New Jersey Devils: 5 Players Where Anything Could Happen

Tomas Tatar

Here’s another player that’s complicated because of the difference between his regular season and playoffs. Tatar seemed like a lock to re-sign after his impact in the regular season. Then, he likely cost himself a deal in the playoffs. Can the Devils still give Tatar the kind of deal that would get him to re-sign?

One has to think Tatar isn’t signing for any less than he just got. That was a two-year deal with an average price of $4.5 million per season. Can the Devils even afford to pay a winger $4.5 million when they have to pay Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier? In theory, yes. However, the Devils would need to understand that they could pay nobody else.

Will Tatar take a pay cut to stay? He is 32 years old, so that seems out of the question. Will the Devils give him a price that forces him to stay? They have limited cap space, so that also seems out of the question. On top of that, Tatar only had one point over 12 games.

It seems like after a really good season, the Devils should want Tatar back. His playoff performance likely cost him a raise with the Devils. This seems like it will go to free agency, but that doesn’t knock the Devils out of the running. He very well could come back on a cheaper deal if nobody else wants to pay him.