By Chris Ryan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Welcome to the latest NJ.com Devils mailbag — the first of the offseason. To get things rolling on what might be a busy summer for the Devils, I answer questions about possible free-agent targets, trade possibilities, John Hynes' status entering next season and more.

If you want to submit a question for a future mailbag, email cryan@njadvancemedia.com or tweet at @ChrisRyan_NJ.

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How warm will Hynes' seat be to start the season? At some point he has to show management some improvement, right? — J.D. (@JHurley14) April 17, 2017

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John Hynes will be back as coach next season, but I don't think he can afford a start similar to how the Devils finished the 2016-17 season. If October and November go like March and April did, his seat could get hot fast. But he still has the full support of management, and players across the board support what he's doing. I expect him to have some more talent to work with next season, too.

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Do you see the Devils making a push for a high profile coach on the market like Darryl Suter? — Brandon Scalea (@brandonscalea) April 17, 2017

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Like I said above, a change doesn't appear to be on the immediate horizon, so any of the high-profile coaches wouldn't be an option right now. If the Devils decide to make a change somewhere in the future, it would depend on the player group they have and what they think their best option would be.

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Who would be players/teams Shero would target in a "Kyle Palmieri-type" of trade this offseason? — Jeff Orlando (@jorlando_26) April 17, 2017

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You saw the Devils trade draft picks for NHL-ready players each of the past two entry drafts (Kyle Palmieri in 2015 and Beau Bennett in 2016). The Devils have 11 picks in the 2017 entry draft, and I while expect them to make a similar move, I could see it happening before the Expansion Draft instead. Teams are going to be scrambling to protect players and some won't be able to guard everyone they want. It's a spot where the Devils could jump in and make a trade instead of a team losing a player for nothing to Las Vegas.

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Do you see the Devils making a hard run at Shattenkirk or Alzner in free agency? Or another top 4 defenseman I'm not thinking of? — Mike Hogan (@mjhogan29) April 17, 2017

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The Devils will likely have Kevin Shattenkirk or Karl Alzner targeted in their with hopes of landing one — if not both — since they certainly have the cap space. If the Devils are going to splurge in free agency, they'll want to spend young, so 26-year-old Dmitry Kulikov of the Buffalo Sabres could be another option.

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5 players who won't be with Devils next season

Who might not return?

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Is it more important to target a top defenseman or a top forward this summer? — Drew Medeiros (@drewpmedeiros) April 17, 2017

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It's defense. While the Devils will certainly be open to adding some depth in their forwards, and adding a big-name forward wouldn't hurt, they need more defenseman who can move the puck up to the offensive zone and generate offense. There are needs on both sides of the puck, but that is the biggest area they need to address.

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Will the devils go after a blockbuster trade again this year? Maybe an Avalanche player like Duchene. — Chris (@Mraqualord10) April 17, 2017

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Going back to their 11 draft picks, it would make sense for the Devils to try to turn some into NHL-ready talent. They have enough picks to do that while still adding depth to the organization. You could also see the Devils try to make a player-for-player swap like they did last season with Taylor Hall and Adam Larsson, but it's harder to pinpoint those at this point. But for fun, let's explore the Duchene option and plus one more option below...

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Matt Duchene has been at the center of trade rumors for a while, and he fits the mold of a player the Devils would want — he's 26 years old, had two years left on his contract and is a fast, scoring forward. The asking price would be high, likely in the range of the team's first-round pick, another pick and a player.

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Chris with sheary being an rfa and pitt in cap trouble and Ray's history with the Pens can you see sheary being a devil possibly? — devils35 (@bocaraton123456) April 17, 2017

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There's no denying the Shero-Penguins connection in some of the moves the team has made (Hynes, Ben Lovejoy and Beau Bennett). Hynes also coached Conor Sheary for a season in the AHL with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. I'm sure the interest would be there for the Devils, but it would come down to what the Penguins would want, if they're even willing to move him at all.

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what type of contract does Severson get? — Chris (@NJDevils_19) April 17, 2017

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Damon Severson was the team's best puck-moving defenseman and one of the Devils' better 5-on-5 producers last season, and the team liked the steps he made in a bigger role. There's still some work to do defensively, but I could see him getting a short-term deal just short of the $2 million mark, or something higher if the two sides agree on a longer deal.

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Devils' thoughts on Hynes

Players evaluate the second-year coach

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Having money helps. The Devils have the cap space to give some players the contract they might not get in many other places. And while the Devils may not be a Stanley Cup contender in the short term, they, like any other team, know how to sell themselves and show prospective free agents what they're trying to build.

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Taylor ham or pork roll? Choose wisely — J-Nobes (@jnobre17) April 17, 2017

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It's pork roll. And the majority of New Jersey agrees with me.

But regardless of what it's called, I think we can all agree it's delicious.

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Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.