The New Jersey Devils announced they have acquired defenseman Kurtis MacDermid from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for forward Zakhar Bardakov and a 2024 seventh-round draft pick.
MacDermid has spent the last three seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, scoring 13 points in 131 games. He brings toughness and some defensive stability to the lineup and, at times, has been able to provide support to the forward group and play as a winger. He has 29 games played in the NHL this season, scoring just two points.
Bardakov was selected by the Devils in the seventh round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft as an over-ager and is still playing in Russia. His production has dipped a bit this season compared to last season, with 12 points in 51 Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games. He is a big winger who can play physically, and with 153 KHL games and just turning 23 years old, it is clear he can keep up at a high level of hockey.
MacDermid Gives Devils Physicality
While it isn’t quite the trade Devils fans were hoping for, it does bring some positivity to the roster. MacDermid’s physicality is something you can use on a roster that has been called soft at times. This move, while not a blockbuster by any means, indicates that the Devils are serious about pushing for the playoffs. They currently sit six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the second wild-card spot in the East, and this isn’t the type of move you make if you plan on sitting behind and watching the race unfold.
The Devils do have a strong defense group but can rotate players in and out, and with MacDermid making less than a million dollars, he doesn’t add much in terms of salary implications. As mentioned above, he can also play forward when needed. The Devils aren’t afraid to do this, as they have done so with Brendan Smith at times this season. Regardless of where MacDermid slots into the lineup, his physicality is his top asset, and the Devils can use it.
Avalanche Get Assets for an Extra
MacDermid has only played in half of the Avalanche’s games and is an extra behind a loaded defense group and a solid bottom-six up front. They have some physicality in the roster already, and MacDermid just wasn’t an asset they needed anymore.
Bringing back a late pick and a prospect for someone who was likely to just walk in free agency makes sense. Over the past three seasons, 131 games is a good amount of games, but he wasn’t someone the Avalanche trusted when it came to the playoffs. Despite the 27 playoff games the team has played, MacDermid wasn’t part of the picture for them.
In this deal, nothing major got moved, but both teams are getting something they could use a little bit of. And while it is a minor deal, both teams can look at this as a win.
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