The New Jersey Devils did it, they signed Miles Wood to a four-year deal and he can now join his teammates. Wood seems to be a decently big part of the future in New Jersey if all goes well.
Ray Shero finally did it. He finally announced the news that Devils fans have been waiting for all summer. They FINALLY signed forward Miles Wood. Wood has been waiting for a contract all summer, and he finally got it done.
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1043607289717039110
Wood had a fantastic year in 2017-18, scoring 19 goals and added 13 assists for 32 points. This outburst made it clear that he was worth a decent amount, and he got just that. Wood got himself a four year deal, with an average annual value of $2,750,000.
Better late than never, because Wood will report to the team on Sunday and practice with them as the regular season beings two weeks from the day he was signed (Saturday) in Sweden. Wood will have a decent amount of time to get team workouts in and have a chance to play in the preseason.
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For the Devils, this is good news too, because Miles Wood is exactly the type of player a team needs in their bottom six group. 19 goals is a lot for a guy in a limited role, and he uses his speed in ways that some others can’t. He is exactly the “sandpaper” type of forward that teams need to win championships as he can be a physical presence and he can score at a decent pace.
If the lines remain similar to last year, it is possible to see him on the fourth line on the left side of Brian Boyle, and whoever wins the right wing job out of camp. This could potentially form one of the better fourth lines in the league if all are healthy and playing well. What also makes him valuable is versatility. He can play up and down the lineup as good as anyone on the team, he could be on the fourth line one night, and the second line on another and nobody would be surprised.
Miles Wood is 23 years old. He made his NHL debut in 2016 and has never looked back. Not playing in the opening day lineup was clearly a burden on him last season, and he kept his job for the rest of the season. It is very exciting to see where Miles Wood goes from here in the regular season and beyond.