The New Jersey Devils made a flurry of moves on the first day of NHL Free Agency. Their biggest move came before the 12 p.m. start, where they re-signed Jake Allen to a five-year deal worth $1.8 million per season. It’s a long deal for a 34-year-old goalie, but the extremely low AAV gives them outs later in the contract.
The Devils also signed Connor Brown to a contract worth $3 million per season over four years and one-year deals to Dennis Cholowski, Marc McLaughlin, and Calen Addison. It’s the one-year deal for Evgenii Dadonov that might be the best deal of the offseason.
Dadonov accepted the contract, which pays him $1 million in base salary this season. He could earn some performance bonuses that would increase his salary, but the exact terms of those bonuses have not been released.
The Devils are getting a really good veteran for a rock-bottom price. He scored 20 goals last season, the fifth time he broke that threshold in his career. If the Devils even get 15 goals out of Dadonov, it will be one of the better deals in the league.
This is a team that really needed scoring last season. Dadonov could play up and down the lineup. If the Devils add more top-six scoring, Dadonov would be a great option on the third line. If they don’t (which they should), then he can slide into a spot next to either Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier.
Most likely, the Devils will pair Dadonov with fellow new signing Arseni Gritsyuk. The Devils added the 2019 draft pick this offseason after a good career in the KHL. Gritsyuk says he’s trying to learn English, but having someone on the roster who speaks Russian will really help with his transition. Just knowing what he needs on the ice from a veteran of the North American game might help Gritsyuk turn into a star.
Evgenii Dadonov is a great signing for the New Jersey Devils
This signing comes with so many layers, and it’s almost exclusively a positive experience. He came at a cheaper price, and the Devils could bury his deal if they absolutely have to. We expect this to work out, as Dadonov is another player who brings speed to a lineup that needed it last season.
The Devils are working with a much better forward group after a few savvy moves, but the Devils still need to make one bigger move to address the top six. Who could that be? The options are limited. Still, having Dadonov in the locker room can help give the Devils time until they have to make a move, even if it takes until the season starts.