Pucks and Pitchforks
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5 Affordable Free Agents the New Jersey Devils Can Sign

By Jonathan Bailey

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 14: Evan Rodrigues #9 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is introduced as a star of the game after a game against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 14: Evan Rodrigues #9 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is introduced as a star of the game after a game against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG PAINTS Arena on December 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Sonny Milano, LW, Anaheim Ducks

After bouncing around between the AHL and NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, Sonny Milano finally earned his keep, establishing a full-time big league role with the Anaheim Ducks in 2021-22. In a career high 1008 minutes on the ice, Milano reached double-digit goals for the first time, scoring 14, and was one of the Ducks’ best possession players on both the power play and at even strength.

In a middle-six role, Milano produced at a 42 points-per-82 game pace, which would be a welcome sight for a Devils group that has lacked real depth scoring with special teams upside. Shockingly, Milano was not given a qualifying offer by the Anaheim Ducks, so he should be all ears if the Devils were to come to the table with an offer for his services. Plus, the New Jersey Devils in Newark would be much closer to his hometown of Massapequa, New York than Anaheim and Columbus.

(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Calvin de Haan, LD, Chicago Blackhawks

After the departure of P.K. Subban, the New Jersey Devils made a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins for John Marino. That cost them Ty Smith, the snakebitten left shot defenseman who averaged 18 minutes of ice time per game during his time in New Jersey. The team added Brendan Smith in free agency, but Smith hasn’t played those types of minutes in 6 years.

Enter: Calvin de Haan.

Calvin de Haan enters the offseason having the second-most minutes played of all left shot defensemen available on the market, trailing only the timeless Zdeno Chara. After a three year spell on a bad Chicago Blackhawks team, de Haan has the opportunity to play for a winner again if he so chooses.

de Haan is a second-pairing defense-first defender who drives play at both ends of the ice, and contributes a lot of shots to the offense. He hasn’t scored more than 20 points since 2016; the only year he has done so, which coincides with him playing a full 82 game season. Durability remains a concern for de Haan, who has only played more than 70 games 3 times in his 9 year career. If the price is right, de Haan would be a perfect fit on the New Jersey Devils alongside a guy like Damon Severson, supplementing Ryan Graves and Jonas Siegenthaler on the left side.

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