5 Underrated Contract Situations New Jersey Devils Must Address This Offseason
By Nick Villano
Chase De Leo – Unrestricted Free Agent
The Devils have to decide whether they want to re-sign Chase De Leo at all. Prior to coming to the Devils, De Leo played six seasons in the AHL, but he never really got a shot at the NHL. This season, he got into two NHL games. He never got into more than one per season when he was a part of the Anaheim Ducks organization.
He’s also scoring more than a point per game in the AHL, putting up 50 points in 49 games for the Utica Comets. It’s something he hasn’t done since playing for the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL. De Leo is a player with skill, and he didn’t look completely out of place in the NHL, but can the Devils really have him on their roster?
If De Leo is willing to sign another two-way deal, we can see him coming back. However, after such a good season in the AHL, another team might be willing to give him a one-way deal. He’s a Group 6 free agent based on his professional playing time, so the Devils have to compete with other franchises if they don’t re-sign him before July 1st.
De Leo would be a nice veteran presence to have in Utica for the long haul, but if he can get a legit NHL opportunity nobody can be mad at him for taking it. He’s worked at this for a long time, and the Devils gave him an opportunity to grow his game. If he can use that somewhere else, good for him.