As injuries have seemingly plagued almost every team in the NHL, trade rumors have been floating around even more than usual. Be it injured stars, underachievers, or disgruntled players, there are some big names that teams are looking to send packing.
However a few have been given some attention by the Devils, and I'm interested in hearing what everyone has to say about it.
The three latest rumors I have heard lately that the New Jersey Devils have expressed interest in are injured Minnesota star Marian Gaborik, disgruntled Jay Bouwmeester in Florida, and veteran free agent Brendan Shanahan.
As a Devils fan, I know that Lou Lamoriello has always been pretty hesitant to make a trade. In fact, the last serious trade I can remember was to the Stars. The Devs shipped out Jason Arnott and Randy McKay and received now-captain Jamie Langenbrunner and faceoff-star Joe Nieuwendyk. Let's see what would make sense for the Devils.
Marian Gaborik, RW
The 26-year-old star in Minnesota is injured yet again with a "lower body injury," which more than likely refers to another groin injury, which kept him out last season, as well. The young star has had some rough seasons.
He puts points up on the board, and few can forget his five-goal game against the New York Rangers, but it is a fact that the Wild organization is becoming frustrated with "Gabby." His continuous injuries don't help the situation.
A rumor has been floating around that Lamoriello has put the Devils in the running for the young lefty, as Minnesota has begun shopping Gabby around. It is more likely that he will not be dealt until right before the trade deadline to peak interests and get the most value for him, but whom could the Devils possibly trade?
I heard rumors of the Devils attempting to deal Patrik Elias; however, his contract prevents a trade unless he is willing to leave the Devils, which I do not believe is the case.
Rumors have also mentioned that a trade with Minnesota (if it were to happen) would likely include Devils star Zach Parise. I do not think Lamoriello would be willing to part with him.
Parise has yet to incur a serious injury and is having a fantastic start to the 2008-09 season, so there is little reason to deal him. Not to mention Gabby's large contract. The Devils have little room in their books for such a big time player, and would likely not be able to afford him. We'll see what happens.
Jay Bouwmeester, D
The young, strong defenseman from Florida is looking to leave but the situation seems to be pretty complicated. Florida has yet to get serious about trading Bouwmeester, who has made it pretty clear that he wants out.
Bouwmeester is a UFA after this season, but can the Devils afford his $4.875 million contract? It's doubtful. Regardless, how does this impact the Devils?
The New Jersey Devils do not really have a solid offensive defenseman that can quarterback their power play unit. Their first power-play unit has Anssi Salmela on the blueline as of now, a young and inexperienced defenseman who has struggled a bit. Johnny Oduya is known for his ability to rush the puck up ice but doesn't do it enough
Bouwmeester would provide the Devils with a solid QB for their power play, as well as some size on the blue-line which they greatly lack. Their largest defenseman, Colin White, seems to hit the least out of any of the Devils D-men, which is frustrating to watch.
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