Change Zacha and Foote to Mercer and make it Jersey's 23 1st unprotected and you get Winnipeg's attention. This deal doesn't.

They should take Cooley IMO

No they should take Slafkovsky, they already have more than enough centers with Hughes hischer and mercer probably being their top 3 centers for the next many years they need wingers and d

Doesn’t matter you take the best player available and that’s Cooley

I'd want them to take Cooley at #2, BPA imo.
Mercer'd be just as effective as RW.

Having a center corps of Hughes, Hischier, Cooley, and Boqvist / McLeod would be unmatched over at least 10+ years.

Helly trade would send Winnipeg into a rebuild, so would be all about team controlled assets, and the best draft picks as possible. So Zacha doesn’t overly qualify, the 23 would have to be unprotected or top 3 protected possibly. So shiny pick, then a prospect or two, jets would probably want dawes back.

you move Hughes to wing then. Unless you run them like 19 minutes-18 mins-18 mins and leave the 4C with 5 minutes a night. Better off trading down to Jets pick and buidling it around 2OVR for 14 OVR and Hellebucyk. Maybe like Zacha and 2 OVR for 14 OVR and Hellebucyk?

what aboout a trade where they swap 2 ovr and 14 ovr with Hellebucyk going the other way as well? Maybe 2OVR+37OVR for 14 OVR and Hellebucyk. Jets get basically a late 1st where prospect from 20-40 are all so close and Cooley/Slavkovsky and the Devils get the goalie of their future and then a solid prospect of what is left from the 2nd tier (Lambert, Jiricek, Nazar, Chesley, Howard, etc)? Its a blueprint but the framekwork could work. what u think?

Was thinking something similar to flip firsts this year, and then add in a goalie of the future, possibly add in a lesser prospect. I think it’s going to be all about nothing though, and jets sign a veteran coach and try to run it back with the current nucleus. Trotz, Boudreau

That would still require more coming from Jersey. Moving up 12 spots in the 1st round and 2nd doesn't get you an elite goalie Winnipeg has no reason to trade.

Hughes has no business playing wing, tried that already with disastrous results.
He's an elite level centerman anyway, no need to overthink it.

I'd be fine with that time allocation, means you can go extremely cheap on a 4th line and never ever be cap strapped.
Besides, there's always gonna be injuries throughout any season.
Not a guarantee Hughes or Hischier extends in New Jersey when their deals are up either.

There isn't really any circumstance I'd want the Devils to deal this years #2 overall pick unless trading down, but to no further than #5 (as it guarantees Devils may draft whomever of Cooley, Jiricek, Nemec or Slaf still available).
I think it's still too early in the cycle for the Devils to trade for top level players with less than 3-4 years term remaining, which excludes guys like Helly, Nylander etc.
Better to be patient at least one more year and then you can look into prying that contention window open, if it hasn't already happened by next season.

I think the trade you suggested is probably about fair.
It'd hurt to see Foote go as I think he's gonna develop into a JvR type of forward
But Devils are also deep on forward prospects meaning someone (Thompson, Clarke, Stillman etc) could comfortably be traded in a scenario like this.
Not convinced timing is right for the either team to do this trade though.