標籤: UFA

One way or another, the New Jersey Devils need to upgrade this summer.

Will it be via trade or free agency? This is for Sunny Mehta to decide. However, one has fewer options than the other.

In the link given below, I have explained which path Sunny Mehta should take aggressively.

Elsewhere, how does the official salary cap affect the Blueshirts, Pittsburgh and others.

Devil’s Trade Rumors and News

New Jersey Hockey Now: Now that we’ve established that the 12th overall pick should definitely be acquired aggressively, here are four Devils trade targets Sunny Mehta should explore.

There is still hockey to be played and several Devils players will be playing in the World Championships in Switzerland. Paul Cotter is the latest to be named to Team USA.

📺 devil’s rink report: There is debate over whether the Devils should retain their 12th overall pick or trade it for immediate help. On the Devils Rink Report YouTube channel, I explained clearly why they should be aggressive about doing this later.

Earlier this week, we went live with immediate reaction after the draft lottery. The full episode can be found here 👇🏼

Please like and subscribe our Youtube channel And turn on those notifications when we go live every Friday!

For podcast listeners, we have officially launched on multiple platforms. Listen to Devil’s Rink Report on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music.

Too! Devil’s Rink Report is now on TikTok – follow us here.

sign up for new jersey hockey now Newsletter for daily Devils intel straight to your inbox.

NHL Trade Talk, News and National Hockey Now

Forever Blueshirts: Here’s how much the New York Rangers will have to spend in free agency once the 2026-27 salary cap is officially finalized. This is a lot.

pittsburgh hockey now: Speaking of the new salary cap, here’s how it could affect the Pittsburgh Penguins’ rebuild.

San Jose Hockey Now: Sheng Peng says Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg are not the only ones to consider at second overall – if they are available. Here are five additional names the San Jose Sharks may consider.

Philly hockey now: The Philadelphia Flyers are coming. The Carolina Hurricanes are one game away from defeating a young Philly team. Here’s how they got there.

Montreal hockey now: Game 1 went to the Buffalo Sabers but despite the loss, here are three positives for the Montreal Canadiens.

Athletic ($): it’s early. However, here are Chris Johnston’s top-20 unrestricted free agents to watch.

James is the fully certified New Jersey Devils beat reporter for New Jersey Hockey Now on SportsNote and … More about James Nicholls

The Toronto Maple Leafs are poised to be a very busy seller this week. The trading deadline will take effect on Friday at 3pm Eastern. The pending unrestricted free agents are most likely to be gone, although the majority of the team is available at the right price.

Scott Lawton knows all about getting dealt on deadline. Exactly a year earlier, he had been acquired by Toronto from the Philadelphia Flyers. And he has made it clear that he loves every minute of playing for his hometown team.

“It’s tough sometimes. But, at the end of the day, you’re in the NHL and one of the best franchises. It’s a very enjoyable opportunity to play here and it’s a special place… I love it here,” Laughton told TSN’s Mark Masters.

But with no real progress on an extension, there’s a very real possibility that Laughton could be wearing a new uniform by the weekend. Insider Elliotte Friedman thinks the hard-working center would be ideal for a surefire Stanley Cup contender in the West.

Laughton joins the Avalanche as the deadline approaches

On Sunday’s NHL on TNT, Friedman was discussing the possibility of the Colorado Avalanche reacquiring Nazem Kadri from the Calgary Flames. He told the Crew that Kadri’s $7 million cap hit would be very difficult for them to fit into their cap structure going forward. She’ll need to get her house in order for the big kale maker extension coming in the summer. Then he called Laughton’s name.

I heard one of the centers that could end up in Colorado is Scott Lawton. I think he’ll be a great fit. It will cost more.

The 31-year-old’s five-year, $15 million contract ($3M AAV) expires at the end of the season.

Laughton was a regular double-digit goal-scorer in his last few years with the Flyers, averaging 30 to 40 points annually. However, his numbers have dwindled in Toronto on the offensive end. This year, he has found the net eight times with 12 points in 42 games.

But it’s the intangibles that Laughton brings that create value. He provides leadership on and off the ice, works hard and plays with physical intensity. A gritty, bottom-six center back that any contending team could use.

The Avalanche, in particular, are in the market for a third-row center. And this is not the first time that he has been linked to the team. His one-on-one acumen (56.7% this season), and his reasonable cap hit also make him a good fit for Colorado’s needs.

In what could be his final game with the Leafs, Laughton will face his old team, the Flyers, on Monday night.

多伦多枫叶队本周将成为非常繁忙的卖家。交易截止日期为东部时间周五下午 3 点。待定的不受限制自由球员是最有可能离开的候选人，尽管球队的大部分球员都可以以合适的价格获得。

斯科特·劳顿（Scott Laughton）对在截止日期前被处理的情况了如指掌。整整一年前，他被多伦多从费城飞人队收购。他非常明确地表示，他热爱为家乡球队效力的每一分钟。

“有时这很困难。但是，归根结底，你是 NHL 的一员，也是最好的球队之一。在这里打球是一个非常令人谦卑的机会，这是一个特殊的地方……我喜欢这里，”劳顿告诉 TSN 的马克·马斯特斯。

但由于续约没有取得真正的进展，劳顿很有可能在周末穿新队服。内部人士埃利奥特·弗里德曼（Elliott Friedman）认为，这位勤奋的中锋将是西部斯坦利杯竞争者的理想人选。

随着最后期限的临近，劳顿与雪崩公司联系在一起

在周日 TNT 的 NHL 节目中，弗里德曼讨论了科罗拉多雪崩队从卡尔加里火焰队重新收购纳泽姆·卡德里的可能性。他告诉工作人员，卡德里 700 万美元的上限对他们来说将很难适应他们未来的上限结构。他们需要保持房屋整洁，以便在夏季进行大型 Cale Maker 扩建。就在那时，他想起了劳顿的名字。

我听说最终可能落户科罗拉多州的中心之一是斯科特·劳顿（Scott Laughton）。我认为他非常适合。他更像是一个出租人。

这位 31 岁的球员的 5 年 1500 万美元合同 (3M AAV) 将在赛季结束时到期。

劳顿是一名常规的两位数得分手，在飞人队的前几年里每年都能得到 30 到 40 分。然而，他在多伦多的进攻端数据却黯然失色。今年，他在 42 场比赛中进了 8 球，得到 12 分。

但创造价值的是劳顿带来的无形资产。他在冰上和冰下都具有领导力，工作勤奋，打球时身体强度大。任何有竞争力的球队都可以使用的坚韧的倒六名中锋。

尤其是雪崩队正在市场上寻找三线中锋。这并不是他第一次与该团队联系在一起。他的对抗敏锐度（本赛季56.7%）和他合理的上限命中率也使他非常适合科罗拉多州的需求。

周一晚上，劳顿将面对他的老东家飞人队，这可能是他与枫叶队的最后一场比赛。