New Jersey Devils: Mirco Mueller Gets Stefan Noesen Treatment
By Nick Villano
The New Jersey Devils gave Mirco Mueller a new one-year deal. He was given a prove-it deal similar to the one given to Stefan Noesen last offseason.
New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero has shown in the past that he’s willing to pay for a short-term service, but it has bit him in the past. Beau Bennett had a decent season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, then Shero traded a 3rd-round pick for him. Bennett had a fine season, but once he wasn’t part of the Devils future, Shero cut ties.
The same thing happened with Devante Smith-Pelly. The Devils traded Stefan Matteau for him, then DSP scored 13 points in the final 18 games of the season. Shero gave him a two-year deal after that run, but he never played the same. So, Shero bought him out after one year.
Then, last season, the Devils gave Stefan Noesen just a one-year extension after the best season of his career. He was going back to being a restricted free agent, so Shero was asking him to repeat what he did. Noesen couldn’t, so he didn’t get a qualifying offer this season.
Now, that brings us to Mirco Mueller. The Devils likely eighth defenseman was just given a one-year deal worth $1.4 million. That seems like a major price to give to a player who’s not going to be in the starting lineup, barring injury.
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Mueller was injured multiple times last season, but still hit a career high in games played. He’s still just 24 years old, so it’s not like he’s ancient. He’s also a former 1st-round pick, so he’s immensely talented, but the problem with Mueller is consistency. One game he’ll look like the defensive defenseman the Devils need. He doesn’t take penalties, he sticks to his assignment and isn’t going to make that egregious mistake.
On the other hand, he’s offensively inept and has a clear ceiling. There’s still a spot on most rosters for a player like that, but one has to ask where it is for the Devils.
He’s getting one last chance to prove that Shero didn’t make a mistake when he traded two picks to the San Jose Sharks for him, then protected him in the Vegas Expansion Draft. The Golden Knights ended up taking Jon Merrill, who’s been about the same as Mueller, so that’s no harm, but it could have been worse.
And Mueller deserves one more chance, especially with how terribly last season went for the Devils defense as whole. The Devils used 13 different defensemen last season thanks to injuries and trades. Giving the eighth guy on the list $1.4 million may be worth it for one season.
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This gives the Devils the chance to work with matchups, help avoid a rookie wall for Ty Smith, keep P.K. Subban healthy, and keep a 37-year-old Andy Greene on a minutes restriction. The Devils also play a lot of back-to-back games this season. Having eight defensemen at all times allows them to move things around.
If Mueller puts together a season like Noesen did this season, then he’ll be in the same place as him next year. Mueller, like Noesen, is still an RFA when his contract ends. Even if he puts together a superstar season, the Devils won’t lose him for nothing. The Devils basically gave Mueller a great one-year salary in exchange for control of his future. And in the long run, that move makes sense.