Devils Acquire Center Nick Bjugstad Before Trade Deadline

The Devils are making moves to shore up their center depth, acquiring veteran Nick Bjugstad from the St. Louis Blues just before the Olympic break trade freeze kicks in.

The deal, first reported by former NHL player Jordan Schmaltz, will see the Blues receive a mid-round pick and a prospect in return.

It’s been a tough year for the 33-year-old Bjugstad. He’s only played in 35 games, dealing with injuries and sometimes watching from the press box as a healthy scratch. His scoring touch has been pretty quiet too – just six goals and one assist all season.

But there’s more to his game than just the numbers.

Bjugstad has actually been solid defensively, especially when centering the Blues’ fourth line with Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko. That line controlled over 54% of expected goals, even though they started most of their shifts in the defensive zone. He’s also been winning face-offs at a career-best 51.1% clip.

The Blues, sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference, are clearly in selling mode. Even though Bjugstad isn’t a rental – he’s signed through next season at $1.75 million – they’re happy to pick up some future assets.

What’s interesting is that the Devils aren’t exactly lighting up the standings either. But this move makes sense when you look closer.

New Jersey has really struggled with center depth this year, especially after Jack Hughes missed a bunch of games. They’ve had to rely too heavily on injury-prone players like Cody Glass in important roles.

Their current fourth line? They’ve scored exactly one goal. Combined. All season.

Bjugstad won’t transform the team overnight, but he’s definitely an upgrade over what they’ve got at the bottom of the lineup. Plus, he’ll be around next year when the Devils hope to be more competitive.

The Devils will need to make another move to clear a roster spot before making this official.