Players from the Atlantic Division the New Jersey Devils can steal in NHL free agency
The New Jersey Devils need to be active in NHL free agency, and the Atlantic Division has plenty of solid players who wouldn’t mind playing in Newark.
With Sheldon Keefe now at the helm for the New Jersey Devils, there will definitely be a few players from the Atlantic Division whom he could have his eye on in NHL free agency. Keefe spent five seasons as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, so it would make sense for him and general manager Tom Fitzgerald to target players in the Atlantic as opposed to the Metropolitan Division.
Keefe’s time with the Maple Leafs didn’t end the way many hockey fans envisioned, as he snagged just one playoff series win despite leading Auston Matthews and company to the postseason in each of his five seasons. So Keefe would also want to use the early portion of his time in Newark to correct the mistakes made in Toronto.
Yet, while with the Maple Leafs, it seemed like neither general managers Kyle Dubas nor Brad Treliving constructed an elite team for Keefe. Instead, the Maple Leafs won just one division title, and that was during a 2020-21 season that saw them playing just a handful of the league’s opponents before the upstart Montreal Canadiens knocked them out in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
New Jersey Devils could raid the Atlantic in NHL free agency
Far too often, those in Toronto relied on their “Core Four,” and as a consequence, the Leafs suffered defensively and at goaltending. Sure, they were good hockey teams, but can you really sit there and honestly claim they were great? It seems like a far cry and general manager Tom Fitzgerald knows this as well as anyone.
So when concocting this list of free agents the Devils could steal from the Atlantic, I had those weaknesses over in Toronto in mind. Ironically enough, the Devils struggled in the same capacities this past season, so don’t be surprised when Fitzgerald looks for two-way forwards and primarily defensemen who can more than just bolster the blue line - though there is one outlier in that realm.
Jake DeBrusk, LW/Boston
Jake DeBrusk will probably be Priority No. 1 on the Boston Bruins to-do list. But if he tests the free agent market, there may not be a better player in the Atlantic Division for the Devils to pursue.
DeBrusk will provide supplementary scoring, and it’s something I listed in my updated offseason checklist that the Devils could use. But perhaps more importantly for New Jersey, DeBrusk will also improve the team’s defensive play, and it’s something they need more than anything else after opponents scored too easily on them.
He’s been one of Boston’s most physical forwards over the last two years, and he would also provide more short-handed help. While the Devils penalty kill was better than you may think last season, someone like DeBrusk could help transform it into a top-10 unit.
Zemgus Girgensons, F/Buffalo
Jake DeBrusk would be a great prize for the Devils, but Zemgus Girgensons wouldn’t make a bad consolation if the former is unavailable. Girgensons isn’t giving anyone top-six minutes, nor would he score in the same way as DeBrusk, but he’s still one of the game’s best purely defensive forwards.
Girgensons is a physical player who doesn’t often get caught out of position, and that’s something all Devils fans need to see from their players. If Tom Fitzgerald went out and signed Girgensons, it wouldn’t be the most popular signing, but few can deny he would be a necessary addition.
If you want proof, Girgensons on-ice save percentage at even strength has been a solid 91.9 or higher in each of the past four seasons. He’s been on the ice for fewer goals allowed than expected in the same situation in each of the last two, and his Corsi For indicates he’s been a major factor in helping the Sabres find ways to get shots off in the offensive zone.
Shayne Gostisbehere, D/Detroit
Ideally, the Devils would go with a more defensive-oriented blueliner, and Shayne Gostisbehere, unfortunately, isn’t that player. But it doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be useful in Newark, thanks to his ability to find ways to help his team put up goals.
Last season, Luke Hughes was the Devils highest-scoring defenseman with 47 points and nine goals, and while Hughes will be a stellar blueliner in this league, he’s not ready to have the weight of a two-way game completely thrust onto his shoulders. The next highest-scoring defenseman was John Marino, who had 25 points, so Gostisbehere would fill a role.
He was one of the NHL’s higher points-producers on the blue line, with 56 points and 10 goals, marking the third time he put up 50-plus points in a season. Gostisbehere would also make for a good quarterback on either power play unit, and his experience at 5-on-4 would also be an excellent learning experience for Hughes.
Brandon Montour, D/Florida
Between Brandon Montour and Shayne Gostisbehere, the former would be the ideal pickup since he’s more of a complete player. While Montour didn’t set a new scoring record this season, he still played a physical game, saw time on the top-pairing, and reached the half-point per contest milestone.
Like Gostisbehere, Montour can also quarterback the man advantage, and he’s sensational at setting up scoring chances at even strength, 5-on-5, and especially on the power play. It would be tough to see such a valuable asset leaving Sunrise, but if Montour becomes available, Tom Fitzgerald would have to find a way to outbid a lot of teams if he wanted to bring the blueliner to Newark.
Yet signing a veteran player whose current team has made two deep playoff runs would be an excellent investment for the Devils. Montour won’t be easy to sign, and he wouldn’t come cheap, but he’s one of the most valuable blueliners in the free agency pool.
Anthony Duclair, W/Tampa Bay
Anthony Duclair has come on strong regardless of which team he suits up for, and there have been plenty throughout his decade of NHL experience. Recently, he’s been an excellent scorer, especially when he’s on a team that has a strong group of forwards, something that the Devils possess.
But he’s even put up his fair share of solid numbers on bad teams when it comes to finding the net, and we don’t need to look much further than what he did during his short stint with the San Jose Sharks. But what you may not know is that Duclair will pitch in solid play when his team doesn’t have the puck, which occurred often with the Sharks.
He was on the ice at even strength for 41 goals in San Jose, yet Duclair’s xGA in the same situation was just 40.8. Duclair’s on-ice save percentage was also a surprising 91.4, and that same number crept up to 92.5 at 5-on-5. Overall, Duclair would help the Devils out not only in an effort to put up more goals but also in the defensive zone.
Tyler Bertuzzi, W/Toronto
Tyler Bertuzzi may be one of the better names on this list, especially if he enjoys a season similar to the one he had a couple of seasons back when he was with the Detroit Red Wings. Bertuzzi had 62 points and 30 goals during that campaign, and he also scored 21 apiece in 2018-19 and 2019-20. It’s clear Bertuzzi was a great fit for the Red Wings, but he repeated that success last year with Toronto.
For the fourth time in his career, Bertuzzi reached the 21-goal threshold, and he did so with lesser average total ice time than what he received during those other 21-goal campaigns in the Motor City. It was also an incredible renaissance following a 2022-23 season in Detroit and later Boston that saw him miss 32 contests, and it showed us how good Bertuzzi can be when healthy.
Bertuzzi’s overall defensive play isn’t stellar, but it’s not non-existent, as he’s another physical forward on this list who can land body checks. And Bertuzzi, as has been the case recently in his NHL career, will also steal pucks.
T.J. Brodie, D/Toronto
Yep, we’re talking about a second member of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the Keefe era and one who doesn’t bring as much of a two-way game as the other blueliners on this list I mentioned earlier. The one downside is that Brodie is an older player, and that may not fit well for a younger team like the Devils.
But those in Newark need a player who, while not a physical defenseman in the way Brandon Montour, positions himself well to constantly get in front of shots, and who can consistently bring top-four minutes to the table.
Brodie was also one of the few defensemen Toronto had who played a solid game all over the ice. He logged a 90.5 on-ice save percentage and a 10.7 percent on-ice shooting percentage at even strength. Brodie was on the ice for 80 of the Maple Leafs goals in the same situation, or 15.0 above expected. And although he was also on the ice for another 67 goals, it factored in as just 8.7 above expected.
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(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)