Quinn Hughes is at the center of a Devils trade exercise that would give Sheldon Keefe a massive blue-line addition at a steep price.
James Nichols examined what New Jersey could have to surrender in a hypothetical pursuit of Hughes, and Dawson Mercer was the notable NHL name included.
The potential package went much deeper. Nichols also brought up Calgary's first-round picks owned by New Jersey, along with Alex Command, Anton Silayev and Mikhail Yegorov.
That's the part Devils fans can't ignore. This wasn't a suggestion that New Jersey could land Hughes by clearing out secondary pieces and protecting every premium young asset.
Mercer would represent an established roster piece leaving immediately. Silayev, Command and Yegorov would pull valuable young talent from the organization before the draft capital is even considered.
And this needs to be separated from an actual trade report. The discussion centered on what Hughes could cost New Jersey, not confirmation that the Devils and Canucks are negotiating that exact package.
" James Nichols looked at what it could cost the Devils to acquire Quinn Hughes.
Nichols name-dropped Dawson Mercer as a roster player who could be involved, and also mentioned their first-round picks from the Flames, as well as Alex Command, Anton Silayev & Mikhail Yegorov. "
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Devils' potential Quinn Hughes blockbuster could cost them a major roster player
The appeal is obvious from a roster-building standpoint. Adding Hughes would give Keefe another elite option on the blue line and dramatically change how New Jersey could attack with possession.
But acquiring a player of that level is where uncomfortable names enter the conversation. Vancouver would have little reason to entertain a futures-only package if New Jersey ever came calling.
Mercer's inclusion makes the exercise especially interesting because he's already part of the Devils' NHL lineup. Moving him would create an immediate opening up front while strengthening the defense.
The prospect names raise a different issue. Silayev is a major piece of New Jersey's organizational depth, and stacking multiple young assets into one offer would reduce the club's margin for future roster moves.
General manager Tom Fitzgerald would be the executive responsible for weighing that type of swing. The question wouldn't simply be whether Hughes makes New Jersey better.
It would be whether the upgrade is large enough to justify losing an NHL player, premium prospects and first-round capital in the same transaction.
That's why the proposed cost matters even without an active deal on the table. Hughes is the type of name that can make a contender think big, but the return could strip away several pieces of what made the pursuit possible.
Should New Jersey include Dawson Mercer in a trade for Quinn Hughes?
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