The New Jersey Devils have some free agents they need to make moves on this offseason. One of them is not defenseman John Moore.
The New Jersey Devils was the obvious weak point of the team all season long. They came into the season with pieces of talent hoping to put something together. Andy Greene is way past his prime. Damon Severson can’t live up to his expectations. Steve Santini started off good, then fell off a cliff. Will Butcher was great as a rookie, but was not put in situations to fail. Sami Vatanen came in a mid-season trade, which made things much better, but still had major issues.
Then, there’s John Moore. It’s hard to figure out how to explain Moore’s value to this team. He was in the top four almost the entire season. He scored seven goals, which only Severson had more. Then, he added 11 assists. His offensive numbers were alright.
His defensive numbers were underrated. He led the team in defensive point share. It’s a flawed stat that had Greene as second, but it shows he wasn’t a waste. He blocked 105 shots, second on the team. He was also second on the team in hits with 135. His counting stats on defense were good.
However, statistics are only one part of hockey.
Moore made some major mistakes at the worst times. His Corsi For percentage and his Fenwick For percentage were both below average. He was the most even player on the Devils for offensive and defensive zone starts. Everything about him seemed average.
More from Pucks and Pitchforks
- Should New Jersey Devils Try Load Management With Vitek Vanecek?
- New Jersey Devils Will Prove That Last Year Wasn’t A Fluke
- New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes’ Playmaking Will Outshine His Mistakes
- New Jersey Devils: Chase Stillman’s Performance Causes Concern
- Can Devils Fans Separate Zach Parise Heartbreak From Achievements?
Average is great for a player making the minimum, but Moore will make much more than that. People are putting a premium on defensemen, and Moore should cash out while he can.
Moore’s base salary was $1.95 million this past season. He will likely look for a big raise, and at least a four-year deal. He’s 27 years old. That means this may be his only chance to really sign big. He’s definitely getting at least $3 million per season, as that’s what Trevor Daley signed for last season and Moore can argue he’s better. I think he will push more towards a Kris Russell type contract which pays $4 million over four years with a modified no-move clause.
Honestly, that’s way too rich for what he’s worth. He would be a good option as a third-pairing defenseman. That’s what the Devils would need him to be if they were going to make another run to the postseason. That would give him a pay cut from what he made this season. That’s not happening. So it’s time for Moore and the Devils to go their separate ways.