Over the last little while, the New Jersey Devils weaknesses have exposed themselves. It’s not unlike anything we’ve already mentioned before. The Devils need depth scoring, and they need it as soon as possible. The Devils general manager explained in a recent interview that he’s “open-minded” when it comes to the NHL trade market.

MORE: Devils GM Could Be Forced Into Tough Decision

In a recent interview with The Athletic’s Pierre Lebrun, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald disclosed he’s in the market for a center.

We know one thing is for sure. Said center will not bump Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier down the lineup. Therefore, whoever comes in is playing in the bottom-six, which fits the need for depth scoring.

“Somebody that can come in and maybe give us that extra oomph — and maybe properly slot people to make us a strong, four-line team come playoff time,” Fitzgerald told The Athletic. “And build depth because of injuries. And build competition, too. We love what we have. I just really want to add on top of that.”

As far as Fitzgerald’s open-mindedness, he explained he’s willing to pay for a rental or someone with term.

GMs cannot disclose specific names for tampering purposes, but LeBrun mentioned the likes of Ryan O’Reilly, Yani Gourde, and Scott Laughton, as possibilities. Those are all players who will certainly cost a pretty penny.

The problem? Well, right now, there’s no one team you can really point to in the Eastern Conference as a bona fide seller. With such a tight race, the NHL trade market is being held up as teams assess whether they’re going for it or not which will determine their buyer or seller status.

We’re about three-plus weeks away from the 4 Nations Face-Off. The expectation is that there will be some NHL trade activity just before the international tournament, which will act as somewhat of a trade deadline.

However, the real deadline is March 7th, and the expectation is that the Devils will certainly be adding to boost the roster.

From the sound of it, a center is the priority. Right now, the Devils deploy Justin Dowling and Curtis Lazar on the third and fourth line. Erik Haula is out with an ankle injury, and typically man’s third-line duties.

However, Haula’s struggled to fill the scoresheet and the Devils could use an upgrade.

Part of Fitzgerald’s open-mindedness is the willingness to add on the wing if his center focus doesn’t present a formidable option.

Names such as Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmieri, and Trent Fredric come to mind.

The Devils have dropped three of their last four games in overtime. They haven’t necessarily been bad losses, hanging in tight with some well-established teams.

Yet, one could certainly argue that the Devils might have swept the extra points they left on the table if they had a little more punch in their bottom-six.

Certainly, Fitzgerald is willing to deal now. However, with the hold up on the market, it could be a few weeks before anything comes to fruition—with the potential for a longer wait closer to the March 7th deadline.

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Home security video obtained by CBS News Philadelphia shows a brazen thief in action rummaging through Denni Paolini’s SUV while it was parked in her driveway on Meadowlark Road in Stratford, New Jersey. 

“The fact there was a bunch of men and two vehicles, it’s a little freaky,” Paolini said. 

Paolini thought her Durango was locked, but when she came outside Tuesday morning, she found the center console in her SUV open and papers and cards thrown all over. 

“Like they were searching for something … my manual booklet was on my passenger seat left open, which I thought was weird,” Paolini said. 

Stratford Police tell CBS News Philadelphia they’re investigating at least five car break-ins since Monday, and now they’re circulating a crime alert to residents warning them about the rash of thefts. Police say a group of thieves on foot are searching for unlocked cars, and part of their plan involves being followed by getaway drivers, who are often riding in a stolen car. 

“I definitely think there is some sort of organized plan,” said Thomas Reinholt, the acting chief in Evesham Township. 

Evesham Township Police say they’re looking into at least six car break-ins this week, and we’re told several cars were also broken into in Cherry Hill. 

Investigators call it a crime of opportunity, and they say thieves are looking for money, a key fob to possibly steal the car, and a garage door opener to get inside the victim’s home. 

Multiple police departments are now working together because they believe some of these cases could be connected. 

“It’s out of character to have it in this weather. Usually we see it in nicer weather when it’s not as cold,” Reinholt said. “They know what they’re doing, they’re looking for cars that are unlocked and they’re looking for sources they can get in and out as quick as possible.” 

A woman in Voorhees who didn’t want to be identified said her son’s car was stolen this week and it was later found in Delaware. 

Police are reminding everyone to always make sure your car is locked and never leave anything valuable inside.