The New Jersey Devils signed Kevin Bahl this week, which was one of the last items on the agenda. Tom Fitzgerald did just about everything he needed to. He re-signed Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier to fair contracts. He traded for help on the wings in Tyler Toffoli. Damon Severson wasn’t lost for nothing. He didn’t overspend on any free agents. Fitzgerald replaced just about every lost player.
This roster looks stacked. Lindy Ruff will have options at forward, and the defense has depth to survive any injuries. The Devils are a true contender because of the moves Fitzgerald made.
While it looks like Bahl was the last piece of the puzzle for now, the Devils are not done. There’s a lot to do between now and training camp. It might not be so much player personnel, but the Devils will need all their ducks in order if they want to win a Stanley Cup. One question that hasn’t been answered is something we’ve talked about to death.
Is This The Goalie Duo Going Into The Season?
The New Jersey Devils will have Vitek Vanecek on the NHL roster at the start of next season. That is the only thing that’s guaranteed at the position. Vanecek was great in the regular season, posting 30 wins. Nobody has posted 30 wins with this franchise since Martin Brodeur retired. However, his putrid play in the playoffs has everyone questioning whether he’s the right man to bring another Stanley Cup to the Garden State.
The rumors remain. Connor Hellebuyck hasn’t been traded. Neither has John Gibson. The Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins signed their restricted free agents, taking two trade options off the board. It’s getting very late into the offseason. Most GMs take August off to prepare for the start of the season.
At this point, we’d guess a goalie move will happen midseason, if at all. It is strange that the Devils have said they want Akira Schmid to start in the AHL, but Nico Daws is hurt, and Erik Kallgren was the only goalie addition. Don’t be surprised if Kallgren is the backup goalie to start the season.