Coming into training camp, Tomas Tatar was hardly a lock to make the New Jersey Devils opening night roster. It sounds preposterous. A $4.5 million player doesn’t have to fight for his spot on the team, but this team is different. Andreas Johnsson, and his $3.4 million cap hit, is currently playing for the Utica Comets. That’s because Tatar made it clear that he was the better player in training camp and solidified his spot on this roster.
Since making the opening night roster, Tatar kept playing his way up the lineup. He started on the third line, which was getting fourth-line minutes. He hit a low when he played less than 12 minutes in the Devils first win of the season against the Anaheim Ducks. He eventually earned his way on more fruitful parts of the lineup, and now he’s on one of the most dominant lines in hockey.
Tatar has been an offensive force along with Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier. 15 points in 23 games aren’t exactly top of the league, but considering that he had zero points in his first five games, it shows how well he’s doing on this run.
Hischier has turned into one of the best players in the league with Tatar by his side. Bratt has changed lines between the Jack Hughes line and the Hischier line, but Tatar has stayed consistent. Hischier and Tatar are just as good on the ice with Bratt as they are with rookie Fabian Zetterlund, and that’s saying something.
We saw on Monday night how impactful Tatar can be. The Rangers blitzed the Devils in the first Hudson River Rivalry matchup of the season. The Rangers fans at Madison Square Garden were rocking after Mika Zibanejad scored to make it 2-0 less than four minutes into the game. Just three minutes later, Jesper Bratt rocketed a pass to Tatar, who used his skate to corral the puck and backhand it past Igor Shesterkin.
What a goal from Tomas Tatar 😮 pic.twitter.com/v8BVSbEdyL
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 29, 2022
Tatar came into this year playing for a new contract. He’s 31 years old, so the thought he might cash in one more time has to be intriguing to him. He’s not going to get a monster contract. Tatar doesn’t have consistent enough numbers to warrant that. However, he has earned himself something.
It’s a hard decision for the Devils. They aren’t trying to lock themselves into a long contract with an aging veteran, especially one with Tatar’s track record. He’s playing very well right now. We don’t think anyone would bat an eye if the Devils gave him a two-year extension. That fits the timeline the Devils want to be on with these veterans. The issue is Tatar likely doesn’t want to be there. If he can earn himself a four-year or even six-year deal, then the Devils will let him get it somewhere else.