In his midseason press conference, New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald made it clear that he was not wholly content with the team despite a strong start.
For instance, one thing Fitzgerald noted, in particular, was the Devils' lack of depth scoring--something that has been an organizational struggle for many years now. "There are certain guys here that are buzzing offensively," Fitzgerald said on Monday. "If our power play doesn't score, and if one of our top lines score, I think we need more from other people, quite honestly, contributing-wise, without naming any names."
Fitzgerald's current assessment of the Devils forwards is largely accurate. Tomas Tatar has scored one goal since the dawn of November, as has Paul Cotter. Erik Haula has gone 11 games and counting since he last found the back of the net.
Timo Meier, whose late surge of domination allowed him to finish with 28 goals last season, is currently on pace for just 26 goals and 55 points. He's also in the second year of an eight-year, $70.4 million contract.
Devils could get creative, claim Tyler Johnson
So, how can Fitzgerald get more out of this Devils group, or potentially add to it? We previously discussed Brandon Saad, a two-time Stanley Cup champion reportedly on the trade block who's built a reputation around the NHL for being a speedy sniper who knows how to win games.
On Thursday, another intriguing option emerged, as the Boston Bruins placed Tyler Johnson on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination. Devils fans, or hockey fans who have paid close attention to the Tampa Bay Lightning over the last decade, may remember Johnson as the small-but-mighty center who won the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2019 and 2020.
Oh, and Johnson can play a bit of offense, too. The 34-year-old has scored 20 or more goals four times in his career, and even scored a career-high 72 points playing with Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov in the 2014-15 season.
Is Johnson still that player at his age after all these years? No, probably not. But the Devils can claim him off waivers for free--literally! It is also worth noting, however, that no team has ever claimed a player on unconditional waivers, though the Devils could always sign Johnson as a free agent under a different agreement.
Ok, so we remember Tyler Johnson. Why do the Devils want a guy that the struggling Bruins are already parting ways with after just nine games? The reason is simple: shoot for the stars, aim for the moon.
Johnson has spent the last few years out of the limelight, wallowing away on a lowly Chicago Blackhawks team lightyears away from competing or being in the playoffs. Johnson did, however, score 17 goals, 14 assists, and 31 points in 67 games last year on a Blackhawks team devoid of scoring talent outside of himself, Taylor Hall, and Connor Bedard.
Additionally, the two-time champ (51%) was second only to Bedard (51.6%) in on-ice expected goals percentage in all situations, per Moneypuck. This is an important distinction, as all the Blackhawks' numbers would look terrible at 5-on-5, and Johnson could likely be a factor on the Devils' second power play unit anyway.
Johnson racked up 10 penalty minutes in nine games with the Bruins and recorded two assists, but it should not be surprising to see that a player who signed a professional tryout offer and did not have a full training camp is struggling to find his legs.
For the Devils, center depth needs to be a priority, too. Haula, as mentioned above, has been ice-cold offensively. Curtis Lazar just re-aggravated his knee injury and will be out until the New Year, which has pressed AHL journeyman Justin Dowling back into action.
Johnson brings center and wing versatility, a Stanley Cup pedigree, and some familiarity with Palat to the table for a Devils team starved of depth scoring and depth in general. And while Dowling has played well, he and Shane Bowers are the next men up behind Lazar. Dowling has yet to play more than 30 games in an NHL season, while Bowers has yet to play more than nine in an NHL season.
For a reimagined Devils team now leading the charge in the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division towards a second playoff berth in three years, they must think bigger and better when it comes to depth. Taking a flier on a player like Tyler Johnson is a smart hedge; what's the worst that could happen?