New Jersey Devils: Predicting Where Every UFA Lands This Offseason

Damon Severson
Next Team: Detroit Red Wings

It is really hard to find a team that fits with Damon Severson. He needs to find a team that can place him on the second line but can afford to pay him $6 million or more per season. The Devils can’t do that after trading for John Marino. The longest-tenured Devils player now has to look for his second NHL home.

Severson signed a very friendly six-year deal when he was 23 years old. That deal ends this summer. There were so many ups and just as many downs throughout his Devils career. He spent times as a fan favorite and others where he seemingly got blamed for everything. It was never consistent, kind of like Severson himself.

Finding the right fit for Severson in free agency is hard. The teams with cap space are either terrible (Chicago and Anaheim), don’t need a right-handed defenseman (Carolina and Seattle), or can’t afford a long-term deal (New Jersey and Pittsburgh). That’s why Detroit makes the most sense.

The Red Wings are playing Ben Chiarot, a lefty, on the right side. Chiarot needs as much of an advantage as possible, and playing him on his off hand does not help him. Instead, the Red Wings could sign Severson to pair with Chiarot and take some pressure off the Moritz Seider line.