New Jersey Devils: Five Last-Minute Free Agents To Consider
The Devils should consider some big free agents before the season.
As you have heard by now, the National Hockey League is almost back. Training camps are going to begin next week and the season will be underway on January 13th. There are four newly constructed divisions to minimize travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is going to be some great hockey this season. The New Jersey Devils are going to be in the new East Division, which is going to be pretty tough for them.
The biggest key to New Jersey’s season this year is going to be the development of their young players. Kids like Nico Hischeir, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Mackenzie Blackwood among others are going to try and help this team succeed. There is a lot of work to be done and this season is very important to that cause.
Of course, it shouldn’t be all on the kids to get it done. There are some great veterans on the Devils like Kyle Palmieri, P.K. Subban, Travis Zajac, and Corey Crawford, but they could use more. There is a new coaching staff in place, so adding just another veteran or two would really help them implement any new philosophies or systems.
With the way the year has gone in the hockey world, things have been tough. It was a bad time to be an NHL free agent, but some players have it worse than others. The top guys all got signed pretty quickly, but that is because they are top guys. The mid-level to above-average players haven’t had the same level of success in free agency. That’s good news for teams like the Devils looking to add before training camp begins. These are five last-minute free agents for the Devils to consider.
28. player. 148. . FWD. Edmonton Oilers. Andreas Athanasiou
The Devils could really use a player like Andreas Athanasiou. He is one of the most interesting players in the NHL when it comes to evaluation. Just two years ago, he was a 30 goal scorer with the Detroit Red Wings. He didn’t have the same level of success in 2019-20 but the Red Wings were literally one of the worst teams in the history of the National Hockey League. They moved him to the Edmonton Oilers at the trade deadline where he was only okay but a new long-term home might really help him.
The biggest strength going for Athanasiou is that he is so fast. He is literally one of the fastest players in the National Hockey League. You have to figure that if the Devils added him, he would thrive in what promises to be a fast system implemented by Lindy Ruff. They are going to be an offensive-minded group (one would think) and Athanasiou might thrive in a system like that.
If he joined the Devils, he might even be considered for a top-six role. Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes could each use a fast goal scorer on their wing at some point. Athanasiou was great playing with Dylan Larkin, so you’d have to figure that the Devils give him a chance like that. They would become a much faster team by simply adding him to their roster so it is something to consider.
D. New York Islanders. Andy Greene. 4. player. 106.
The Devils had the services of Andy Greene for a long time. He was as steady of a defensive defenseman as you can find for a very long time in his tenure with the team. He also brought an element of leadership to the team that even earned him the title of team captain. In the final year of his contract, however, the Devils traded him to the New York Islanders to get some assets for a guy on an expiring contract (it was a 2nd-round pick in 2021 and defenseman David Quenneville).
Greene went to the Islanders and played there COVID-19 paused the season. He was invited to the return to play bubble with them and they made a deep run. It was awesome to see Greene have a chance to do something like that for the first time in a long time. It was weird to see him in another team’s colors but bringing him back for another season might not be a bad idea.
First, if he came back, it is almost certain that he wouldn’t be the captain. They are probably going to hand that honor to someone else soon and that ship has sailed for Greene. He can, however, still be a solid leader without a letter being sewn onto his sweater. He can also be a 5th or 6th defenseman on a team that really isn’t that deep at the position anyway.
player. 109. . D. Carolina Hurricanes. Sami Vatanen . 45
Just like Andy Greene, Sami Vatanen had been a New Jersey Devils defenseman that was on an expiring contract before getting traded to a Metropolitan Division rival. The Devils traded Vatanen to the Carolina Hurricanes to get assets back during a lost season as well (Janne Kuokkanen, Frederick Claesson, and a 3rd-round pick). It was a great deal for New Jersey but they might want to consider bringing him back again now. He would really help them in a few different ways.
Vatanen wasn’t the captain or anything like that but he sure was someone who was steady on the back end at times. He also had issues at times but he was certainly better than what they might have this year. They are also going to start giving some of the prospects some ice time so having a guy like Vatanen there might really help. He would have to want to come back, of course, but it is something to consider for the Devils.
He can provide help in the offensive zone as well. He has made some nice plays during his tenure with New Jersey. He showed that he can help the offense at even strength and on the power play. In a new Lindy Ruff offensive-minded system, he might be able to thrive even more.
97. . FWD. Florida Panthers. Mike Hoffman. 68. player
Of course, the best offensive player that the Devils can add in free agency this late in the game is Mike Hoffman. Hoffman spent the early part of his career with the Ottawa Senators but has since been a Florida Panthers for the last two seasons. With Florida, he became a really good goal scorer and point producer. He isn’t a perfect player but he would be a really nice addition to New Jersey’s top-six.
Hoffman is still only 31 years old, so you could justify giving him two to three years on a fairly nice deal. He has had 50 or more points in each of the last six years and seven years ago was his rookie year where he had 48. In 2018-19, he had 36 goals and 34 assists for 60 points in 82 games. He wasn’t allowed to play 82 games in 2019-20 because of COVID-19 but he was on a similar path with 29 goals and 30 assists for 59 points.
Over an 82-game season, that 2019-20 production is on track for 34 goals and 35 assists for 71 points which is basically the exact same thing as the season before. If he brought that level of play to the Devils right now, he would really help them out. He would make a great fit on a line with one of Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes as they try to grow their offensive game even more. Bringing in Hoffman would be an amazing move for this team right now.
97. . LW. Florida Panthers. Erik Haula. 56. player
Like Hoffman, Erik Haula is a former Florida Panthers’ player. Unlike Hoffman, however, he didn’t spend the entire 2019-20 season with the Panthers. He started the season with the Carolina Hurricanes but was traded to the Florida Panthers later in the year. Before that, he had stints with the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights. Minnesota drafted him, but then he was selected by Vegas in a trade with the Minnesota Wild during the expansion draft.
Haula is a really nice depth piece to have on a team that is trying to improve in all areas. He could play left wing on the first line if needed and he can play left wing on the fourth line if needed. With that are the makings of someone who would be a really good third liner. In 2019-20, he had 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 48 games. The year before that, he also missed a lot of time with injury so it has been a while since he played a significant amount of games.
The last time he did play a lot, however, was the 2017-18 season where he had 29 goals and 26 assists for 55 points. It would be really nice if New Jersey brought a guy like that in and he produced like that. Haula is fast and can help in many ways so he is definitely someone to consider.
Hot. The New Jersey Devils are playing in the new East Division. light
It would be really cool to see New Jersey add any of these guys because it would make them a better hockey team. 2020-21 is going to be a different type of season for everyone so it would be nice to just see the Devils develop their young guys. Adding in a veteran free agent or two would really help them do that.