Many fans want the New Jersey Devils to offer sheet another team’s star.
The New Jersey Devils are looking for young and controllable pieces to add to the roster. They already made some moves, trading for defenseman Ryan Murray and winger Andreas Johnsson. Those players are 25 and 27 years old, so on the higher end of where the Devils are trying to be. GM Tom Fitzgerald would much rather get players in the 21 to 24-year-old age range.
It’s hard to find players in this range that are actually available. Because of the NHL’s rules for young players, they are controllable for teams for a long time. There are some players who will hold out for a big deal, similar to what Mitch Marner did a couple of years ago, but for the most part, the teams hold the cards here. There is one option that isn’t used often but is used sometimes. There is the offer sheet.
Restricted free agents can negotiate and sign with other teams, but the original team can either match the contract or choose to take significant compensation in return. This is the compensation for this year:
$0 – $1,439,820 no compensation
$1,439,821 – $2,181,545 2021 3rd-round pick
$2,181,546 – $4,363,095 2nd-round pick
$4,363,096 – $6,544,640 1st-round pick and 3rd-round pick
$6,544,641 – $8,726,188 1st-round pick, 2nd-round pick, and 3rd-round pick
$8,726,189 – $10,907,735 2021 and 2022 1st-round picks, 2nd-round pick, and 3rd-round pick
$10,907,736+ 2021-2024 1st-round picks
Basically, if there is anyone worthwhile, that team is going to have to give up their own 1st-round pick, and then some. It’s a hefty price, but the players on this list are untouchable otherwise. Some of the notable restricted free agents include Mathew Barzal, Mikhail Sergachev, and Vince Dunn. The Devils would obviously love any of those players.
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The Devils also have two very important restricted free agents in Mackenzie Blackwood and Jesper Bratt. Any team thinking they could make something of those two players could make an offer to them at any time.
However, even for the stars on the market, the price is too high. Barzal is a star, but the Devils would need to pay in the second-highest tier to get him to even consider a trip to the Garden State. A $9 million per year contract gives the Devils division rival their 2021 and 2022 1st-round picks, on top of next year’s 2nd and 3rd-round picks. Since the Devils don’t have their own 2nd, they can’t even do this deal.
The Devils would have to hope they could sign someone in the $4.5 million to $6.5 million range since they own their own 1st and 3rd-round picks. It’s absolutely possible the Devils could get Sergachev to agree to a $6 million deal, but the Tampa Bay Lightning would likely match and figure out the salary cap later.
Even if it was guaranteed that Sergachev would agree to the contract and the Lightning would let him go, it’s still not worth it for the Devils to make that move. The team’s 1st-round pick could be really good, even with Sergachev on the roster. The team is one injury away from being deep in the lottery. Even if everything goes right, the Devils are a fringe playoff team. Those teams do not lose their 1st-round picks willingly.
Sergachev would be nice, but the 2021 NHL Draft is stacked with defensive talent. Sure, the Devils will have to wait for it, but it takes patience to build a winner. The Devils are well on their way and honestly should try to acquire another 1st-round pick before the season rather than trading one away. An offer sheet is fun to talk about, but it’s just not a realistic situation for where the Devils are right now. It’s much smarter to surf the trade market if the Devils are looking for an upgrade. This is especially true in a post-COVID world.