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With the 2013 NHL trade deadline fast approaching, New Jersey Devils President and General Manager, Lou Lamoriello, has some big decisions to make.
Last year the Devils were in a similar position at this time. Sitting in the bottom couple of slots in the Eastern Conference playoff picture and wondering what to do with their coveted pending unrestricted free agent knowing they could lose him for nothing in just a few months.
The difference being last year it was their Captain in Zach Parise who was playing very well at the time. Despite the speculation I thought it was pretty evident the better thing to do was keep Parise.
This year the situation is much stickier. David Clarkson is in the midst of a terrible slump and will more than likely be looking to paid based off what he did at the start of the season and last year rather than what he's done the last 20 games.
While I'm usually in the belief that an overall body of work should be what's looked at rather than a rough stretch. He's a good player, I'll admit that, and he's not as bad as he's playing right now. That said, he's not as good as he was playing earlier in the year, either.
I don't know what happened to Clarkson, but he went from playing like a premiere power forward to a guy who looks like a 4th liner playing top-6 minutes. Clarkson isn't producing anything offensively. His shot totals are down, his point totals are way down, he isn't even bringing a physical presence right now. He has two goals and four points in his last 21 games. Does that sound like something you want to pay $4.5-5+ million a year for? I don't think so.
I have somewhat of a hard time believing Lamoriello will trade him before Wednesday's deadline, but I doubt he'll be worth the price he'll eventually sign for - whether it be in New Jersey or elsewhere. I think the Devils may be better off moving him and getting a couple assets and should strongly consider the option.
I think that once Ilya Kovalchuk and Dainus Zubrus return, the Devils scoring woes will no longer be an issue. Or at least as much of one. I also think the Devils would be fine without David Clarkson. I'd move him for a 1st rounder and mediocre roster player or prospect, which is probably what he'd fetch given the Sharks will get that for Ryane Clowe, who is older than Clarkson and has zero goals on the year.
Believe it or not, I think the Devils could still do some damage in the playoffs if they're healthy. Even though Clarkson is struggling, he's still a good piece to have come playoff time but it's probably best to get something for him and go with what they have. If the Devils can catch the Toronto Maple Leafs, finish 6th and get the Southeast division winner, they could very well find themselves in the 2nd round of the playoffs before they know it.
With Zubrus and Kovalchuk on the way back, they will more than offset what Clarkson could produce.
As I said, Clarkson is a good player and is better than he is playing right now. He would be a good piece to have come playoff time, too.
With that in mind, I think his contract demands will probably turn out to be a bad investment and since there's no guarantee he'll even re-sign with the Devils, it may be best to move him and I think that's something Lamoriello should consider.
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