Summer Synopsis: New Jersey Devils

With training camps upon us, the bulk of the heavy lifting has been done from a roster perspective.  Most unrestricted free agents have found new homes, the arbitration period has come and gone, and the trade market has cooled.  Accordingly, it’s a good time to take a look at what each team has accomplished this offseason.  Next up is a look at the New Jersey Devils.

The Devils crashed and burned last season under the weight of expectations, injuries and instability. The club went from being a Stanley Cup contender to dropping out of the first round of the playoffs pretty quietly. Now, with a group that is a year older and has some battle scars, the expectation is that they should bounce back and compete in the Eastern Conference once again. There are still some salary cap concerns to address, but the Devils have one of the top rosters in the East and should be a playoff team at the very least, and potentially a contender to win the Metropolitan Division.

Draft

2-50 – F Conrad Fondrk,  U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP)
2-63 – RW Benjamin Kevan, Des Moines (USHL)
3-90 – F Mason Moe, Madison (USHL)
4-99 – G Trenten Bennett, Kempville (CCHL)
4-114 – F Gustav Hillstrom, Brynäs IF (SHL)
6-161 – RW David Rozsíval, Bílí Tygři Liberec (Czechia U20)
6-178 – D Sigge Holmgren, Brynäs IF (J20 Nationell)

The Devils didn’t have a first-round pick this year and only selected midway through the second round, taking Fondrk with the 50th overall pick. He’s the kind of high-risk, high-reward choice that the Devils should target with their limited draft options. Fondrk has excellent playmaking skills and can create space for himself using his hockey IQ. His style is very similar to Tampa Bay forward Jake Guentzel. Fondrk can play on the wing or at center, and his versatility will be a valuable asset, complemented by his good shooting and passing skills.

Now, for the downside, Fondrk has a notable injury history, having suffered a leg injury last year that prematurely ended his season. His defensive game isn’t strong either, but he may be able to improve it with NHL-level coaching. Additionally, his play along the boards isn’t anything to write home about, which could hinder his chances of becoming a regular NHLer if his other offensive skills don’t adapt well to the NHL game.

Kevan was a late second-round pick and projects as a top-nine forward who can contribute secondary offense and be a nuisance for opposing teams. He has good hockey instincts in tight and should be a challenge for opposing goalies to play against if he can fill out. His speed isn’t top-end, but it’s adequate to assist him on the forecheck. There are some issues with his consistency, especially his goal-scoring, which can dry up at times in the USHL. Clearly, that problem will only become more challenging as he moves up the ranks in professional hockey.

In the third round, the Devils picked Moe, who adds a two-way presence to their pipeline. Moe isn’t likely to be a high scorer, but his playmaking is solid, and he plays a safe, steady game. To make the NHL, he’ll need to bulk up since he probably isn’t destined for a top-six spot, and if he wants a checking role, he’ll need to become tougher to play against.

Bennett was a fourth-round pick, and he’s the type of goaltender teams should consider taking a chance on in later rounds. You can’t teach or develop what Bennett possesses, and that is size. Standing at 6’8”, Bennett is evident in the net. However, he’s still raw and will be a project for the Devils, which is acceptable when drafting in the later rounds. His positioning is solid, which isn’t too surprising given his size, but his rebound control and tracking are significant concerns, and there are potential issues with his composure. Bennett isn’t likely to make an NHL lineup anytime soon, and his career will largely depend on how well he can be coached and adapt to the adjustments his coaches will try to make to his game.

Trade Acquisitions

C Thomas Bordeleau (from San Jose)
D Jeremy Hanzel (from Nashville)

The trade involving Bordeleau was a solid deal for the Devils, as they swapped an older AHL player, Shane Bowers, for the younger Bordeleau, who is still a prospect but is nearing the end of his development at 23 years old. Bordeleau has good speed and decent puck skills, but is slightly undersized and has yet to establish himself as a regular NHL player. His AHL offensive numbers are solid, giving the San Jose Barracuda a secondary scoring option.

In the NHL, Bordeleau has six goals and 12 assists in 44 games, averaging 15:04 of ice time per game. Last season, the Houston, Texas native played in just one game with the Sharks and was largely blocked by a logjam of forwards in San Jose. Being traded to a much deeper team in New Jersey might not immediately open a clear path for Bordeleau to reach the NHL. Still, if the Devils face numerous injuries again, there could be an opportunity for him to be called up and try to establish himself as a regular NHL player.

Hanzel arrived in New Jersey with a fourth-round pick in the Erik Haula trade. He was probably more of an afterthought in the deal, but he could have an impact in the AHL this season. At 22 years old, he’s worth considering for the Devils, as his puck skills and vision could translate well to the AHL if he improves some other aspects of his game. The chances of him playing in the NHL are almost zero, but if he finds some consistency, it could help him stay in the AHL.

UFA Signings

D Calen Addison (one year, $775K)*
G Jake Allen (five years, $9MM)^
F Connor Brown (four years, $12MM)
F Dennis Cholowski (one year, $775K)
F Angus Crookshank (two years, $1.55MM)*
F Evgenii Dadonov (one year, $1MM)

*-denotes two-way contract
^-denotes re-signing

The Devils began free agency by re-signing Allen to a surprising five-year contract extension. The length of the deal caught many off guard, as did the AAV of $1.8MM, which was significantly lower than projections. AFP Analytics had forecasted a two-year, $7MM contract for Allen, but he took roughly half that AAV and secured an additional three years. Last season, Allen was outstanding and was considered the top goaltender on the free agent market, making his contract even more unexpected. He had the ninth-highest goals saved above expected in the NHL last season at 18.4, and surpassed all the expectations set for him.

Adding Brown came with a steep cost in terms of the deal’s length, but it slightly exceeded projections. AFP Analytics forecasted Brown to have a three-year contract at $2.92MM per season, so he modestly surpassed those figures on both duration and salary. Brown has struggled with scoring over the past three seasons, but regained his form last year with 13 goals and 17 assists in 82 games, which aligns more closely with his career averages. The deal for Brown involves significant risk due to his ongoing scoring struggles and injury history in previous seasons. There is considerable upside to the contract, but if Brown regresses to his 2022-24 numbers, it could become problematic.

Dadonov is a strong buy-low candidate for the Devils and could be a depth scoring option after tallying 20 goals and 20 assists in 80 games last season. It was surprising to see the 36-year-old accept such a low cap hit and term. AFP Analytics estimated that Dadonov would sign a two-year deal at $3.25MM per season, meaning New Jersey might have a steal if Dadonov can match his production from last year. While he doesn’t skate and play as aggressively as he used to, he still skates well, passes effectively, and currently has a good offensive touch.

RFA Re-Signings

F Thomas Bordeleau (one year, $775K)*
G Nico Daws (two years, $1.625MM)*
F Cody Glass (two years, $5MM)
D Luke Hughes (seven years, $63MM)
F Nathan Legare (one year, $775K)*
F Marc McLaughlin (one year, $775K)*

*-denotes two-way contract

There was some debate about whether the Devils would non-tender Glass, but in the end, they decided to retain his rights and offered him a two-year contract at the same pay he was earning on his previous deal. It was an excellent outcome for Glass, who was a salary cap casualty last summer in a trade to the Penguins and was eventually moved to the Devils at the NHL Trade Deadline. Glass hasn’t been able to reproduce all the talent that made him a top-six draft pick. Still, he has a clear skill set that makes him an NHL player. His game is straightforward; he’s strong defensively, but he hasn’t been able to find much offensive production at the NHL level and probably never will live up to his draft position. That said, he’s an NHL fourth-line center, and a pretty solid one at that.

Finally, the Devils were able to lock in Hughes long-term, and although it took some time, they are surely happy with the result. Hughes’ absence could have become problematic if it leaked into the regular season, but fortunately, both sides agreed to an extension. Hughes carries the puck a ton and might be the fastest defensive skater in the league. His passing and playmaking are terrific and continue to develop, and he will likely keep getting better over the next few years, which should make his $9MM AAV a bargain very soon.

Departures

F Nathan Bastian (signed with Dallas, one year, $775K)
F Shane Bowers (traded to San Jose)
F Justin Dowling (signed with New York Rangers, two years, $1.55MM)*
D Brian Dumoulin (signed with Los Angeles, three years, $12MM)
F Nolan Foote (signed with Florida, one year, $775K)*
D Santeri Hatakka (signed in SHL)
F Erik Haula (traded to Nashville)
F Curtis Lazar (signed with Edmonton, one year, $775K)
G Isaac Poulter (signed with Winnipeg, one year, $775K)*
F Daniel Sprong (signed in KHL)
F Tomáš Tatar (signed in Switzerland)

*-denotes two-way contract

The Devils didn’t experience many significant losses this offseason, apart from a few depth forwards and Dumoulin. The Dumoulin contract was one of the most surprising of the offseason and was mainly overshadowed by his teammate Cody Ceci’s deal, which raised even more eyebrows.

Dumoulin remains a solid professional, able to keep the puck out of dangerous areas in the defensive zone and to move the puck effectively, thanks to decent passing skills. He still maintains reasonable gap control. Although he’s lost his quick first step in recent years, he has adapted to it. However, this has started to lead to more penalties when he loses a step or his man gets past him.

The loss of Haula, Lazar, and Tatar affects the bottom six somewhat, but general manager Tom Fitzgerald did a good job offsetting those moves by adding Brown and Dadonov and keeping Glass. The Devils gave up some defensive depth in reshuffling their bottom six, but they should gain more scoring depth from their third and fourth lines, which could ease some pressure on their top six.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Devils had just over $5MM available in cap space for the upcoming season with a 22-man roster, which did not include the salary of RFA defenseman Luke Hughes, who appears to have signed a long-term extension worth $9MM annually. This will put New Jersey over the salary cap by approximately $4MM. The Devils will likely place Johnathan Kovacevic on the LTIR to start the season. Still, due to the new CBA rules, they will only save $3.8MM of his $4MM salary, meaning they will need to do some additional maneuvering to become cap compliant at the start of the year.

Key Questions

Can the team stay healthy?

The Devils actually finished near the bottom of the league in man games lost, ranking ninth with 169 total games lost. The issue for New Jersey was the timing of the injuries and who they lost to injury. The Devils lost superstar forward Jack Hughes in early March and missed defensemen Jonas Siegenthaler and Dougie Hamilton for extended periods at the end of the year. With key players missing, the Devils stumbled down the stretch and were easily eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. If they hope to make an impact in the playoffs, it will be crucial for the team to stay healthy when the games matter most, from April to June.

Can they become a better even-strength team?

Last year, the Devils boasted one of the best power plays in the NHL and had an above-average penalty kill. That was encouraging because their even-strength scoring wasn’t robust, with only 172 goals in 82 games. The team mainly struggled to produce offense last season, and they will be counting on some of their summer additions to make a significant impact. It will also be the coaching staff’s job to optimize the lineups and deployment to maximize each player’s potential.

What does Hamilton’s future look like?

With the impending cap crunch, speculation has arisen that the Devils might consider trading Hamilton and his $9MM cap hit to another team. The 32-year-old has three years remaining on his contract and is still a productive player for New Jersey, but they need to move out money, and Hamilton makes a lot of it. There is a 10-team trade list that would make a move difficult, but there would still be a market for him, as he is a right-shot defenseman who can contribute offensively.

Photo by Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images