The New Jersey Devils are looking to add some grit, edge, and physicality to their lineup. Does Yakov Trenin make sense?

In an interview with The Athletic, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald publicly acknowledged that his team is "a little too vanilla up front."

He wants to continue adding size and physicality to his forward core, something he has been working towards for the past couple of seasons with the additions of Curtis Lazar and Kurtis MacDermid.

After Michael McLeod's exit in late January after being charged with sexual assault in connection to an alleged incident that occurred in 2018, it became even more apparent that the Devils need to address their bottom six this summer.

As July 1 approaches, one free agent that seemingly makes sense for New Jersey is 27-year-old Yakov Trenin.

Trenin began the 2023-24 campaign with the Nashville Predators, who drafted him 55th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. Through 60 games, he collected 14 points (10 goals, four assists) and was credited with 170 hits. On March 7, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he had 37 hits in 16 regular season games.

In New Jersey, Lazar led all Devils with 179 hits, followed by defenseman Kevin Bahl with 151. 

When it comes to physical play, players and coaches don't necessarily talk about dropping the gloves or Scott Stevens-style open-ice hits.

"It doesn't have to be hard-hitting, it just needs to be physical," defenseman Brendan Smith said. "A lot of times if you're just looking for big hits, sometimes you're out of position, but you have to finish your check."

The Hockey News' Emma Lingan, who covered Trenin during his time with the Predators, provided insight into his game.

"He is a big, tough, two-way forward. He is incredibly skilled as a defensive forward, both at even strength and on the penalty kill, but he can also chip in offensively," Lingan said. "He is an excellent forechecker who will use his size to his advantage and rack up plenty of hits to get puck possession back, but he's more than just a fourth-line bruiser; he is also a skilled playmaker and a decent goal-scorer, though he has yet to find any real consistency as the latter.

"He is a team-first guy who will drop the gloves with anyone, and he seems to have that clutch gene that allows him to provide a spark when his team needs it the most – whether it's with a big fight, a big hit, a big goal or a big celebration."

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At 6-foot-2, 201 pounds, Trenin would add size to what is widely considered one of the smaller forward groups in the NHL, essentially replacing the void that was left in the bottom six. 

Fitzgerald has a long to-do list, starting with a goaltender, but make no mistake: He needs to find a bottom-six player who can replicate some of what McLeod contributed on the ice. A player strong on the forecheck with a physical, gritty style of play who can win those crucial but sometimes overlooked battles along the boards.

Trenin is not nearly as strong in the face-off circle, with a career face-off win percentage of 43%, but his percentage has slowly improved since the 2020-21 campaign, when it was 33.3%.

As DNVR Avalanche reporter Meghan Angley told The Hockey News, "(Trenin) is not a career center, but he played well in that role (with the Avalanche) and helped win draws on the penalty kill."

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Trenin is coming off a two-year, $3.4 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if Colorado does not sign him before the free-agent frenzy begins.

"My impression is that (the Avalanche) are interested, but the money has to make sense, and it might not," Angley continued. "Colorado gave up a prospect that they valued to bring Trenin in, so they definitely like him. His projected value might be a bit rich to pay for a fourth-line role, so it might not make sense, especially with looming decisions around Jonathan Drouin and Casey Mittelstadt's contracts."

With the skills listed on Trenin's resume coinciding with the attributes Fitzgerald is looking for, he should be a player on New Jersey's radar when free agency opens in a few weeks.