New Jersey Devils: 5 Bold Predictions For Final Roster

Bold Prediction #2: Tomas Tatar isn’t in the Top Six

Tomas Tatar was the Devils’ big offseason addition at forward. He came off a really bad postseason with the Montreal Canadiens, but that didn’t stop the Devils from giving him a two-year deal worth $9 million total. He really does add something to the roster, and there’s nothing to worry about when it comes to his production. He had a decent first game for the Devils, but some of his underlying stats weren’t great. Sometimes matchups don’t work out, so it’s not something to overreact to just yet.

However, at the end of the preseason, Lindy Ruff will start the season with Tomas Tatar on the third line. This isn’t going to last all season, and it might be something he just tries out to start, but Ruff is trying these young players with top-six centers, and Tatar might be better served to provide secondary scoring. If the Devils can get 20 goals from someone that isn’t centered by Hughes and Hischier, that would be huge for this team.

Tatar will eventually get plenty of games with the top two centers. He will be the first alternate, but if Mercer ends up being the center on the third line, he needs a veteran to play with. Why not give him a dynamic scorer who can do a lot on the ice?