What is next for the New Jersey Devils after the Taylor Hall trade to Coyotes?

Yes, I am a week late to this party, but let's get a perspective here:

On June 29th, 2016, New Jersey Devils General Manager Ray Shero made a trade which sent shock waves throughout the National Hockey League by acquiring former first overall pick star winger Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Defenseman Adam Larsson. It was a 1 for 1 deal with no draft picks and salary retained. Many thought it was a franchise altering move for New Jersey which was starving for a star player since the likes of Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk left the team in Summer's past.

However, Hall's first season in New Jersey was a disaster, not stats wise, but the team, much like his Edmonton team's finished last in the Eastern Conference and the Devils won the right to the #1 overall pick in the 2017 Draft which they used to select Swiss Center Nico Hischier. In 2017-2018, Hischier would play a prominent role in helping Hall win the Hart Memorial Trophy for League MVP and the Devils snuck into the playoffs only to lose to the Lightning in 5 games. Last season was another downer for New Jersey as Hall only played in 33 games and was sidelined for the season post Christmas with a knee injury which required surgery. NJ won the right to choose number one overall again and picked Jack Hughes.

At the start of this season after the additions of the likes of Hughes, PK Subban and Nikita Gusev, the Devils had high hopes of getting back into the playoffs and possibly winning a round. However, things have not gone well for the Devils this season. Hall was in the final year of his current contract with the Devils and made it abundantly clear that he was not interested in signing an extension during the season and was intent on testing the market in free agency and why wouldn't he? Shero and Hall were on board with this process of seeing how things would go this year and then go from there. With things heading south this season and not getting better, Shero began to shop Hall to risk losing him for nothing. Head Coach John Hynes was fired on December 3rd and the night before Thanksgiving on November 27th, Shero met with Hall and his agent in Montreal and revealed he would most likely be traded before the December 19th Holiday Trade Freeze.

So, last Monday on December 16th, Ray Shero traded Hall to the Arizona Coyotes in addition to including forward Blake Speers for Defensive prospect Kevin Bahl, forward prospects Nate Schnarr and Nick Merkley (Coyotes 1st round pick in the 2015 Draft) and a Conditional 1st round pick in 2020 (Top 3 lottery protected) and a Conditional 3rd round pick in 2021. The 2021 pick can become a 1st round pick if the Coyotes win a round in the playoffs in 2020 and Hall signs and extension with them. If one of those conditions happen, it becomes a 2nd round pick. Essentially this trade was viewed more as in Bahl and 2 draft picks. Bahl is a 6 foot 7 defenseman for the Ottawa 67s in the OHL and was the Coyotes 2nd round pick in 2018. Shero's big requirement was a big defensive prospect. The condition on the 2020 1st rounder is that if Arizona misses the playoffs and then wins a top 3 pick, the Devils would get their 2021 first rounder and the 2021 conditional pick would remain a 3rd or a 2nd if Hall resigns. So, let's look at the fall-out of this deal:

Does the package acquired mean the Devils a restarting their rebuild? 

Ray Shero made it known the media and the fans that this is not a rebuild 2.0. There were offers for Hall which included current NHL roster players and picks, but those teams wanted to sign Hall immediately to a long-term extension which he did not want to do. Let's look at it this way, Shero could use the 1st rounder he got from Arizona to acquire a top 6 winger to replace Hall. If the Devils win the lottery AGAIN, they would win the right to select Rimouski Oceanic winger Alexis Lafreniere.

But, let's look at it this way. Ray Shero will have to have another aggressive Summer to try and re-tool in free agency or the trade market in 2020. Fans will surely be expecting the team to have a BIG rebound after the unexpected failures this season so far. It is almost Christmas and the season feels over. So, the team will have to think playoffs for 2020-2021.

Shero will definitely have to overhaul the team's Defense. Kevin Bahl and Ty Smith will have a good chance to make the team. Team Captain Andy Greene is a free agent and will likely not be retained. Pk Subban, Will Butcher and Damon Severson are the projected locks, so one left handed shooting top 4 defenseman is a MUST for Shero to add.

The next MOST important decision Shero will have to make is who will coach the team next season. Alain Nasreddine is currently the Interim Head Coach and will likely get consideration for the full-time role if the Devils can find a way to get some consistency in the New Year. However, I believe they need a coach with previous Head Coaching experience in the NHL. Read my last post with my takes on potential candidates. https://mynhl39.blogspot.com/2019/12/with-hynes-fired-devils-next-head-coach.html

Finally, Shero will have to address goaltending. I think MacKenzie Blackwood has earned the right to at least have a chance to fight for the number one job, but he will need competition. Current backup Louis Domingue might be that guy, but I feel they need a proven NHL netminder.

Is a reunion possible this Summer with Taylor Hall? 

Stranger things have happened in the NHL, but Shero also revealed that he was not confident in signing Hall to a long-term extension because he did not view it as beneficial to the team both short and long-term. The fact that he accepted a young package proves it, but again this is not a rebuild 2.0. Yes, it is possible Hall could speak to the Devils in the courting period and consider a return this Summer, but I do not think it is likely no matter how good his stats could end up being in Arizona. Hall only had 6 goals prior to the trade.

Hall made it know after last season that he wants a chance to play for a winner. Returning to New Jersey with so many questions is definitely not in the cards, but it is not out of the realm. Look for teams such as Arizona, Colorado, Boston, Edmonton, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary to be among the heavy bidders for Hall.