Devils’ perfect trade offer for Stars’ Jason Robertson

The Stars require a right-handed defenseman to upgrade the blue line. The Devils will likely offer Dougie Hamilton first. They would like to move on from his contract, which still owes a $9 million AAV for the next two seasons. Still, the 32-year-old is not the same level of player he once was. He has not played a full season of 82 games since 2022-23. Even more, his scoring has plummeted. He had just 12 goals with 27 assists in 77 games this year.

This will likely lead to Simon Nemec being moved. The 22-year-old just completed his entry-level contract and is going to be a restricted free agent. Like trading for Robertson, this will also require a sign-and-trade in the deal. Nemec is coming off his best season as a pro. He played in 68 games, finding the back of the net 11 times and adding 15 helpers. He was also a quality defender and contributed on the power play for the Devils. While the Devils likely do not want to part with a young star defenseman, they need to do it for the Robertson deal.

The Devils add another stud prospect 

The Devils do not have the best pipeline of prospects, but they do have some quality ones. One option for the Devils to send is Mikhail Yegorov, a 20-year-old goaltender. The Devils could be willing to move him, still having Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen on the roster.  The Stars may be interested in Jake Oettinger as the starter, but Casey DeSmith has just one year left on his deal, and a player like Yegorov could be the future replacement.

Still, the best option is Seamus Casey. Casey was the 46th overall selection of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Devils, after playing for the US National Development Team. He then spent two years at the University of Michigan. He was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team each year, while also being an All-Big Ten First team player, as well as an AHCA West First Team All-American in 2024.

He has been solid over the past two seasons, mainly playing for the Utica Comets of the AHL. In his 59 games at the AHL level, he has scored four goals and added 33 assists. He has also played 16 games at the NHL level, scoring four times and adding four assists. Casey is still a raw talent, but someone who could develop into a player for one of the bottom two rotations of defense. Bringing him over, along with Nemec, would give the Stars two defenseman of the future, while the draft picks could help them find a star to replace Robertson, making a perfect deal for the star.