New Jersey Devils: 5 Remaining Free Agents Worth A Shot

Damir Zhafyarov

The Devils have taken chances on Russian superstars in the past, and it almost never works out. Nikita Gusev looked good at first, but he was terrible for them last season. Egor Yakovlev could have been a good defenseman for the Devils, but he spent most of his first season in the AHL and went right back to Russia. This is the end of the Devils’ issues with Russians we are willing to discuss. Anyways, Damir Zhafyarov shouldn’t get hurt by the Devils past transactions.

The 27 year old averaged more than a point per game with the Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo of the KHL last season. He was the third-leading scorer in the league after putting up 61 points in 58 games. It was his breakout season after only scoring 37 points the year before. He’s a risk just like every Russian player is, and he might struggle with the closed ice format of the NHL, but the Devils have the money to take a risk on a high-upside player. If he’s asking for $2 million on a one-year deal, even if he doesn’t work out at all, the Devils can afford a deal like this.

Zhafyarov is a pure energy player who never gives up on a play. He can play in the corners in the NHL today, which is something that most Russian players struggle with. He is on the smaller side at 5’9, so the Devils might not want to add another winger with that profile to the lineup, but if they strike out on Tarasenko or the rest of the trade market, this is a very low-risk proposition.