The New Jersey Devils have a busy offseason ahead of them following their elimination in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Following their elimination, many immediately speculated what comes next for this young group of contenders. They greatly exceeded preseason expectations. They won 52 games, earned 112 points, and won a playoff series. The window for the New Jersey Devils is open and this offseason is the first of many attempts to bring in reinforcements to accomplish one goal, win the Stanley Cup.
Restricted free agents
Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier are due for large raises. Bratt, 24, is coming off his second consecutive 70-point season and his first career 30-goal season. However, his playoff performance wasn’t up to par for him. He had only one goal, an empty netter, and five assists for six points in 12 games. Meier, 26, acquired near the trade deadline, is coming off his first career 40-goal season. His playoff performance also left a lot to be desired with only four points in 11 games, however, he was second on the team in shots with 37.
The two players are expected to get long-term contracts worth upwards of $8 million per year, which the Devils are more than capable of paying. According to CapFriendly, the Devils have $33 million in cap space this offseason.
After that, the two other outstanding restricted free agents are Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian. The two former high draft picks in 2016 found themselves a role on the fourth line and contributed during the playoffs. McLeod especially shined with six points in 12 games including two short-handed goals, one in Game 7 against the Rangers.
Both are expected to also receive contracts but for significantly less money due to their production and role.
Unrestricted free agents
Four main guys fall in this category. Forwards Tomas Tatar and Erik Haula and defensemen Ryan Graves and Damon Severson. Tatar, 32, had a serviceable regular season with 48 points in all 82 games. However, he was a non-factor in the playoffs with only one goal in 12 games. Haula, 32, had similar production with 41 points in 80 games. He was a larger factor in the playoffs, he led the Devils in scoring during their series against the Rangers with four goals and six points in seven games.
Haula has expressed interest in staying according to Devils reporter Amanda Stein.
Tatar hasn’t expressed interest yet.
The roles of Graves and Severson are also in question. Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec are close or already playing in the NHL. Severson is the one who’s more likely to stay due to Nemec possibly needing more time to develop. Dawson Mercer is also up for an extension after the 2023-24 season. So the Devils might want to leave some wiggle room in the cap.
Potential targets
While the offseason hasn’t officially started yet, some names have been thrown around in trade rumors. One name that has come up is 2020 Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck. The Winnipeg Jets might undergo a rebuild and sell off some pieces. An article by Kevin Kurz from The Athletic said to not “be surprised” if the Devils (and Buffalo Sabres) “take big swings” if he becomes available. This would make sense, the Devils still have goaltending questions. However, the Devils might want stability in net after a few years of turbulence after Cory Schneider’s injuries caught up to him.
Overall, the New Jersey Devils have a lot to work with this offseason. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier are still under contract for the next few years. They’re also on very generous salaries. This gives them flexibility to keep their core players and shop for more. The window is wide open and will be open for the next few years, but the time to push is now.
Stay tuned for more New Jersey Devils and NHL content, including trades, signings, and various updates.
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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