The New Jersey Devils made valiant efforts to acquire a top goaltender this Trade Deadline but weren’t able to grab a bona fide star, instead landing Kaapo Kahkonen from the San Jose Sharks and Jake Allen from the Montreal Canadiens. That will have to be enough to get the Devils through the end of the season, but James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now reports that the team isn’t done searching for their top netminder, planning to “investigate” a trade for Juuse Saros this summer. The Devils were interested in Saros ahead of the Deadline, though the Nashville Predators weren’t then eager to move their top goalie.
Only one goaltender – Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck – has played in more games than Saros since 2019. And only five goalies have managed better save percentages in that stretch – Linus Ullmark, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, Jeremy Swayman, and Hellebuyck. Saros is apart of elite company, and boasts some of the best consistency in the league, with a save percentage above .910 in seven of his nine NHL seasons. That includes his career-high .927 set in 36 games during the 2020-21 season. The strong performances have earned him Vezina Trophy votes in each of the last three seasons – finishing sixth, third, and fourth in voting respectively. And while his streak of Vezina voting may end this year, Saros has still been solid, posting 28 wins and a .907 – 17th among the league’s starting goalies (minimum 30 games played).
Saros, 28, has been simply fantastic in Nashville, posting a career .918 save
percentage in 339 games. His departure would leave big shoes to fill – and an exciting opportunity for top goalie prospect Yaroslav Askarov, who Nashville selected 11th-overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Askarov has since carved out a major role in the minor leagues, posting 22 wins and a .915 save percentage in 33 games this season. It’s his second year in the starting cage of the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, with Askarov posting an impressive stat line of 26 wins and .911 in 48 games last year. His success has extended to the three NHL games he’s received over the last two years as well, with Askarov saving 58 of the 64 shots he faced while posting a 1-1-0 record. There’s a lot to be excited about with Askarov, who is still just 21 and already has the bravado needed to carry his teams to hard-earned wins, ranking second in the AHL with five shutouts.
Nashville could charge a very, very high price for the consistently-effective Saros. But the deal would be unprecedented, with the St. Louis Blues’ Deadline acquisition of Ryan Miller in 2014 likely the closest trade in terms of scale. That move cost the Blues their current starter – Jaroslav Halak – two depth forwards, and a first and third round draft selection. And that move came without a contract extension, with Miller playing just 25 games in St. Louis before moving on to the Vancouver Canucks. While Saros will also be in the last year of his contract next season, the Devils – or any interested team – will have all season to work out a long-term extension. That opportunity provides value in its own right, likely boosting the already pricey return.
New Jersey currently possesses a first-round pick in 2024, 2025, and 2026, as well as a healthy deal of mid-round selections. They also have plenty of promising young talent in Alexander Holtz, who hasn’t yet carved out a strong NHL role, or Seamus Casey, a fantastic defense prospect who could struggle to find his own role on New Jersey’s impressive blue-line. Nashville will be embracing the future when they move from Saros to Askarov, and high-value picks or prospects will need to be the focus of a return as a result. Hockey fans are set up for an exciting summer, as the Predators see just how much they can receive for their top-notch starter.
So they wouldn’t “pay the price” at the trade deadline but will in the offseason? Okie Dokie then.
@fljay73 — Looking at NJD’s CapFriendly page, they should have $5.575MM coming off the books from the Buyout and the Dead Cap money. I don’t know if Kähkönen is part of their long-term plans, so if not, another $2.75MM will be available. Then there’s the Hamilton situation. Will he back for the start of next season, or will he stay on IR for some part (or all) of next season? Hello LTIR pool.
As we’ve seen plenty of times with goalies putting up good numbers in the AHL, it doesn’t necessarily lead to NHL success. Preds would be wise to hold on to Saros, IMO.
@Gbear — Have you looked at Milwaukee’s player stat page? I was kind of surprised to see just how solid their entire lineup is, at least on paper. And, two goalies with .915 and .909 SVPs, and GAAs that are unusually good with Askarov’s 2.32 and Grosenick’s 2.61. But, the $64K question is, how would Askarov look with extended NHL time? Is he ready at age 21, or does he need another year?
@Mac – I’m sure the quandry for Trotz is that if he keeps Askarov in the AHL for too long, would he bolt for bigger $$$ in the KHL?
In a perfert world, you keep Saros for the immediate future, but how long will Askarov play 2nd fiddle even in the music city? (See what I did there?)
:D
@Gbear — In the music world (even Music City), I believe they call that “B-flat”. :) Even worse than the lure of KHL riches could be the dreaded mythical offer sheet. I’d love to see them go with a 47-35 split, but maybe Saros needs a heavier workload than that to stay sharp. If they could make that work, though, a revamped D (get rid of Barrie, and make it look like an accident) plus scoring depth might have the rest of the division taking notice again.
@Mac – Of course, Trotz could always float around Askarov’s name at the draft again like he did last July. At 28 years old, Saros has alot of hockey left in him.
You trade a proven starting goalie only if you have a very good younger one waiting in the wings.
Could be Cory Sneider 2.0!
Trotz seems to send mixed messages, Saying the Preds are rebuilding and then adding at the deadline. He tried to trade Askarov last season at the deadline. To give up Saros it would take Holtz, Nemec, And Mercer.
The smarter move would be to trade for Askarov.
If Hamilton returns healthy, offer Nemec for him.
100% NO on that one
Trading for a goalie too old for a young core would be a mistake.
Getting a top young prospect to grow with said young core instead of overpaying for the back nine on guys like Saros or Markstrom seems like a better plan.
He’s 28 and in his prime with plenty of more prime years to come. Devils have the players on the lines and on D, just missing the consistency at goalie. A Sarros move makes all the sense in the world, I’m just not sure they have what it takes if they couldn’t pull a deal off at the deadline. Gotta give to get.
I wasnt saying i wouldnt want Askarov, i definitely would
But lets be honest here Trotz isnt going to offer up his goalie of the future, Saros is the play here,
Saros isnt “on the back nine” he’s 28, jeez what constitutes “old” for you
I was saying NO to offering Nemec, he and Hughes are the future of the backend, as much as i would hate it we’d trade Casey before we traded Nemec.
“impressive blue line” yeah, the same one that plays very little actual defense.
Trotz might be thinking about what Saros next contract may look like & feels he may have an adequate replacement. & that they would do very well in a trade. Not saying it’s right-thinking.
I don’t know how else to say this But if health holds on …. The Byramo Sabres will make the playoffs.