Tomas Nosek Will Be a Solid Contributor For New Jersey Devils
A couple of weeks ago, the New Jersey Devils recently signed Tomas Nosek to a one-year, $1 million deal. The intent of signing both him and Chris Tierney (who signed a two-way deal) was to add more depth at the center position. Even though Nosek might not be the most exciting free agent signing, the Devils still were to score themselves a pretty solid contributor.
For starters, he is really good in the faceoff circle. He was third on the Boston Bruins in face-off win percentage, winning 59.3% of his draws. He also adds some decent physicality, finishing last season with 69 blocks and 31 hits. An extra bonus to Nosek’s game is that he can contribute to the penalty kill as well. Still, his experience remains his most important asset. Nosek has been in the league for nearly 10 seasons and has never missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Pucks and Pitchforks had the chance to speak with Nosek during his first press conference as a member of the Devils organization. Nosek is aware in terms of his skillsets and capabilities. While it might be a cliche statement, Nosek is willing to do whatever it takes to help the Devils win.
"“I want to help any way I can,” Nosek said. “If it’s a face-off, it’s a face-off. If it’s a PK [penalty kill], then it’s a PK. If it’s to shut down the best line on the opposite team, then I can do that. I think I can produce some points as well. That’s what I wanna do in order to help the team win.”"
One of the reasons why the Devils improved last season was because of their newly-added veteran leadership. Which included players like Ondrej Palat, Erik Haula, and even Brendan Smith. Since Nosek was a part of a historic Bruins team, and also has vast playoff experience, he hopes to pass it down to this Devils team.
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"“I think I’m getting more experience since I got into the league for sure,” he said. “When you get older, I think you focus more on mental preparation. [You] trust your instinct, trust your gut, and play your game. Don’t change anything just because it’s the playoffs. I think I can bring this in and help the young guys a little bit with that.”"
Overall, the Devils were able to find themselves another diamond in the rough. Nosek fits the mold perfectly for their bottom six. Because he will do the little things to make them so effective. Even though he’s not a prolific scorer, he can still do the minuscule tasks to help the Devils win games. Plus, his experience and leadership can go a long way.