Montreal Canadiens goalie Jake Allen. David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

The Devils could be one of the more aggressive teams heading into the trade deadline with some unexpected cap space on their hands, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic and TSN writes. While unconfirmed, recent reports indicate star defenseman Dougie Hamilton won’t be ready to return from his pectoral injury until the playoffs – likely in April or May. That opens up the possibility for his $9M cap hit to head to long-term injured reserve, opening up significant room for the Devils to make deadline acquisitions.

With that extra money, look for the Devils to address needs on defense and in goal, LeBrun says. The Devils are receiving strong performances from rookie defenders Luke Hughesand Simon Nemec without Hamilton in the fold. Nemec, who was only recalled a few weeks ago in the wake of Hamilton’s injury, has been especially impressive. The 2022 second-overall pick is logging major minutes, averaging 20:56 through ten games, and has posted a goal and three assists. While his -5 rating suggests he’s struggled defensively at first glance, that figure is artificially brought down by the team’s poor goaltending. His 54.6% Corsi share at even strength is fourth among Devils defensemen this season, and his expected +3.7 rating, per Hockey Reference, is fourth on the team.

For a team that has championship aspirations, though, it would be unwise to rely on a pair of rookies to carry the team the rest of the way until Hamilton returns. They’ll undoubtedly still look to add to their defense, but Nemec’s emergence and Hamilton’s potential LTIR placement open the door for the Devils to address their goaltending issues in a big way. Their .887 team SV% ranks near the bottom of the league, and starter Vítek Vaněček’s -8.3 goals saved above expected is fifth-worst among netminders this year, per MoneyPuck. Obvious targets include Ducks starter John Gibson and Canadiens veteran Jake Allen, both of whom have been linked to New Jersey in recent months.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Welcome to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark sets infamous record in debut
Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to blowout win in Game 5 vs. Pacers
Nikola Jokic torches DPOY to lead Nuggets past Wolves in Game 5
Oilers use late heroics to tie Canucks at two games each
Watch: Astros pitcher ejected after foreign substance check
Kirk Cousins not angry with Falcons because winning is 'hard enough'
Bronny James has surprising comments on potentially teaming up with LeBron
Bills add two-time Super Bowl champ to new-look WR room
Brewers lose team-leading home run hitter to injured list
Sandy Alderson denies involvement in Mets, Billy Eppler IL controversy
Twins reliever shut down for six weeks with patellar tendon tear
Chris Finch throws shade at Nuggets star over Rudy Gobert’s fine
Cardinals head coach warns not to bet against Kyler Murray
Details emerge on Jason Kelce’s role at ESPN
Rangers defenseman wins Mark Messier Leadership Award
Ex-NFL head coach takes over as Arena Football League commish
Yankees young stud takes major step in return from injury
See top groupings for Rounds 1 and 2 at 2024 PGA Championship
Former Bruins winger dead at 75
Super Bowl-winning safety plans to retire after 2024 season