Devils' Lamoriello not rushing to make moves: report

Tuesday, 02.24.2015 / 4:44 PM | NHL.com Staff

New Jersey Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello appears content to wait and see what develops this week before deciding to buy, sell or stand pat heading into the NHL Trade Deadline on March 2 at 3 p.m. ET, according to NorthJersey.com.

The Devils have won four straight games and entered Tuesday eight points behind the Boston Bruins for the second Eastern Conference wild-card berth into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They also have two teams ahead of them in the standings, the Florida Panthers and the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Bruins and the Panthers each have a game in hand on the Devils.

Lamoriello believes most of the trade activity will come closer to the deadline.

"But that's a hard question to answer because really there's 29 other teams thinking independently and it takes two of them to do something," Lamoriello told NorthJersey.com. "Sometimes you think there's going to be no movement and there's a lot and then the reverse."

Devils forward Jaromir Jagr has said he will not ask for a trade but is among a handful of players rumored to be on the block. Jagr has not spoken to the media but Lamoriello is impressed with how he's handling the speculation.

"He's been a professional from the first day he came here and he hasn't handled any situation other than that," Lamoriello said. "His demeanor, his personality, nothing has changed.

"It's a normal week but it's a tough week. There's no hiding it, but it is the same every year. No matter what side of the fence you're on it's a tough week. We're dealing with lives. We're dealing with futures. We're dealing with everything. You can never lose sight of that no matter what you do. It's just unfortunate that different names appear in different places. I know it's part of the business but you don't feel good about it. That's why we don't talk about anything, for those obvious reasons."

Veteran right wings Michael Ryder and Martin Havlat also could be on the move. Havlat, 33, has five goals and nine assists in 37 games and has been a healthy scratch for four straight games and five of the past six.

"There's really nothing to talk about," Havlat said, according to NorthJersey.com. "I wish I could tell you something but there's no reason to talk."

Ryder, 34, and agent Thane Campbell have had conversations with Lamoriello but haven't requested a trade, according to NorthJersey.com.

"I just want to play, so if it's being traded it's being traded," Ryder said. "I'm at the point that the guys are winning here and I'm happy for that. We're making a little push and it would be nice to be playing and be a part of that. But if I get traded and play I'll be happy with that too. I just want to play."

"There's six days left so we'll see what happens."

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