The Devils were on both sides of Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
They first released Tyler Toffoli, sending the winger to the Jets in exchange for a 2024 third-round draft pick and a 2025 second-round draft pick.
The Devils retained 50 percent of Toffoli’s contract as part of the trade, and the 31-year-old was scheduled to become a free agent when his four-year, $17 million contract expires at the end of the season.
This is the fourth time in his 12-year NHL career that he has been traded, including a June 2023 deal that sent him from the Flames to Newark.
Toffoli, who has 26 goals and 44 points in 61 games this season, told TSN on Friday: “This is a business and it’s one of those things where you have to be ready because you never know what’s going to happen.” he said.
“And obviously, with this all over today, this is just another step in the journey and it’s an exciting time to be joining a really good team. I have the pieces, so I hope I can push it if I can.”
This is the first of two deals the Devils made with the Jets, which also sent defenseman Colin Miller, 31, to Winnipeg for a fourth-round pick, according to multiple reports.
While Toffoli is focused on adding a second Stanley Cup title to his resume in Winnipeg, multiple reports say the Devils are interested in acquiring veteran goaltender Jake Allen from Montreal. He says he is working towards next season.
The Canadiens will retain 50% of Allen’s total cap hit of $3.85 million in exchange for a third-round pick that can be converted into a second-round pick with a game condition.
Allen, 33, provides a steadying presence to the dominant goaltending trio of Niko Dawes, Akira Schmidt and Vitek Vanecek, but he has failed to live up to the team’s high expectations this season, and combined His save percentage is .891, the worst in the league.
As of Friday, they were 31-28-4, six points out of a playoff spot.
The move reunites Allen with Devils goalie coach Dave Rogalski. He served in the same role with the Blues from 2017 to 2020, with Allen helping them win the Cup in 2019.
“Yesterday I realized there was a real possibility that I would leave the hub,” Allen said. he told The Daily Faceoff on Friday.. “I’m excited for the opportunity to go to Jersey, play on a good team, work with a goalie coach I’m familiar with and get my game back to where I want it to be.”
With Allen under contract for next season, the Devils could consider adding another veteran netminder in the offseason. He could continue to negotiate a trade with the Flames, who were rumored to be acquiring Jacob Markstrom at the deadline.
This season, he is 6-12-3 with a 3.65 goals-against average and .892 save percentage with the Habs.
