The New Jersey Devils just announced the team signed one of its restricted free agents. Joseph Blandisi returns to the Devils on a team-friendly deal.
The New Jersey Devils made a flurry of signings on Tuesday, agreeing to terms with Mirco Mueller, Scott Wedgewood and Joseph Blandisi. The latter of those contracts was especially friendly to the team.
Don’t get me wrong, Blandisi was never going to break the bank. He played just 27 games in the big leagues last season, scoring three goals and just six assists as the fourth line center. He was one of a carousel of players the Devils tried on that bottom line. The difference is, Blandisi actually showed some talent while the rest of the bottom six was allowing more goals than a pee wee team.
Blandisi just signed a two-year deal worth $660,000 this season in the NHL and $700,000 next season. As a 23 year old player, Blandisi is expecting his best years to come sooner rather than later.
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This signing won’t make Devils fans any more excited for the upcoming season. Blandisi was a restricted free agent, so there wasn’t too much expectation he would land anywhere else. This was just a great depth signing. He’s already got 68 games under his belt and the team can still use him to sell tickets in Binghamton.
Blandisi showed he can score at a massive clip one season in the OHL. In 2014-15 with the Barrie Colts, he scored a ridiculous 52 games and 112 points in 68 games. We shouldn’t expect that kind of offense in the NHL, but it’s nice to see he does have a scoring touch when necessary.
Likely his best quality when it comes to this current Devils team is his ability to get under the opposing team’s skin. He’s a hard-nosed player that isn’t afraid to go to the penalty box. At the same time, Blandisi is smart about taking penalties and isn’t in the box constantly. It’s a very good balance.
Again, this isn’t the move of the offseason. Blandisi signed a very fair contract for both sides. He can prove himself in the NHL, while also working out any kinks in the AHL. This deal is as close to perfect as you can.