
3. Tyler Toffoli
We come to our first unrestricted free agent on the list. The Devils traded Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick to the Calgary Flames for Tyler Toffoli. The move solidified the Devils top six, adding a significant piece coming off one of his best seasons.
The issue with Toffoli is he has been somewhat inconsistent in his career. His 34 goals last season were a career high. He had 31 goals in 2015-16, but that was the only other time. That was way back when he played for the Los Angeles Kings. Since then, injuries and strange team situations led to less-than-stellar numbers.
The Devils aren’t going to re-sign Toffoli now. He’s built great chemistry with Jack Hughes, but the Devils need more than preseason chemistry. Ondrej Palat and Alexander Holtz had great chemistry with Hughes last preseason. We know how that ended.
Toffoli probably has the most on the line when it comes to money this season. He could earn a really nice contract with the Devils or another team. If he stays on Hughes’ wing, he could very easily put up another 30-goal season. With Hughes scoring himself, his assists could hit a career-high. Imagine putting up 70 points in your contract year. He might end up pricing himself out of New Jersey if that happens.