New Jersey Devils Need To Avoid Michael Del Zotto In Free Agency
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils desperately need a top-line defenseman coming out of the offseason. There are players who could cash in on that desperation, and end up hurting the Devils long term. Michael Del Zotto is one of those players.
The number one goal for the New Jersey Devils this offseason is getting a reliable defenseman. Number two on the list should be to get a reliable defenseman. This is top priority, and it isn’t even close. The issue with this is there are a dozen teams who will be shooting for a top-line defenseman to add to their roster.
There are three or four players in free agency who could play top line minutes on the back end. It starts with Kevin Shattenkirk then falls off to Karl Azner and Brian Campbell after that. Clearly there is one prize, and after that there will be teams overpaying for the players who fit that perceived need.
If the Devils miss out on Shattenkirk and Azner (Campbell is too old to make sense), then the team needs to avoid a big mistake by giving long term to a player who won’t contribute like they should.
Michael Del Zotto is a trap player. Not in the sense of the trap defensive system, but more trap as in teams that give him big money will be trapped with him.
The Devils love signing Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers, which Del Zotto has been both. The three main teams in the Tri-State are have signed each other’s players since the 90s. Most of the time, it didn’t work out.
Beyond that, Del Zotto is not a top-line defenseman. The Devils signing Del Zotto keeps the major hole they have on their top line, with players like Steve Santini that could have filled the gap for free.
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A 26 year old defenseman who showed signs of being really good sounds like something the Devils would love, but most of Del Zotto’s career has been Fool’s Gold. After a career year with 41 points in 2011-12, Del Zotto never found that same groove. The Rangers eventually traded him to Nashville, who let him walk away that offseason.
After signing with the Flyers, Del Zotto looked like a steal. He signed for one year at $1.3 million. He proved himself with 32 points in 64 games. They immediately gave him a two-year extension.
After that extension, Del Zotto hasn’t been able to break 18 points. It would be easy to look at Del Zotto’s past, think he could repeat it, then tie the team to him for five years. It isn’t worth it. Del Zotto needs to go to a team with an established blue line that needs an extra guy with upside. The Devils need a sure thing this offseason, and Del Zotto is the furthest thing from that. The Devils would be better off getting nobody this offseason than coming out with Del Zotto.