Devils And Bruins Could Make A Trade To Help Cap Problems

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Dylan Robillard
June 2, 2023 (12:45)

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The New Jersey Devils are known as being «buyers», but also being able to sell at the same time.

Devils' General Manager Tom Fitzgerald, likes to improve his team by also helping our other teams who may be cap-strapped. One team to obviously keep in mind is the Boston Bruins. If Fitzgerald would like to pull off a similar move this summer, the Bruins would be the first place to look. Since the clubs cap hit on David Pastrnak's will rise to $11.25 million for eight years starting next season.

Per CapFriendly, the Bruins have only $4,937,500 in cap space with 15 players under contract. They have to fill out their roster but need to find the money to do so. Even though the Devils have to re-sign Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier, they have $34,282,500 in cap space to work with this summer. In an article from Fluto Shinzawa in The Athletic, here are some names that could interest the Devils (From «Bruins trade categories: Who stays and who goes in the chase for cap space?» � The Athletic, 5/27/2023)

Matt Grzelcyk

Grzelcyk, has been all over Bruins trade talks, as Shinzawa listed Grzelcyk in the «Let's Talk Trade» section of his article, so he's a strong candidate to get moved for cap purposes this summer.

Grzelcyk has one year left on his contract at a cap hit of $3,687,500, something the Devils shouldn't have trouble working with, even after re-signing Bratt, Meier and some of their other restricted free agents. Grzelcyk has played top-four minutes in the past couple of seasons, putting up solid results over the last three seasons.

Jake DeBrusk

Another player who has been surrounded in trade talks going into the summer. The Devils could be looking to add top-nine talent, with having Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Bratt and Meier in the top six.

Jake DeBrusk has been a consistent 20-25 goal scorer. He finished the 2021-22 season with 25 goals and had a career-best 27 tucks with 50 points in 64 games this past season.

Linus Ullmark or Jeremy Swayman

Jeremy Swayman is a restricted free agent, the netminder has played extremely well in his three seasons in Boston, and he's now in line to earn about $4M annually on a new contract, per Fluto Shinzawa of The Athletic. Can the Bruins realistically afford it? Or can the Bruins afford to trade him? This leading into Linus Ullmark, As the team's No. 1 netminder, and Vezina Trophy favorite this year, Ullmark will be turning 30 next season. He was an asset for the Bruins in the playoffs but didn't show up, cleary not at the top of his game during the Bruins' disastrous first-round playoff flameout. He'll be earning $5M in the third season of his 4-year contract in 2023-24.

The Devils could utilize a solid starter, especially with another younger goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.