Three Things Ray Shero Should Accomplish

3. Upgrade Defensively

The Devil’s defense isn’t too strong. Despite acquiring all-star defenseman, Subban in the 2019 off-season, the defensive aspect on their blue line is quite dull. They are currently running with quantity over quality. The Devils have Subban, Damon Severson, Sami Vatanen, Andy Greene, Will Butcher, Connor Carrick, Mirco Mueller, and Ty Smith all on defense. One defenseman that I can see the Devils picking up is St. Louis Blues captain, Alex Pietrangelo. In 71 games, Pietrangelo put up 13 goals and 41 points. But why would the Blues trade him? He’s a pending unrestricted free agent who has no rumors or contract talks surrounding him. Plus, the Blues have just recently traded for former Hurricane, Justin Faulk. Faulk, along with other right-handed Blues defenseman, Colton Parayko, make up the talented right-shot blue line.

What would it take to wrangle in a top defenseman? The Devils could swing a young, defensive defenseman in Mirco Mueller in front of them. Mueller is not known for his scoring at all. Yet, his defensive abilities are very good (as seen on the chart below). They could also trade forward, Michael McLeod. In 21 regular season games, McLeod only put up three assists, but in this preseason, he has shown his skill. He has top-6 potential and as a center, he’ll have a good career. That won’t be enough though. The Devils should throw in a conditional pick which would turn into a 1st if Pietrangelo signs an extension. The Devils do not have a 2nd round pick until 2022. St. Louis should accept a left-handed defense man who could play with an offensive d-man, a middle-tier prospect, and a 1st/2nd round pick.

2. Sign Reilly Walsh to an ELC

Reilly Walsh is a 5-foot-11 defenseman who is currently playing college hockey at Harvard. The Devils selected him with the 81st overall selection in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. On August 21st 2019, Walsh will become a college unrestricted free agent (UFA). Shero has time, but it is better to start things early. Walsh played 33 games for Harvard, and was a hair under a point per game, which is very good for a college defenseman. He put up 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 33 games. As a right-handed defenseman, Walsh is a valuable prospect who should get an ELC signed, so he can play in the AHL for one season, in order to get a taste of defending the big guys.

1. Sign Taylor Hall to an Extension

You had to see it coming. Taylor Hall is the Devil’s best player without a doubt. He didn’t win the Hart Trophy in 2018 for no reason. Despite coming off an injury last season which limited him to only 33 games, he was still over a point per game. Hall put up 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points up until he suffered a knee injury. Shero and Hall’s agent, Dan Ferris, have met up recently and according to both camps, talks have been well.

“I know they had a meeting and I think it went well and there’s some amount of interest on both sides, but there’s no numbers discussed or term, dollars or anything like that, so I wouldn’t say that there’s anything close right now, just because it hasn’t been discussed,”

-Taylor Hall on recent contract rumors

Hall goes on to say that he has been happy that there have been positive discussions, which has been music to Devils fans’ ears. Hall, who is going into the final year of his seven year, $42 million deal that he signed with the Oilers back in 2012. If an extension isn’t signed, he will hit the unrestricted free agent market on July 1st, 2020. What else should Ray Shero do?