The New Jersey Devils are in pretty good shape after making a huge splash in free agency. Dougie Hamilton and Tomas Tatar are two of the biggest free-agent signings in the history of the franchise. Especially Hamilton, who plays a role the Devils desperately needed, the massive price tag will likely be worth it in the long run.
Now two weeks since the start of free agency, the Devils are in a spot where they could use another forward or two, but they probably have prospects who could easily fill the slots if need be. There are literally a dozen players who could be on the cusp of NHL ready depending on how they come into camp and play.
The free-agent market is pretty dry right now, but there are some very intriguing names still available. There were a lot of prospects that NHL teams just renounced their rights to. Some were even 1st-round picks. There are also some long-shot veterans who could add some balance to the bottom six whether that’s at center or wing.
The Devils are looking for depth at this point from free agency. There aren’t really players who are going to make a huge impact on the NHL roster. If the Devils want an impactful forward, they need to go for a trade. There are still plenty of forward options on the trade market, and yes that includes Vladimir Tarasenko. However, they don’t necessarily need to make that move. Most GMs are taking a vacation right now because they were basically working for 18 months straight (the horror for them). The Devils could still sign a small free agent, and these are the best fits of the players available.
One note, none of these players who are clearly going to the New York Islanders are on this list. Zach Parise, Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, and Casey Cizikas are heading to Belmont, and there’s nothing the Devils can do to change that. This completely changes the names on the free agent list, so temper expectations.