New Jersey Devils: A Final Look At Free Agency
The New Jersey Devils still have a lot of work to do before training camp starts to put a competitive team out there in the Metropolitan Division. While the defense looks set at the top the forward group has a lot of question marks that need to be addressed. There are a lot of very good free agents but if the Devils are going to go big game hunting again as they did with Hamilton last season remains to be seen this team needs to make moves either way.
The Big Names
Johnny Gaudreau
This is the biggest name out there this year, so let’s get it out of the way right away. Johnny Gaudreau is a top 10 scorer in the league and the season he is coming off of is nothing short of incredible. He had 40 goals to add to 115 points and he did this sitting at a +64. This would have been the Devils’ all-time best season for points and he would make the team better immediately, but this is still a guy the team probably shouldn’t go for.
Why is that?
The Flames have a deal worth $10 million on the table for him. It is likely a max deal at eight years, which is something the Devils can’t match. He is worth $10 million right now but at 28, 29 when the season begins, this would put him at a frightening age of 36 when the deal expires. Players do decline in their 30s, and sometimes quickly. Gaudreau should be great for three years, good for another three, and then probably an ok guy at the end and very overpaid which might not fit for the Devils.
This team would also probably have to beat that offer and put another digit on the number going over $10 million, which could really hurt going forward. One would expect that Gaudreau wants to win. The Devils have been bad for a long time and the last time they were a legitimately good team was in 2012. They would have to not only drive the truck of money out to sign him but convince him that this team can win and be competitive soon. It seems like a long shot but they probably will be in the running and tomorrow will be very interesting.
Nazem Kadri
Another guy who had a phenomenal season and ended up capping it off with a Stanley Cup is Nazem Kadri. He is going to get paid this offseason. He is a good player, but when you come off winning a Cup while having a career year in a contract year, teams always overpay. It always bites the team that does it. On top of the points, he plays a dirty, physical game which this team really needs. However, at 31 years old, 32 when the season starts, the Devils need to stay far away from this and the $8 million he will be making.
John Klingberg
The Dallas Stars are a borderline playoff team and they do have some cap space but with a few very good key young pieces needing deals like Jake Ottinger and Jason Robertson that will be long-term and costly, it is tough to tell if they can or will commit to the soon to be 30-year-old star defender.
John Klingberg is a consistently good player and can skate with the best of them. He can move the puck which is very clearly what the Devils are going for from the back end. It seems likely they will be intrigued even if it is unlikely and redundant with Dougie Hamilton already in New Jersey. With 115 points in 185 games over the last 3 seasons, his numbers are elite and whoever gets him should be happy about it. He really hasn’t slowed down, so his career won’t fall off a cliff like P.K. Subban’s in his 30s.
Based on this year’s draft and the last few seasons, it is clear the team doesn’t have faith in the core of this team on the defensive side of the puck. They could end up doing this, but the odds are very low. They have players coming up in Luke Hughes, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and the newly drafted Śimon Nemec, who are all first-rounders. It would not make sense long term.
Klingberg is coming off a very team-friendly deal in which he was making 4.25 the last 7 seasons and this is really his last shot at a big deal so this one could go either way in terms of length and price but it will be a raise no doubt.
The Middle Of The Road Veterans
Andre Burakovsky
Another guy with a career year in points who won the Stanley Cup on a contract year, Andre Burakovsky does have some good years left and might be an option for the Devils. But with .76 points per game this season, he actually was consistent during the previous two shortened seasons. He also is coming off a $4.9 million deal and should probably be looking at a small raise.
The Devils have made some good bets to fill the top six, but Andreas Johnsson and Tomas Tatar didn’t work out despite past success and both will probably be gone after this season, so Burakovsky might be someone to look at.
The Devils would probably be looking at 4-5 years at just over $5 million, which isn’t bad. Getting a consistent player who has been exclusively on winning teams for the middle six would fit nicely.
Ryan Strome
This is another interesting one. While it would be a little odd to sign a former Ranger, Ryan Strome fits a lot better the more you look at it. This team needs a third-line center, and whoever fills that role needs to be able to play well offensively and not be a defensive sink like Pavel Zacha. He has been hovering at 20 goals and 50 points the last three seasons, which is a big step up from the Devils’ depth and pushes this team forward.
As a transitional piece, this would be a great move for 2-3 years at $3.75-4.25 million, which is a little lower than his last deal. but with the cap where it is his options will probably be which team at this number. It might not jump off the page, but the Devils should be looking at this.
Ondrej Palat
Ondrej Palat is about to be another cap casualty for the Lightening who is coming off a third-straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. He has been a very good depth player for the team, and much like the others the Lightning have lost, teams will covet him. He could even be looking at a longer deal than one might expect.
Over the last three seasons, he has been in the 40-50 point range which is nothing to overlook. Two of the season were shorter due to the coronavirus pandemic. There are a few things to look at from a Devils’ perspective. He is already 31, has scored 20 goals only one time, and it was in the 2013-14 season which is irrelevant to the current player. Last season, he was making $5.3 million. If he is signed to that again, the team who does will regret it quickly.
Max Domi
This one is a little more interesting as Domi has been a very up and down player who had some great years in Arizona and Montreal, some good ones since then, but will be on his fifth team already. He seems stuck in that spot where he is not quite a top player, but in a depth role can still put up points with an edge to his game. He would be an upgrade in the middle of the ice over Boqvist or Zacha in the middle and Johnsson or Tatar on the wing so this is a move they should be looking at.
He made $5.3 million on his last deal and like the other players in his situation, he is a little hard to judge in terms of price. If the Devils offered 3-4 years at $4.5 million, he would probably take it. At 27 years old, he still has prime years left and would be able to sign a deal in his early thirties after which works well for him while making an easy $15+ million.
Nikita Zadorov
This is a guy who the Devils should be looking at in a big way. Is he the best defenseman? Absolutely not, but he is a legit NHLer and this team has had a disaster third pairing for a decade and is stocked full of soft offensive defenders. At 6’6 Zadorov is big but more importantly, he is one of the meanest guys in the NHL. This team needs toughness that can play and picking him up to sit on the third pairing for a year or two is a no-brainer of a move.
He is coming off multiple one-year deals in the 3 million dollar range so if the Devils offer that the second year it should be an easy sell and fans will rejoice at having a player like this at 3.25-3.5 over PK and Smith.
When it comes to the younger puck movers as well he should be able to clear the net and win board battles for them and offensively they will have a bit more leeway knowing he can cover for them and probably won’t be out there trying to be making moves of his own. Whoever is paired with him whether it is Smith, Walsh or though less likely Nemec, should be given the best chance to succeed in a depth role.
The Non-Qualified Players
Dylan Strome
The Blackhawks are collapsing in real-time and after some awful trades, they have not qualified two great players so the Devils need to take advantage of this. Dylan Strome is 6’3,25 years old and has 170 points in 273 career games.
With 20 goals last season and 48 points, he’s proven he can produce. He likely would have hit 20 goals in both. He would fit perfectly on the third line and has the ability to step up if/when injuries occur in the top six. He shouldn’t be overlooked especially in the long term. He is just entering his prime and in my opinion, will be the steal of free agency.
He is coming off a two-year $3 million a year deal. The Devils can easily give him the raise he needs offering him something in the line of 3-4 years at $4-4.25 million. This would give the Devils four legit NHL centers who can excel in their roles and all are 25 and under which is obviously massive.
Dominik Kubalik
The other Blackhawk available is going to likely be another steal despite his mediocre season. Dominik Kubalik scored 15 goals and had 32 points. In his three NHL seasons, however, he is averaging over half a point a game and has 62 goals in 202 games thanks to a wicked wrist shot.
The Hawks were bad this year and he took a step back, but it looks more like this was just a speedbump in his career. When he has the change in scenery he will go back to the guy who had a 30-goal rookie season followed by 17 in the 56-game 2020-21 season. Next to Hughes, he would be netting an easy 30 and this team would be absolutely foolish not to sign him.
He is coming off a two-year deal at $3.7 million a season and just like the Dylan Strome deal the Devils can offer him 3-4 years at 4-4.25 million with ease and improve this team short and long term.
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Sonny Milano
Another player who had a good season and was shockingly not qualified, Sonny Milano had 14 goals and 34 points in 66 games while playing with what looked like good energy most nights. He is 26 and is the right age for the Devils as a younger veteran.
There will be competition for spots already, which is good, but with the previously mentioned Hawks players and veteran depth centers who are available, the team has better options. He is still a good player. Fans shouldn’t be disappointed if they take a shot at him for a year or two since he will put far more effort into his game than some Devils players who are just too passive on a game-by-game basis.
In summary, the Devils in my opinion should be avoiding the big names and looking towards the younger proven players up front like Kubalik and Dylan Strome first with the plan to look at Ryan Strome and Max Domi after. Zacha shouldn’t be on this team with his poor effort and defense while Johnsson and Tatar are done before the 2023 season starts almost for sure so upgrading the middle 6 is a top priority tomorrow.
On defense, the top four look good and should be given the chance to play with a real goaltender. They just need to replace Subban and see if Smith can rebound. He is easily replaced by Walsh for the short term till the mass of prospects are competing next season for the spot so Zadorov is the number #1 choice to look at tomorrow to fill the role.