The New Jersey Devils should be looking to upgrade their forward group this off-season. When taking a look at their roster, it is apparent that they could use another top-six winger before the start of next season. Now, an interesting name is floating around as a potential target for New Jersey
In his most recent 32 Thoughts column, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman mentioned the New Jersey Devils as among the teams that could be a fit for Florida Panthers star Brad Marchand if he hits the market on July 1.
"Utah has indicated it is not crazy about term, Toronto could prefer to stretch it out, but, watching him in the final, who wouldn’t want him?" Friedman wrote. "Los Angeles (who had a deal with Boston, only to find out Marchand wanted Florida), New Jersey, Washington, etc., etc., he can fit anywhere."
When taking a gander at the Devils' roster, it is hard to disagree with Friedman's take that the Devils could be a good fit for Marchand. He would be a major upgrade over Ondrej Palat in their top six and could work wonderfully playing on a line with Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. In addition, he would offer them another strong option for both their power play and penalty kill, while also giving them another great leader in their room.
With the Devils looking to take that next step and blossom into true contenders, bringing in a now two-time Stanley Cup champion like Marchand would be massive for them. However, it is important to note that there certainly is a chance that he may not hit the free-agent market on July 1, as he has expressed interest in staying in Florida.
Marchand appeared in 23 games for the Panthers this post-season, where he posted 10 goals, 20 points, and a plus-17 rating. In 71 regular-season games in 2024-25 split between the Bruins and Panthers, he had 23 goals and 5`1 points.
Report: Devils Forward Expected To Become UFA
The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils">New Jersey Devils </a>have multiple players with expired contracts as we inch closer to July 1. One of them is trade deadline acquisition Cody Glass, as he is a pending restricted free agent. Now, a notable update has been provided regarding Glass.
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