New Jersey Devils: How 2022 Offseason Moves Are Working Out So Far

Erik Haula and Brendan Smith

One of the current players who is having so many issues right now is Erik Haula. In the offseason, the Devils acquired Haula from Boston, who in return gave Pavel Zacha to them. At the time, the deal for Haula made sense, and they would be getting a veteran who could supply a little offense. However, now the deal makes it look like Boston won that trade. Haula has had many problems this year. One of those issues is being unable to hit the net to score goals. He’ll get chances, but they’ll either go wide or sometimes hit the post. Haula also has a penalty problem. This season he ranks at 35 penalty minutes on the team, which is the 3rd most. What makes the deal even worse is that now Zacha is thriving in Boston with the Bruins. He has nine goals and 23 assists in Boston. That’s his 4th highest point total in his career. Because of that, he got a four-year extension worth $4.75 million a year. Haula must do something to change the way he is playing because this might be one of the worst trades Fitzgerald has ever done.

But Haula isn’t the only veteran signing that hasn’t worked in Fitzgerald’s favor. Another guy, the Devils, signed in free agency is Brendan Smith. The Devils signed Smith as a veteran core depth defensive player; unfortunately, he has done nothing to impress anyone in the organization. Just like Haula, his biggest problem is his penalty minutes.

Brendan Smith has over 55 penalty minutes throughout the season, which is the most on the team. Even though our penalty kill has been great, he (along with Haula) cannot take so many penalties because, sooner or later, those penalties can cost us games. These two signings show how sometimes things won’t work out, and let’s hope Fitzgerald can make better deals at the trade deadline.