Forbort's contract is so bad I don't see a team giving fourth for him with no retention, especially a rebuilding team. I like the NJ trade though, clears cap for Boston and taking a low risk on Holtz (ELC helps cap situation a lot). Devils get an expensive replacement for Tatar, but one that they can afford considering how much cap space they have. Might have to add more than a fourth though considering how high Holtz was taken and that NJ knows how desperate you are for cap space.

Why would San Jose pay for a $3 mil 6/7 D? A rebuilder isn’t taking on contracts for free let alone giving up assets

You think trading Jake Debrusk and a 4th is going to get you Alex Holtz? How is that realistic? Why would the Devils want to exchange a winger who only produces playing with top talent for an ELC young gun who is going to be a force...

trading JD is a bad move, finally got a break out season from him 4AAV is gonna look like a steal this season. Why would the oilers take mike reilly off our hands for nothing, makes no sense.

Maybe the 4th could be a 3rd. But holtz hasn’t played much or produced at at the nhl level. Jake has. Aren’t the devils looking to win now? I’d say JD is a huge upgrade on holtz right now. Obviously holtz has future upside, which Boston needs. So yep I think it’s a decent trade!

Sharks definitely decline.

I know I don’t wanna move JD at all. But man we are in cap hell. Like someone has to go. I’m not sure the right answer. Trade a goalie? Then you’re weak there. Trade Forbort, Reilly, and gryz? Or Carlo? That totally rearranges our entire back end. That’s not great either.
So in this scenario I chose to move JD and keep our goalie tandom most our D and sign Bert.

It's not like the Devils window is closing anytime soon.
They're looking to contend for a decade, not to push all their chips in for one or two runs.
That means that trading such a huge talent like Holtz out for a rental fwd like DeBrusk is nothing but counterproductive as to the Devils long-term goals.

I really like DeBrusk though, I was hoping that the Devils could trade for him back when he requested a trade during Cassidy's tenure.
The Devils would do better to just go for DeBrusk in the next free agency period than exorbitantly overpaying for his last year of current contract.

The Devils' window is just starting. They have no incentive to trade their top prospects.

Fitz would not make Holtz part of the Timo trade and you think he does it for Debrusk?

Except Holtz is an A tier prospect, and Jake isnt worth that. Maybe a 2nd round pick or a young player like Boqvist and a pick. NJ is smart and because of that they are unlikely to trade a future top 6 goal scorer on an ELC contract