New Jersey Devils Should Target Florida Panthers In Offseason
Mike Hoffman
Man, Mike Hoffman is good and a lot better than people give him credit sometimes since he played on a bad Senators team and then went to the market with the smallest fanbase. The last six years, he has averaged 28 goals which would be the best on this team and just under 59 points. His average is higher than any Devils player, besides a one off Taylor Hall season, since Jaromir Jagr in 2013-2014. We have been that bad at getting even non-star scorers.
The problem for Hoffman is all off the ice. This could be a major factor, although he seems to be a stand-up citizen while with Florida. The Devils just need to do their due diligence on the personality side of things. Without an old veteran to keep him, it could get out of hand. While Nico Hischier has leadership capabilities, he is still a kid at 21. The Devils are desperate for scoring but this still might not be the smartest move.
Evgenii Dadonov
Since returning from a 30-goal KHL season with SKA St.Petersburg, Evgenii Dadonov has really flourished. With two big seasons scoring 65 and 70 points and netting 28 goals in each, he found his place here in his prime much like we are hoping Nikita Gusev does this season. His assist total was down a bit this year, but it’s not that concerning. Even at the age of 31, his speed and hands were still there, so he should have a few good seasons left. He would not be a long-term solution at that age, but he could be a good filler for this team on a 2-3 year deal.
Making $4 million this season he may be looking for a little more and the Devils are in the position to offer it, even with the KHL being an option and bargining chip for him. A 2-3 year deal worth $4.5 million should be good for both parties. He can put up points and play the speed game with any of the Devils centers then be back home in Russia with a bunch of cash to finish his career.
Dadonov’s speed and skill would compliment Hischier or Hughes, giving them someone to play with if that’s the route they go and fellow Russian Nikita Gusev might pair really well. I love the options he would bring to the offence and Lindy Ruff would actually have something to work with in that regard so this is something the Devils should at least look into, even if he is very likely to be signed by the Panthers.