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The Devils need more scoring, and a star that may be available is Colorado Avalanche center Paul Stastny, son of former Jersey center and Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Stastny.

(James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports)

The Devils keep saying that they're a playoff team, yet they'd currently not be in if the regular season ended today. The biggest reason they now would be on the outside looking in is they're scoring just 2.31 goals per game, an average that's fifth worst in the NHL.

Team president/GM Lou Lamoriello said Wednesday that something he'd "never not do" is look to improve his team, currently 2 points behind Carolina, Toronto and the Rangers for the final wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

What can Lou do to get the Devils over the hump?

Duh! Deal for a goal scorer before the March 5 NHL trade deadline.

Sure, it's easier said than done with a salary cap in place, but several good-to-decent goal scorers in the walk years of contracts will be moved come March.

The Devils' cap situation isn't great, but not terrible, either, According to capgeek.com, they're currently $1.33 million under the NHL's $64.3 million cap. Because they've been banking Long Term Injured Reserve money all season, and if they continue to until March 5 and nothing else on their roster changes, they'd be able to take on a player with a $3.185 million cap hit on deadline day without trimming anyone from their roster.

Here are 6 players who can become unrestricted free agents next summer that should be on the Devils' radar in March:

1. PAUL STASTNY

Colorado Avalanche

Position: Center

Age: 28

Contract: In final season of 5-year, $33M contract. UFA after 2013-14 season.

Cap hit: $6.6 million

2013-14 stats: 13-14-23, plus-9 in 41 games

The skinny: Like his father Peter Stastny, a Hockey Hall of Famer and former Devil, Paul Stastny is a terrific two-way player with a lot of offensive skill. In a perfect world, the Devils would sign him in July and not lose a good player and/or draft pick, but Stastny could be moved before then even though the Avs are one of the top teams in the West. Why? The Avs are loaded with elite young high-scoring forwards. Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan O'Reilly and Nathan MacKinnon - forwards aged 18-to-23 – are the present and future for the Avs, probably not Stastny, whose cap hit is needed to add defense help. To get Statsny in March, which is unlikely, the Devils would need to free up at least another $3.415 million in cap space. If Lou is desperate, maybe he offers veteran blueliner Anton Volchenkov ($4.4M cap hit) and young defenseman Adam Larsson ($950,000 cap hit when not in minors). Would that be addition by subtraction? Maybe. Regardless, the Devils really need someone like Stastny, and you'd hate to see him not be an option in July. That could happen if he's traded in March to Montreal and then signs there long-term. The Habs reportedly have been scouting him all season.

2. MATT MOULSON

Buffalo Sabres

Position: Left wing

Age: 30

Contract: In final season of 3-year, $9.4M contract.

Cap hit: $3.133M

2013-14 stats: 13-14-27, minus-6 in 41 games

The skinny: Moulson already was traded this season from the Isles to Sabres, and he could be moved again because there have been no serious contract talks with Buffalo. Moulson isn't real physical, but has good hands, a good shot and he's a good finisher. The problem with Moulson playing for the Devils is that he's usually at his best when playing with an elite playmaking center. He had that on Long Island in John Tavares, but wouldn't in Jersey.

3. MIKE CAMMALLERI

Calgary Flames

Position: Left wing

Age: 31

Contract: In final season of 5-year, $30 million contract

Cap hit: $6 million

2013-14 stats: 13-8-21, minus-20 in 36 games

The skinny: The most attractive thing about dealing for Cammalleri is his history of playoff success, 17 goals and 32 points in 32 career games. In the spring of 2010, he helped carry the Habs to the Eastern Conference Finals with 13 goals in 19 games. On the other hand, he's small at 5-9 and has been called soft by critics. He also talked his way out of Montreal, which traded him to Calgary in January 2012, after he criticized the Canadiens organization for having a "losing mentality" and decreasing his ice time. Regardless, the Devils ought to consider him because he has a lot of skill, and despite his size, he'll go to the net.

4. OLLI JOKINEN

Winnipeg Jets

Position: Center

Age: 35

Contract: In final season of 2-year, $9 million contract

Cap hit: $4.5 million

The skinny: Jokinen has 310 career goals, so he's a proven scorer, and the Devils probably wouldn't have to give up much to get him. His strengths are his size (6-2, 210), hands and ability to finish, but his critics say he plays soft and isn't clutch. He also has virtually no playoff experience, as his teams qualified just once in his first 15 NHL seasons – in 2008-09, when he scored 5 points in 6 games for the Calgary Flames.

5. BRAD BOYES

Florida Panthers

Position: Right wing

Age: 31

Contract: On 1-year, $1M contract. UFA after 2013-14 season

Cap hit: $1M

2013-14 stats: 12-9-21, plus-4 in 42 games

The skinny: This would be an interesting rental for the Devils. Boyes had 2 big seasons for St. Louis earlier in this career, piling up 43 goals in 2007-08 and 33 the next season, but he had just 51 over his next 4 seasons. He still has good hands and is a threat to score, especially at the net, but he may not fit into Devils coach Pete DeBoer's system because he's known for lacking defensive discipline. His playoff track record is short and unsuccessful, as well: 3 goals in 17 games.

6. DEVIN SETOGUCHI

Winnipeg Jets

Position: Right wing

Age: 27

Contract: In final season of 3-year, $9M contract. UFA after 2013-14 season

Cap hit: $3M

2013-14 stats: 7-13-20, plus-1 in 45 games

The skinny: Setoguchi has lots of speed and a good shot, but his intensity has been questioned and he's not the player who scored 31, 20, 22 and 19 goals from 2008-09 to 2011-12 for San Jose and Minnesota. He's having a bad first season in Winnipeg, which only gave only a fourth-round pick to get him from Minnesota last summer. Earlier this week, he was publicly criticized by Jets coach Claude Noel for not "bringing his A game." Worth a risk for a low-round draft pick? Maybe.