- Peter Wallen, the agent for Devils center prospect Jesper Boqvist, told Corey Masisak of The Athletic (subscription required) that the 19-year-old will remain in Sweden for the 2018-19 season. Boqvist was the 36th overall selection back in the 2017 draft and was productive in his limited action with Brynas of the SHL, recording three goals and ten assists in just 23 games. As he was drafted out of Sweden, New Jersey has four years to sign Boqvist so there is no rush to get a deal done.
Devils Rumors
Devils Notebook: Trading Down, Schneider, Injuries, Kovalchuk
The New Jersey Devils had a large group of draft picks last year when they possessed 11 picks, including the first-overall pick in which they netted center Nico Hischier. Now the team finds itself with just six draft picks this year after trading away their second and third round picks to add veteran players this season. The maneuvers worked as the team won 10 out of their last 15 games to clinch a playoff spot for the first time in six years. While the team does have the 17th pick in this year’s draft, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale writes that general manager Ray Shero is willing to consider trading down in this draft to recoup some of their lost draft picks.
“If you’re going to move up, great, but what’s the cost to move up?” Shero said. “Hey, we’d love to move down and get more assets, but you’re never going to know that until you’re on the draft floor and it’s coming to your pick.”
The team moved its third-round pick back in November when they traded centers Adam Henrique and Joseph Blandisi to Anaheim for defenseman Sami Vatenen, which helped solidify their defense. The team then moved its second-rounder at the trade deadline to pick up Michael Grabner, but the winger struggled when he arrived in New Jersey. After scoring 25 goals in 59 games with the New York Rangers, he potted just two in 23 games with the Devils.
- In the same article, Morreale adds that after a successful four-hour discussion with Taylor Hall after the 2016-17 season about his future, Shero had a discussion with goaltender Cory Schneider after this season. The conversation with Hall did create a change as he put up career numbers and is now a Hart Trophy candidate. Shero hopes a conversation with his goalie will produce similar results. “I basically have higher expectations for him and so does he,” Shero said. “We need better and he knows that. But it’s not like I’m mad at him. It’s just something needs to change. Whether it’s how he trains in the summer or something. When you turn 30-plus years old, guys need to do things differently.”
- Shero also updated Morreale on the status of Schneider, Hall and Patrick Maroon, who each had surgery recently. Schneider had surgery to remove cartilage in his left hip, while Hall had surgery to repair torn ligaments in his hand. Maroon underwent surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back. “I won’t know (if Schneider will be ready for the start of training camp) until we get closer and as we go through the summertime to see how he’s doing. He could return sooner or at the tail end of the (five-month) window. (Coach) John Hynes was up to see Hall this week and he told me everything is going well. In Hall’s case, everything points to him being ready for the start of training camp. Maroon is going to come back to New Jersey on June 11 to make sure everything is going well.”
- Morealle also asked Shero whether the team is interested in former star Ilya Kovalchuk, who is an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any team. “I’ve not reached out to Kovalchuk’s representatives and I’ve not heard from them, so there you go,” Shero said.
- Shero also told Morreale that the team chose not to sign 2016 fourth-rounder Evan Cormier to a contract (thereby allowing him to re-enter the draft this year) because he’s happy with the pipeline of goaltenders the franchise already has in MacKenzie Blackwood, Ken Appleby, Cam Johnson and Gilles Senn.
Offseason Keys: New Jersey Devils
With just two teams still playing, the rest have already started their offseason planning. What storylines lie ahead around the league? Our Offseason Keys series continues with a look at the New Jersey Devils.
The Devils weren’t a popular pick to make some noise in the tight Metropolitan Division but they turned some heads and worked their way into a playoff spot. Now, they enter the offseason with a lot of payroll room to work with which gives them some chances to bolster their roster. What should they be focusing on?
Sign A Top-Six Winger
While New Jersey got some unexpected contributions from players they had pegged to play in lesser roles, the Devils were lacking impact winger depth beyond Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. (Marcus Johansson was pegged to be in that role but dealt with concussion issues for most of the year.) They added Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner before the trade deadline which helped their depth but didn’t really solve the problem either.
Fortunately for New Jersey, the free agent market is fairly strong on the wing. There aren’t a lot of front-line options but there are some players that can slot in on their second line. That would allow players like Blake Coleman, Miles Wood, and Jesper Bratt to remain in the bottom six which would give their lineup a lot more balance. There are enough options on the open market that the focus should be to sign a winger and save their trade capital to fill another hole.
Determine Zacha’s Role And Future
Three years ago, the Devils made center Pavel Zacha the sixth-overall pick in the draft hoping he was their future number one. While he’s still just 21, that level of optimism is starting to fade after his second straight mediocre season.
In 2017-18, Zacha was frequently in the bottom six and even spent a few games as a healthy scratch. He was quickly surpassed by Nico Hischier who now slots in as their top center of the future (and the present). Travis Zajac has three years and a full no-trade clause left on his deal and with a $5.75MM cap hit, he stands to be a fixture in the top six for a while still.
So where does that leave Zacha? Would a move to the wing allow him to push for more of a regular spot in the top six? At the very least, it would give him a chance to show if his offensive game has another level to it after scoring just eight goals for the second straight year. However, doing so also moves him off of a premium position which could negatively affect his value if he fails to produce.
Considering the situation, it’s reasonable to wonder if GM Ray Shero will at least explore the idea of trading Zacha this summer. He’s still young enough that there will be teams that think a change of scenery will be what he needs to get going so they should be able to get quality offers for him; they wouldn’t necessarily be selling low. If he has another year like his first two, however, that could change.
Zacha still has some upside so this isn’t an easy call. Keeping the status quo doesn’t appear to be an ideal situation though so it seems unlikely that New Jersey will have him in the same situation heading into 2018-19 if they have him at all.
Add A Top Defender
It has been a long time since the Devils were thought of as a well-stocked team defensively. The back end has been an area of concern for a few years now, even with a few moves made as of late in an effort to address it such as the acquisition of Sami Vatanen from Anaheim and the signings of Ben Lovejoy and Will Butcher. Those moves have helped but more work needs to be done.
New Jersey is lacking a true blue-chip prospect so there isn’t help coming from within down the road either. That means they’re going to have to look elsewhere.
Unfortunately for them, there is only one top-pairing defender set to hit the open market and that’s Washington’s John Carlson. It’s clear that they will make a big run at him, just like they did with Kevin Shattenkirk last summer. But if Carlson follows Shattenkirk’s lead and declines a bigger offer from the Devils, then they’ll be in a tough spot. Adding depth certainly helps but not as much as a top blueliner does.
While the Devils don’t have a lot of prospect depth on the back end, they have an intriguing prospect group of forwards (and Zacha still holds some value as well). This may be the time for Shero to dip into that and use some of those future assets to try to land a top-three defenseman. They have the cap room to take on a larger salary without having to send money the other way to offset it and that’s not something that can be said of a lot of teams looking to make a splash this summer. If New Jersey wants to take that next step forward, this is a hole that needs to be filled.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
John Moore Hoping To Remain With Devils
- Devils blueliner John Moore is eligible to hit unrestricted free agency next month but if he had his way, he’d stay where he is now. Speaking with Abbey Mastracco of The Record, the 27-year-old stated that “I really like it here, my family likes it here. It’s a good team, good guys and I want to be here.” Moore signed with New Jersey three years ago and played a big role on their back end in 2017-18, playing in a career-best 81 games while logging 20:01 per night, the most of his career.
Overseas Notes: Shirokov, Plotnikov, Volchenkov, Boychuk
One of the KHL’s top scorers is on the move. The league announced that Sergei Shirokov has signed a two-year deal with Avangard Omsk. Shirokov, 32, finished third in scoring this season for SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL regular season champs, with 41 points in 49 games. He was a top ten finisher in the league in goals per game and plus/minus among the top twenty in overall goals and points. He now takes those talents to Omsk, a team that has been a popular destination so far this off-season. Since hiring head coach Bob Hartley, the team has theoretically fixed its goaltending and scoring issues with additions of Karri Ramo and Igor Bobkov in net and Shirokov and young Denis Zernov up front. Shirokov, a sixth-round pick of the Vancouver in 2006, may not have impressed in his two NHL seasons with the Canucks, but has enough talent to turn Avangard into a true contender.
- On the other hand, SKA seems to be bleeding assets. Shirokov joins leading scorer Ilya Kovalchuk (in theory), long-time star Vadim Shipachyov, and starting goaltender Mikko Koskinen in departing St. Petersburg and there is still a chance that star forward Nikita Gusev and top defenseman Slava Voynov could eye a jump to the NHL this summer. Fortunately, Sergei Plotnikov isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Despite a bounce back season that had some thinking he might take another shot at the NHL, Plotkinov has signed a four-year extension with SKA per a team release. Plotnikov will now be looked upon as a top scorer for St. Petersburg alongside Gusev and won’t be able to disappear for long stretches as he was known for during his brief stay in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes. The team’s continued place as a top contender in the KHL may depend on it.
- Anton Volchenkov is gearing up for his 18th season of pro hockey. The 36-year-old defenseman has signed a one-year deal with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, the KHL announced. The Russian veteran was cut from his team, Admiral Vladivostok, in early February and there was speculation that it would be the end of his career. However, the menacing blue liner will live to skate another day. Admittedly, Volchenkov’s play has slipped since he left the NHL after the 2014-15 season. The long-time Ottawa Senator was a first-round pick of the team in 2000 and played close to 700 games with the Sens, New Jersey Devils, and Nashville Predators. He previously played with Torpedo during the work stoppage that shortened the 2012-13 season and likely used those connections to return to Novgorod. Never much of an offensive threat, Volchenkov can still play a leadership role and will bring his aggressive possession game to the team.
- It appears Zach Boychuk will put off any attempt at returning to North America for at least another year. The former Carolina Hurricanes top prospect has signed a one-year deal with Severstal Cherepovets, the team revealed today. This marks the third season for Boychuk in the KHL after failing to find NHL employment in 2016. Boychuk, the 14th overall pick in 2008 and the cousin of Johnny Boychuk, had high expectations when entering the NHL. Despite a solid, two-way game, Boychuk never provided the offensive pop that justified his early selection or that could keep him in the league full-time. He still has only production overseas. After spending years mostly buried in the AHL, it remains unknown if Boychuk will ever try to make the jump back across the Atlantic when he continues to land more lucrative contracts in the KHL.
Exclusive Negotiating Rights Of 33 Draft Picks Expire
The deadline for signing draft picks has come and gone, and unless more deals come in after the fact, 33 players—the same total as last year—will see their exclusive negotiating rights expire. With it they will either re-enter the 2018 draft for the final time or become free agents, depending on their age. Adam Mascherin is the highest picked player among those who will be headed back into the draft, selected 38th overall by the Florida Panthers two years ago. Below is the full list of players:
Anaheim Ducks:
F Tyler Soy (7th round, 2016)
Arizona Coyotes:
F Anton Karlsson (3rd round, 2014)
D David Westlund (6th round, 2014)
Buffalo Sabres:
D Vojtech Budik (5th round, 2016)
F Brandon Hagel (6th round, 2016)
D Austin Osmanski (7th round, 2016)
Calgary Flames:
D Adam Ollas Mattsson (6th round, 2014)
Carolina Hurricanes:
C Hudson Elynuik (3rd round, 2016)
D Noah Carroll (6th round, 2016)
Chicago Blackhawks:
D Andreas Soderberg (5th round, 2014)
Colorado Avalanche:
G Maximilian Pajpach (6th round, 2014)
Dallas Stars:
D Miro Karjalainen (5th round, 2014)
Detroit Red Wings:
D Jordan Sambrook (5th round, 2016)
F Julius Vahatalo (6th round, 2014)
Florida Panthers:
G Hugo Fagerblom (7th round, 2014)
C Adam Mascherin (2nd round, 2016)
Los Angeles Kings:
D Jacob Friend (7th round, 2016)
Minnesota Wild:
D Pontus Sjalin (6th round, 2014)
D Brayden Chizen (7th round, 2016)
New Jersey Devils:
G Evan Cormier (4th round, 2016)
Philadelphia Flyers:
C Anthony Salinitri (6th round, 2016)
Pittsburgh Penguins:
D Connor Hall (3rd round, 2016)
San Jose Sharks:
D Mark Shoemaker (6th round, 2016)
Tampa Bay Lightning:
C Christopher Paquette (5th round, 2016)
Toronto Maple Leafs:
D Keaton Middleton (4th rond, 2016)
F J.J. Piccinich (4th round, 2014)
D Nicolas Mattinen (6th round, 2016)
Vancouver Canucks:
D Cole Candella (5th round, 2016)
F Jakob Stukel (6th round, 2016)
C Brett McKenzie (7th round, 2016)
Washington Capitals:
F Kevin Elgestal (7th round, 2014)
D Dmitri Zaitsev (7th round, 2016)
Winnipeg Jets:
C Jordan Stallard (5th round, 2016)
New Jersey Devils Extend ECHL Affiliation With Adirondack Thunder
The New Jersey Devils will not be looking for a new ECHL affiliate next season, as the team announced a one-year extension to their agreement with the Adirondack Thunder. The two franchises will be partnered with the Binghamton Devils to create a three-tiered organization for player development.
The Thunder had a champion last season in Ken Appleby, the 23-year old goaltender who spent time in the ECHL, AHL and NHL. Appleby actually recorded a .945 save percentage in his three NHL appearances, a shining achievement for a player who has bounced around in his professional career. The ECHL is an especially perfect place for teams to develop goaltenders, as there often isn’t enough minutes to go around at the AHL level. Appleby went undrafted out of the OHL, but has seemed to find his game in the low-pressure situation of the ECHL and is a legitimate goaltending prospect now (if perhaps not as a starting goaltender in the NHL).
Other teams around the league are beginning to realize the value of their ECHL organizations, and over the coming years we’re sure to see more and more interesting NHL prospects spend time in the low minors. For those players who may need work on specific areas of their game, or don’t have the size or strength to compete yet in the AHL, Adirondack and the rest of the ECHL are an easy place to stay in your organization’s view, without being overwhelmed.
New Jersey Devils Sign Egor Yakovlev
Just as GM Ray Shero predicted, the New Jersey Devils were able to finalize their contract with free agent defenseman Egor Yakovlev today. The KHL import has signed a one-year entry-level contract.
Yakovlev, 26, has played the last three seasons on the powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg squad, and recently competed in both the Olympic Games and World Championship for Russia. Scoring just nine points in 35 games this season, he was another defenseman—like Igor Ozhiganov of Toronto—who saw his time on ice drop dramatically the last few seasons. While it’s not clear if that was because of his intention to leave for North America, the overall strengthening of the SKA blue line, or a combination of factors including time away from the team for the Olympics, his stats this year aren’t necessarily an indication of his upside in the future.
Still, by signing him at this age the Devils are likely to give him a chance to succeed at the NHL level quickly. Whether he makes the team out of camp will be a big indicator of his future in New Jersey, as few international players agree to play in the minor leagues at this point in their careers. With a relatively full blue line already under contract for next season, we’ll have to wait and see how the summer plays out before knowing exactly where Yakovlev fits in.
Eastern Notes: Backstrom, Burakovsky, Sabres Goaltending, Schneider
With Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals approaching in a few hours and deadlocked at 2-2, the Washington Capitals will make a few lineup changes, according to NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. The scribe writes that head coach Barry Trotz said he intends to return center Nicklas Backstrom to his second line to join T.J. Oshie and Chandler Stephenson. Backstrom, who finally returned for Game 4 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, played well in his return after a four-game absence. While he didn’t score any points, he played 18:51 of ice time and won six of nine faceoff attempts.
Gulitti also reported that Trotz said he will switch out Andre Burakovsky with the bigger, more physical Alex Chiasson on the team’s fourth line. Burakovsky has been back for four games after missing time with an injury. However, in those four games, he’s failed to score a point and only has had two shots on goal. In the last two games, he’s played just 7:26 and 8:30, respectively. Chiasson has one assist in three playoff games against the Lightning.
- The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington writes that the prevailing belief is that the Buffalo Sabres do not have a No. 1 goalie within their organization, meaning the team will have to find one through free agency or via trade to join Linus Ullmark. Harrington writes its very likely the team has seen the last of Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson, last year’s goalie tandem. The 26-year-old Lehner will be a restricted free agent and is not expected to receive an offer, while Johnson will be unrestricted.
- After New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider listed his New Jersey house on the market recently, there was some speculation that he might be moving on, but NJ.com’s Chris Ryan writes that he’s not going anywhere as he’s just buying another house in the area. A career dominating goaltender, Schneider has struggled the past two years due to poor team defense and injuries. After putting up a 2.82 GAA and a .908 save percentage in the 2016-17 season and a 2.93 GAA and a .907 save percentage in the 2017-18 season, Schneider underwent surgery to repair cartilage in his left hip and is expected to miss training camp and possibly the start of the season. The 32-year-old has four years remaining on his deal at $6MM AAV.
Devils Closing In On Signing Yegor Yakovlev
While there has been rumors of the New Jersey Devils intention of signing KHL defenseman Yegor Yakovlev this offseason, no deal has happened. However, international journalist Igor Eronko spoke to New Jersey’s general manager Ray Shero, who confirmed that the team hopes to sign the defenseman after the IIHF World Championships.
“We haven’t officially signed him yet, but once IIHF Worlds is over, we’ll see coming back on Monday. Hopefully we can finalize something,” Shero said.
Yakovlev also said that he is eager to sign with the Devils, according to Eronko.
“The Devils have scouted me for 3 years,” Yakovlev said. “They really wanted to see me on the team. That’s why I chose New Jersey and I’m really happy to join the organization. I know they play a fast smart hockey and I like it.”
The 26-year-old defenseman could continue to add depth to a team that more than a year ago had little defensive options. In the last year, the team has upgraded some of its defenders with college free agent Will Butcher, who had a solid rookie season, as well as trading for Sami Vatanen from the Anaheim Ducks.
Yakovlev has spent the last three years playing for KHL powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg. He tallied five goals and nine points in 35 regular season games and also played in the Olympics this year in Pyeongchang for the Russian team that won the gold medal.