New Jersey Devils Appear to Have Found a Lucrative Trade Partner at the Draft

Elliotte Friedman hints that a team has interest in Severson

It appears a team is potentially in on Damon Severson, according to Elliotte Friedman.

As reported on the Donnie and Dhali Show, when asked about Severson, Elliotte Friedman said that he wouldn't be surprised if the Vancouver Canucks are making a call on the Devils Defenseman.




Severson, set to become a UFA, would be interested in a market like Vancouver, according to Friedman.

Friedman didn't confirm if there's any deal in place, or if the two sides have been talking, but did note that Vancouver is a team that makes sense.

Sportsnet 650 Vancouver had mentioned yesterday that Severson does seem like a move that makes sense for Vancouver, but noted that Severson could cost around $6M a season, a tough ask for a Canucks team already struggling with cap issues.


Vancouver has been linked to potential trades for their high-priced players such as Conor Garland, Anthony Beauvillier, Tyler Myers & Oliver Ekman-Larsson, the last 2 having a no-move clause and no-trade clause respectively.

For a Severson trade to work, it's likely, if not almost certain, another contract would have to be moved. If Myers and Ekman-Larsson are tough sells, Garland, who is under contract until 2026 with a $4.95M cap hit, or Beauvillier, a UFA at the end of next season at $4.1, can both be options, whether for New Jersey or somewhere else.

Severson, 28, had 7 Goals and 33 Points in 81 Games for New Jersey this season, being a strong two-way defenseman with good playmaking and speed. Severson has spent his entire 9-year career with the Devils, but for New Jersey, Severson has become less of a need with the expected arrival of top prospects Luke Hughes & Simon Nemec expected to be with the big club this season or next.

There's no doubt Severson will get paid, but Vancouver, a team that Severson is comfortable with, is a tough move to give up on. This year's Right D class is seen as a weaker crop, and the Canucks, needing a big RHD boost, are torn between getting a top player and navigating a tough cap situation.