. Every prospect develops at a different pace depending on many factors.
New Jersey already is loaded with centers and may not want to wait for Cooley who is committed to the University of Minnesota. They could want to select Slafkovsky, but considering DeBrincat's immediate proven firepower, it's got to be a difficult decision to make.
SInce the Hawks traded their first rounder to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Seth Jones deal, they don't have a first rounder. Getting the second overall pick would certainly almost guarantee them a good addition to their roster.
Via nhltraderumors.me:
https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2022/05/nhl-rumors-3-blockbuster-trade-options.html
| POLL | ||
Would you trade Alex DeBrincat for the second overall draft selection? | ||
| Yes, go for it! | 87 | 28.5 % |
| No, we should keep him | 185 | 60.7 % |
| Not sure | 33 | 10.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
