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Devils' Top Trade Deadline Goal Revealed

The New Jersey Devils are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, so they will be clear buyers at the 2025 NHL trade deadline. While speaking with NHL insider Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald shared that his hope is to add another center to the team's roster before the deadline passes.

"Somebody that can come in and maybe give us that extra oomph — and maybe properly slot people to make us a strong, four-line team come playoff time," Fitzgerald said. "And build depth because of injuries. And build competition, too. We love what we have. I just really want to add on top of that. When you look at how many players can play other positions, you can’t have enough centers. You just can’t."

Devils <p>© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</p>
Devils

© Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

When looking at the Devils' lineup, it is easy to understand why Fitzgerald would like to add another center. Their bottom six could use more offensive production, and adding a proper third-line center could help the Devils in that regard significantly.

The Devils have already been linked to Montreal Canadiens top trade candidate Jake Evans. LeBrun also mentioned Ryan O'Reilly, Scott Laughton, and Yanni Gourde as other potential options for New Jersey to consider.

Jake Evans <p>© David Kirouac-Imagn Images</p>
Jake Evans

© David Kirouac-Imagn Images

It will be interesting to see what the Devils do at the deadline from here, but adding a center appears to be priority No. 1 for the Metropolitan Division squad.

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