Erik Cernak RHD
New Jersey Devils’ General Manager Tom Fitzgerald has the second-most cap space in the NHL at his disposal. It is safe to look at a cap strapped team like the Tampa Bay Lightning for possible trade targets. One of the players that sticks out is defenseman Erik Cernak. He is a native of Kosice, Slovakia and has already won two Stanley Cups, even at the ripe age of 24 years old. Cernak is pretty much a veteran defenseman at this point after playing the past few seasons in the NHL with the Tampa Bay Lightning. So what makes Cernak so compelling? Let’s look at him in comparison to Damon Severson.
Erik Cernak is a far more effective player on the power play versus Damon Severson in helping create offensive scoring, and being a more defensive stalwart who can help fortify the team defensively while being both an excellent puck carrier and distributor. If the Devils have both Cernak and Severson on the right side, this will only help reduce the workload off both defenders. Severson thrives in GF/60 and CF/60 in being a puck mover and distributor with the puck and creating offensive oppotunities for his team.
I like the fact that Cernak is an RFA until 2023-2024 because this would give a new employer like Tom Fitzgerald a chance to extend him to a nice bridge deal or long term extention.
Having a depth chart of Cernak, Severson, and likely P.K. Subban (if he isn’t claimed in the expansion draft) would bring offensive fire power and maybe Erik will benefit from assistant coach Mark Recchi on the power play. However, the New Jersey Devils will likely look to bolster that right defense and have someone be more defensively structured.
Kevin Labanc RW/LW
The New Jersey Devils should look to go and acquire a winger like Staten Island, New York’s very own Kevin Labanc. In an 82 game season Kevin has topped out at 56 points like he did in 2018-2019. Labanc over the past three seasons has averaged over 39 points on average of 69 games per season. That is a 0.565 points on average per game with a point pace of 46 points in a full season.
In this comparison chart, Labanc outperforms a majority of Miles Wood’s benchmarks except for xGA/60. This is a very good sign that the New Jersey Devils can strengthen the wings more before prospects like Alexander Holtz, and Dawson Mercer even make the team. Adding Kevin Labanc further in would make the New Jersey Devils top 9 wing position not only more talented, but also very deep and skilled down the lineup.
On the power play, Wood beats out Labanc in GF/60 being a wiser and improved offensive minded puck distributor. What Labanc does add is a winger with a lot of confidence in creating xGF/60 along with being a really prudent passer and skater with the puck per 60 minutes. This improvement of Kevin Labanc would add a more youthful, veteran winger forward who can do the small things right to get the New Jersey Devils being a more competitive team in the NHL.
Vince Dunn LHD
Dunn is a young left handed defenseman with upside and would be an interesting upgrade over someone like a Will Butcher who didn’t do very well under Devils Head Coach Lindy Ruff. He brings a Stanley Cup presence to the New Jersey Devils. He may not have the sexiest of hockey analytics but I compare him to Butcher and his analytics. Dunn outperforms Butcher in a CF/60 versus by a good margin. xGA/60 Dunn is almost at the 1 mark in Z Score along with a really healthy margin in CA/60. Dunn is a bigger upgrade per 60 minutes as a more defensive player than his comparable.
The New Jersey Devils will benefit having Dunn’s presence in their lineup, and the Blues might not ask for a huge return based off some of Vince’s down sides in GF and Goals For/60. The New Jersey Devils will have to do some adjustments with Dunn if they are able to get him in a trade.
Vince Dunn is a more advanced and mobile skater than Will Butcher and has been able to yield a surplus on the power play in CF/60. He has been a better puck carrier that generates more offense in an efficient manner. If Tom Fitzgerald does make a move for a guy like Vince Dunn the Devils will bring a fresh yet more experienced left defenseman on the ice and in the locker room.