5 Free Agent Forwards To Target Not Named Gabriel Landeskog

Pius Suter

The New Jersey Devils have always wanted players who are closer in age to the core of the team. That core is Hughes, Hischier, Smith, and Mackenzie Blackwood. Free agents are usually older than 27 years old, which is much older than this team’s core. The ones who are younger are players who saw their teams opt to not tender a qualifying offer. That’s exactly what happened to Pius Suter with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Pius Suter was a very productive forward that the Blackhawks, again, just threw away for nothing. What a strange franchise that hasn’t made a good decision in a long time.

Anyway, Suter had 27 points in his first season in the NHL. He signed with the Blackhawks after winning the Swiss League MVP before last season, and he was pretty good. He’s only going to get better at 25 years old. Suter had 14 goals on a mess of a Blackhawks team.

The Devils should absolutely be in on Suter. He is someone who would immediately lift whatever line he ends up on. The Devils could play him with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Mike McLeod, Dawson Mercer, Jesper Boqvist, or an incoming veteran third-line center. This team has the unique ability to put him where everyone sees fit. Everything is fluid, and that would be the situation where Suter can thrive.