Report: Devils will circle back on goalie trade target this summer

The New Jersey Devils made valiant efforts to acquire a top goaltender this trade deadline but weren’t able to grab a bona fide star, instead landing Kaapo Kahkonen from the San Jose Sharks and Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens. That will have to be enough to get the Devils through the end of the season, but James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now reports that the team isn’t done searching for their top netminder, planning to “investigate” a trade for Juuse Saros this summer. The Devils were interested in Saros ahead of the Deadline, though the Nashville Predators weren’t then eager to move their top goalie.

Only one goaltender — Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck — has played in more games than Saros since 2019. And only five goalies have managed better save percentages in that stretch – Linus Ullmark, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, and Hellebuyck. Saros is a part of elite company, and boasts some of the best consistency in the league, with a save percentage above .910 in seven of his nine NHL seasons. That includes his career-high .927 set in 36 games during the 2020-21 season. The strong performances have earned him Vezina Trophy votes in each of the last three seasons – finishing sixth, third, and fourth in voting respectively. And while his streak of Vezina voting may end this year, Saros has still been solid, posting 28 wins and a .907 – 17th among the league’s starting goalies (minimum 30 games played).

Saros, 28, has been simply fantastic in Nashville, posting a career .918 save percentage in 339 games. His departure would leave big shoes to fill – and an exciting opportunity for top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, who Nashville selected 11th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Askarov has since carved out a major role in the minor leagues, posting 22 wins and a .915 save percentage in 33 games this season. It’s his second year in the starting cage of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, with Askarov posting an impressive stat line of 26 wins and .911 in 48 games last year. His success has extended to the three NHL games he’s received over the last two years as well, with Askarov saving 58 of the 64 shots he faced while posting a 1-1-0 record. There’s a lot to be excited about with Askarov, who is still just 21 and already has the bravado needed to carry his teams to hard-earned wins, ranking second in the AHL with five shutouts.

Nashville could charge a very, very high price for the consistently effective Saros. But the deal would be unprecedented, with the St. Louis Blues’ Deadline acquisition of Ryan Miller in 2014 likely the closest trade in terms of scale. That move cost the Blues their current starter — Jaroslav Halak — two depth forwards, and a first and third-round draft selection. And that move came without a contract extension, with Miller playing just 25 games in St. Louis before moving on to the Vancouver Canucks. While Saros will also be in the last year of his contract next season, the Devils — or any interested team — will have all season to work out a long-term extension. That opportunity provides value in its own right, likely boosting the already pricey return.

New Jersey currently possesses a first-round pick in 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as a healthy deal of mid-round selections. They also have plenty of promising young talent in Alexander Holtz, who hasn’t yet carved out a strong NHL role, or Seamus Casey, a fantastic defense prospect who could struggle to find his own role on New Jersey’s impressive blue line. Nashville will be embracing the future when they move from Saros to Askarov, and high-value picks or prospects will need to be the focus of a return as a result. Hockey fans are set up for an exciting summer, as the Predators see just how much they can receive for their top-notch starter.