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Training Camp Cuts: 9/24/24

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Training camps have been ongoing across the league for almost a week already. With the preseason schedule now officially in full swing, teams will begin to think about making more sweeping cuts to their rosters. We’re keeping track as teams continue to trim their rosters on Tuesday. This article will be updated throughout the day as more transactions come in.

Boston Bruins (per Conor Ryan of The Boston Globe)

D Loke Johansson (to QMJHL Moncton)

Calgary Flames (per team release)

F Jacob Battaglia (to OHL Kingston)
D Axel Hurtig (to WHL Calgary)
D Eric Jamieson (to WHL Everett)
F Hunter Laing (to WHL Prince George)
F Luke McNamara (released from ATO to OHL Kingston)
D Henry Mews (to OHL Ottawa)
F Luke Misa (to OHL Brampton)
D Étienne Morin (to QMJHL Moncton)

Chicago Blackhawks (per Tracey Myers of NHL.com)

D Ty Henry (to OHL Erie)
F Martin Misiak (to OHL Erie)
F Alex Pharand (to OHL Sudbury)
F Marek Vanacker (to OHL Brantford)

Columbus Blue Jackets (per team release)

D Charlie Elick (to WHL Brandon)
G Evan Gardner (to WHL Saskatoon)
F Tyler Peddle (to QMJHL Saint John)

Dallas Stars (per team announcement)

D Tristan Bertucci (to OHL Barrie)
F Emil Hemming (to OHL Barrie)

Edmonton Oilers (per team announcement)

F Connor Clattenburg (to OHL Flint)
G Nathaniel Day (to OHL Flint)
F William Nicholl (to OHL London)
F Dalyn Wakely (to OHL North Bay)

New Jersey Devils (per team release)

F Cole Brown (to OHL Brantford)
G Zach Pelletier (released from ATO to QMJHL Gatineau)
F Kasper Pikkarainen (to WHL Red Deer)
D Spencer Sova (to OHL Brampton)

St. Louis Blues (per team release)

D Quinton Burns (to OHL Kingston)
D Lukas Fischer (to OHL Sarnia)
F Jake Gudelj (released from ATO to WHL Tri-City)
F Adam Jecho (to WHL Edmonton)
D Matthew Mayich (to OHL Ottawa)
D Will McIsaac (to WHL Spokane)
F Tomas Mrsic (to WHL Prince Albert)
F Juraj Pekarcik (to QMJHL Moncton)
F Jakub Stancl (to WHL Kelowna)
G David Tendeck (released from PTO to ECHL Florida)

Toronto Maple Leafs (per team announcement)

D Noah Chadwick (to WHL Lethbridge)

Washington Capitals (per team announcement)

D Ayodele Adeniye (released from PTO)
D Cam Allen (to OHL Guelph)
G Garin Bjorklund (to AHL Hershey)
F Grant Cruikshank (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
G Seth Eisele (released from PTO to ECHL South Carolina)
F Ryan Hofer (to AHL Hershey)
D Brad Hunt (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Jayden Lee (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Eriks Mateiko (to QMJHL Saint John)
D Leon Muggli (to NL Zug)
F Justin Nachbaur (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Aaron Ness (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
D Dmitry Osipov (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Garrett Roe (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Brennan Saulnier (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Matthew Strome (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Patrick Thomas (to OHL Brantford)
D Hudson Thornton (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Tyler Weiss (released from PTO to AHL Hershey)
F Oasiz Wiesblatt (released from ATO to WHL Medicine Hat)

Winnipeg Jets (per team color analyst Mitchell Clinton)

D Dylan Anhorn (released from PTO to AHL Manitoba)
D Dawson Barteaux (released from PTO to AHL Manitoba)
F Kevin He (to OHL Niagara)
F Jacob Julien (to OHL London)
F Ben King (released from PTO to AHL Manitoba)
F Connor Levis (to WHL Vancouver)
F Chaz Lucius (to AHL Manitoba)
F Markus Loponen (to WHL Victoria)
F Henri Nikkanen (to AHL Manitoba)
D Ashton Sautner (released from PTO to AHL Manitoba)
F Kieron Walton (to OHL Sudbury)
F Danny Zhilkin (to AHL Manitoba)

Poll: Who Will Win The Metropolitan Division In 2024-25?

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A three-headed monster for much of the past few years, the Metropolitan Division only had two serious contenders last season. The Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers and second-place Hurricanes ran away with things, creating a 17-point gap between them and the third-place Islanders.

There are question marks around whether the Metro will return to its former level of competitiveness in 2024-25. What does seem relatively certain, however, are the Rangers’ chances of staying at the top of the division.

Little has changed for the Blueshirts. Their top-six forward group sees only one new name, veteran Reilly Smith, who’ll likely be part of a revolving door of wingers alongside Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, like how things transpired last year. Their forward depth returns are largely intact, too, with a full season of a healthy Filip Chytil as their third-line center, hopefully giving them some more punch. The defense remained as it was, aside from the loss of Erik Gustafsson. All in all, there’s little reason to suspect significant, if any, regression from the Rags.

Last year’s runner-up, Carolina, is where things start to get interesting. The Canes lost multiple key pieces to the free-agent market, including Jake Guentzel, Teuvo Teräväinen, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, and Stefan Noesen. They replaced their back-end departures, signing Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, but didn’t do nearly as well to replace their departing forwards. That leaves the Hurricanes, whose offense has been their biggest weakness since returning to championship contention a few years ago, with considerable question marks, especially after news that Jesper Fast will miss the entire season after undergoing neck surgery. They’ll be counting on UFA signings like William Carrier and Jack Roslovic to play larger roles than they’re accustomed to and could trot out 2023 first-rounder Bradly Nadeau in NHL minutes in his first professional season.

The Islanders return with plenty of familiar faces after squeaking into a divisional playoff spot with 94 points – a total that would have made them the second Wild Card in the Atlantic Division and kept them out of the playoffs entirely in the Western Conference. They’ll likely need an improvement to return to the dance for a third straight year, let alone capture a divisional title. Their X factor will be Anthony Duclair, set to take on top-line duties alongside Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat after signing a four-year deal in free agency. The four-time 20-goal scorer will be relied upon heavily to help lift the Isles’ offense out of the league’s bottom half for the first time since 2018. A rebound from Ilya Sorokin, who regressed to a rather pedestrian .908 SV% after two years of .920+ play, should help too.

The Capitals’ season will be dominated by more Alex Ovechkin headlines. After all, the captain is just 41 goals away from tying Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record. But there’s a clear directive to remain competitive while he’s still around, as evidenced by their pickup of key names like Jakob Chychrun, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, and Logan Thompson on the trade market and Matt Roy in free agency. All of a sudden, the Caps have one of the more well-rounded defense corps in the conference and are in a much better position to repeat last year’s 40-win, 91-point campaign without the concerningly low -37 goal differential.

The Penguins, fresh off signing Sidney Crosby to a two-year extension, also have dreams of just sneaking back into the playoffs rather than competing for a division title. They’re hoping some added speed on the back end in the form of Sebastian Aho and Matt Grzelcyk, as well as depth forward pickups like Anthony Beauvillier and Cody Glass, can help aid a still-skilled but aging core. Whether 2022 first-round pick Rutger McGroarty is ready to make an NHL impact after being acquired from the Jets this offseason is also a big question that will receive an answer over the next few weeks.

The Flyers seem set to remain in the mushy middle. It’s not a bad thing – they’re past the dark days of their rebuild with brighter days ahead – but no one is expecting them to be a top contender this season. A strong rookie season from 2023 seventh overall selection Matvei Michkov could go a long way toward firing up expectations for the future, though, and rightfully so. Early signs indicate it’ll be a two-horse race between him and Sharks first-overall selection Macklin Celebrini for this season’s Calder Trophy. He likely won’t be enough to lift an otherwise largely untouched roster from last season that finished with 87 points back into the playoff picture, though.

After an injury-plagued season plummeted the Devils to a seventh-place finish in the Metro, there’s no team with a better potential for a rebound campaign in the league. Whether New Jersey will reach the heights of their 112-point 2022-23 campaign remains to be seen, but it’s a safe bet that they’ll be knocking on the door of a playoff spot – if not working their way into the division title conversation. Their goaltending tandem is reworked with a duo of proven veterans in Jacob Markström and Jake Allen, their defense is again among the league’s elite with a healthy Dougie Hamilton and the additions of Brenden Dillon and Pesce, and the guts of the offense that finished fourth in the league two years ago are still intact.

Then there’s the Blue Jackets, who are set for another development season with new head coach Dean Evason at the helm. They’ll be looking for 2023 third-overall pick Adam Fantilli to stay healthy after a calf laceration truncated his rookie season, and they’ll also look for 2022 top-10 pick David Jiricek to take a step forward with increased responsibilities on the back end. They’re running back one of the league’s worst starters over the past two seasons in goal in Elvis Merzļikins, though, and while there are some breakout candidates elsewhere in the lineup, a third straight last-place finish in the division seems likely.

So, we ask you, PHR readers, who will finish atop the Metropolitan Division at the end of the 2024-25 season? Vote in the poll below:

Mobile users, click here to vote!

Summer Synopsis: New Jersey Devils

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The New Jersey Devils looked like a team that was poised to break through during the 2023-24 NHL season, but they struggled to maintain consistency, especially in the defensive zone. Despite their potent offense, defensive lapses and inconsistencies in the net prevented them from reaching the playoffs. The tandem of Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid struggled, leaving the Devils vulnerable throughout most of last season. Their talented defense also had issues and lacked the depth and structure to handle their assignments, leading to a string of costly goals in key games. This summer, New Jersey made it a priority to address those weaknesses. They filled out the depth on their blue line and found stability in the crease by bringing in a veteran goaltender to provide a stronger foundation behind the improved defense.

Draft

1-10: D Anton Silayev, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
2-49: G Mikhail Yegorov,  Omaha (USHL)
3-85: F Kasper Pikkarainen, TPS (Liiga)
3-91: F Herman Traff, HV71 (SHL)
5-139: F Max Graham, Kelowna (WHL)
5-146: G Veeti Louhivaara, JYP (Liiga)
6-171: F Matyas Melovsky, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)

With the 10th overall pick, the Devils selected 6’7″ defenseman Silayev. The Russian rearguard is known for his work in the defensive zone as well as his physical presence. As a 17-year-old, Silayev made a significant impact in the KHL playing in 63 games last season. Silayev is extremely mobile and agile for his size and will likely improve in that department making it easy to see why he has drawn comparisons to Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman.

 The Devils also strengthened their goaltending depth by drafting Yegorov, the top-ranked North American goaltender, in the second round. The USHL product has terrific size but struggles with a lot of traffic in front of him. He has drawn comparisons to another Lightning player in goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy but will need to refine aspects of his game to meet those lofty expectations. His USHL numbers leave a lot to be desired, but given his makeup, Yegorov is a very promising goalie with a ton of potential.

Pikkarainen has great size and plays with a lot of intensity. He isn’t afraid to engage his opponents physically and can close gaps in open ice. He is also a terrific passer and is clever with the puck, making strong plays in the offensive zone as well as in transition.

Traff plays the game with a ton of pace and is an excellent forechecker, he is another player who isn’t afraid to get involved in contact and will take the puck to the opponent’s net every chance that he can. He could develop into an NHLer who is very difficult to play against.

Trade Acquisitions

F Adam Beckman (Minnesota)
F Paul Cotter (Vegas)
D Johnathan Kovacevic (Montreal)
G Jacob Markstrom (Calgary)

The New Jersey Devils made a significant move by trading for veteran goaltender Jacob Markstrom. His arrival should finally allow the Devils to solidify their goaltending position as they finally have a proven NHL starter who can bring stability, experience, and consistency to the Devils’ crease. Markstrom’s puck-tracking skills and solid reflexes have made him a reliable presence in Calgary during a tough time, as the veteran still managed to post several seasons with a save percentage above .900 despite the team struggles. His acquisition fills a crucial need for New Jersey, who struggled with inconsistent goaltending last season.

The Devils’ acquisition of Cotter was met with a lukewarm response from Devils fans even though Cotter does fill a need and has some upside. Cotter should bring a physical element to the Devils and could be a solid piece in the bottom half of their lineup. The issue that many Devils fans had with the move was giving up on Holtz who was drafted seventh overall just four years ago and finally played a full season in the NHL last year.

UFA Signings

D Brenden Dillon (three-year, $12MM)
F Mike Hardman (two-year, $1.55MM)*
F Stefan Noesen (three-year, $8.25MM)
D Brett Pesce (six-year, $33MM)
F Tomas Tatar (one-year, $1.8MM)
D Colton White (two-year, $1.55MM)*

* denotes a two-way contract

Brett Pesce signing in New Jersey was probably the worst-kept secret heading into free agency and it’s easy to see why given that the Devils had a massive need on defense and Pesce brings a wealth of experience and defensive prowess. In Carolina, Pesce developed into a consistent shutdown defenseman and was a huge part of the Hurricanes defensive core. With the Devils, Pesce will likely find himself on the second defensive pairing and should be a big part of New Jersey’s penalty kill as his shot blocking and defensive acumen will improve the team when shorthanded.

Dillon will also help the Devils defensively as well as on the penalty kill. Like Pesce, Dillon doesn’t post a ton of offense, but he does have a decent first pass and is the perfect complement to an offensive partner. He should help New Jersey tighten up their defensive game but a concern with him is that he is known to take a sizable number of penalties which creates additional strain on the penalty kill units.

Noesen is an interesting signing, as he was a first-round pick way back in 2011 but didn’t develop into an everyday NHLer until he was 29. Noesen was a solid fit in Carolina, topping 36 points in each of the last two seasons and he could be a bargain if he can continue that sort of production. However, fit is always a concern with a late bloomer, as Noesen has never flourished outside of Carolina and was a tweener for the first decade of his professional career.

RFA Re-Signings

F Shane Bowers (two-year, $1.55MM)*
G Nico Daws (two-year, $1.63MM)*
D Nick DeSimone (one-year, $775K)
F Nolan Foote (one-year, $825K)*
D Santeri Hatakka (one-year, $775K)*
F Nathan Legare (one-year, $775K)*
F Dawson Mercer (three-year, $12MM)

* denotes a two-way contract

Mercer only signed his extension a few days ago but it puts him and the team in a good position going forward. Mercer has a chance to get paid handsomely in three years if he turns into the player many believe he will become, but it also allows the Devils to see some savings if he develops sooner than later. Mercer remains a terrific skater and has good hockey sense on both sides of the game. He struggled offensively last year, but at 22 years of age, he already has two 20-goal seasons under his belt and is just a year removed from posting 56 points in 82 games.

Daws signed a two-year deal this summer after a disappointing 2023-24 season. The former third-round pick bounced between the AHL and NHL and wasn’t particularly great in either league. At 23 years old Daws still has some time to develop into an NHL goaltender but will likely see AHL time this season given the Devils depth in net and the structure of his two-way contract. Daws might be able to slide into a backup role in the second year of his deal, but given his development thus far, he should be an AHL regular this season.

Departures

D Kevin Bahl (traded to Calgary)
F Graeme Clarke (traded to Minnesota)
C Kyle Criscuolo (signed in AHL)
D Cal Foote (signed in Slovak Extraliga)
F Alexander Holtz (traded to Vegas)
G Kaapo Kahkonen (Winnipeg, one-year, $1MM)
G Erik Kallgren (signed in SHL)
G Keith Kinkaid (signed PTO with Islanders)
D John Marino (traded to Utah)
F Michael McLeod (signed in KHL)
F Tomas Nosek (Florida, one-year, $775K)
G Akira Schmid (traded to Vegas)
D Brendan Smith (Dallas, one-year, $1MM)
C Chris Tierney (unsigned free agent)
D Tyler Wotherspoon (signed in AHL)

* denotes a two-way contract

The Devils struggled with defense and goaltending last season which makes it unsurprising to see many of their departures come from those two areas. The Devils moved Schmid as part of the Cotter trade, and he will look for a fresh start in Vegas while the Devils will try and different mix of goaltenders and should have more success this season.

On the backend, New Jersey moved young defenseman Bahl to Calgary as part of the Markstrom trade and moved Marino to Utah for draft picks. Marino struggled last season after having a fantastic first season in New Jersey. He looked like he would be a big minute eater for the Devils but fell off a cliff last year. He will likely bounce back in Utah, but the Devils felt that moving out his cap hit and acquiring draft capital were the move that made sense for the franchise this summer.

Upfront the Devils moved on from Holtz after just three NHL seasons. The 22-year-old started to come into his own last season posting 16 goals and 12 assists in 82 games, but the team felt that they wanted to go in a different direction. He remains an intriguing player because of his skill set and age and could develop into a strong offensive contributor in Vegas.

Salary Cap Outlook

The Devils are just shy of a million dollars in cap space as they approach the regular season which should give them room to sign another player on a PTO if they choose to do so. Long term they don’t have any major players to sign to expensive deals and could have some cap room next summer to make further additions. The Devils core is largely locked into reasonable long-term deals which could open up the opportunity for the team to make a few solid runs at the Stanley Cup before their group becomes much more expensive.

Key Questions

Can The Powerplay Be Better? Much like their division counterparts the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Devils boast a ton of firepower to use on the man advantage, but the results just weren’t there last season. The Devils converted on 22.45% of their opportunities which is respectable, but those numbers placed them 13th in power-play conversions last season. Granted, it’s not 15% like the Penguins, but the results simply didn’t match with the names on the lineup card, and it will be interesting to see if the Devils can crawl into the top 10 this season, and also if the team can generate more opportunities than last year where they ranked 18th in power play chances.

What Will The Goaltending Look Like? The Devils have overhauled their goaltending in 2024 and will be expecting dramatically different results this season. Almost everyone knew that New Jersey needed a goaltender, so they went out and got a stud in Markstrom, and didn’t have to dramatically overpay either. The Devils will also have a full season of backup Jake Allen, who should be able to take on a huge chunk of the workload to keep Markstrom fresh throughout the season.

Is The Defence Better? The Devils committed a lot of resources to improving their backend and on paper, it certainly appears like an improvement. But while they brought in some help, the team will need internal improvement as well from the likes of Luke Hughes and Jonas Siegenthaler.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Adam Beckman Out Day-To-Day With Lower-Body Injury

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  • Adam Beckman’s first preseason with the New Jersey Devils is off to a slow start with James Nicholas of New Jersey Hockey Now reporting he is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Beckman was acquired by the Devils from the Minnesota Wild a few days before Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final in late June. He’s not expected to be a part of New Jersey’s roster for the upcoming season. Still, he could have a valuable role with their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, after scoring 19 goals and 33 points in 51 games for the AHL’s Iowa Wild last year.

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Devils Sign Dawson Mercer To Three-Year Deal

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3:20 PM: The Devils have confirmed the signing through a press release.

9:38 a.m.: Mercer’s deal consists solely of base salary, PuckPedia reports. He’ll earn $3MM in 2024-25, $4.75MM in 2025-26, and $4.25MM in 2026-27. That means he’s owed a $4.25MM qualifying offer upon expiration in 2027.

7:06 a.m.: The Devils and restricted free agent forward Dawson Mercer have come to terms on a three-year, $12MM deal, Darren Dreger of TSN reports Friday. It’s good for a $4MM cap hit.

Mercer, 23 next month, was one of four notable RFAs still left unsigned after training camps began across the league earlier this week. Now, only Nikita Alexandrov (Blues), Cole Perfetti (Jets), and Jeremy Swayman (Bruins) remain without deals among RFAs who logged significant NHL time last season.

The 2020 No. 18 overall pick is coming off a down year, making it easy to shift negotiations toward a bridge deal rather than shelling out cash for a long-term pact with greater risk for the team. The Newfoundland and Labrador native still managed to hit the 20-goal mark but posted career lows in assists (13), points (33), and rating (-26).

Mercer is a skilled shooter, finishing on 14.3% of his 449 shots on goal over his three-year career. He’s also proven highly durable – he’s yet to miss a game since making his NHL debut on the opening night of the 2021-22 regular season.

While a natural center, Mercer has spent most of his time on the wing in the NHL. That’s partly because the Devils have Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes locked in as their top two centers but also because of Mercer’s struggles in the faceoff dot. He’s improving in that regard, winning 119 of his 265 draws last year (44.9 FOW%), but still has a career win rate of 39%.

He’s flashed hints of his offensive ceiling, posting 56 points in 2022-23 during New Jersey’s resurgent 112-point campaign. His production and possession numbers have primarily risen and fallen with the team’s record, so with the Devils primed to return to postseason competition next spring, expect a rebound from Mercer.

General manager Tom Fitzgerald said they were close to a deal over a month ago, but it took quite a lot of work to finalize. There were near-daily reports over the past few days that the Devils and Mercer were feverishly working toward getting him signed and in training camp as soon as possible.

After averaging a career-high 17:13 per game last season, including significant time on both special teams units, Mercer will look to stick in a more consistent top-six role at even strength in 2024-25. He bounced around plenty last year, not recording more than 100 minutes of ice time with a single set of linemates, per MoneyPuck. Early line rushes at training camp, accounting for placeholders, suggest he could open the season alongside Hughes and Timo Meier.

The Devils now have $976K in projected cap space with an open roster spot after Mercer signed, per PuckPedia. That figure assumes defenseman Luke Hughes will start the season on standard injured reserve with a shoulder injury, not long-term injured reserve.

Keeping Mercer’s cap hit to $4MM allows the Devils to carry a full 23-man roster on opening night without needing to place Hughes on LTIR to open up cap space. Santeri Hatakka is the likeliest candidate to fill in as an extra defender on the NHL roster after posting two assists and a +5 rating in 12 games in fringe action for New Jersey last season.

A three-year deal doesn’t walk Mercer to unrestricted free agency. He’ll still be under team control when his deal expires after the 2026-27 season.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Devils Notes: Pesce, Mercer, Haula, Nemec

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New Devils defenseman Brett Pesce is still recovering from season-ending surgery and isn’t on the ice with his teammates as training camp begins, the team’s Amanda Stein relays.

Pesce, 29, is listed as week-to-week. That designation doubts his availability for the Devils’ season opener, their Global Series matchup against the Sabres in Prague on Oct. 4.

The former Hurricane underwent surgery to repair a fibula fracture he sustained in Game 2 of last year’s First Round series against the Islanders. He reached unrestricted free agency for the first time this summer, signing a six-year, $33MM contract with New Jersey on July 1.

Pesce is coming off the worst offensive season of his career, having been limited to 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in 70 contests. His 20:17 ATOI was also his lowest since his rookie season in Carolina.

His usage likely won’t improve much in a second-pairing role behind Dougie Hamilton on New Jersey’s right side, nor will there be any power-play opportunity for him with Luke Hughes also in the picture. However, the strong skater and cerebral defender has a +92 rating in 627 career contests and has controlled over 50% of expected goals at even strength for four seasons in a row.

More from the Devils as training camp gets underway:

  • Unsigned restricted free agent Dawson Mercer remains away from his teammates, but general manager Tom Fitzgerald doesn’t expect his absence to stretch out much longer. Fitzgerald told reporters Thursday, including James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now, that he thinks “we’re really close” to an agreement being finalized. Contract negotiations have been on the front burner for over a month as the sides work toward a likely short-term pact, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet said a couple of weeks back.
  • Center Erik Haula was absent from practice Thursday with an undisclosed illness, per Stein. It’s not a cause for concern this early in camp with the Devils’ first preseason game, which will likely be thin on veterans, still three days away. Haula has been a solid middle-six presence since being acquired from the Bruins in the 2022 offseason, logging 76 points in 156 games as a Devil while averaging 16:45 per night and winning 54.5% of his draws.
  • Rising sophomore defenseman Simon Nemec has full medical clearance after sustaining an injury while suiting up in an Olympic qualifier game for his native Slovakia late last month, Fitzgerald said (via Nichols). The second overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft didn’t crack New Jersey’s opening night roster last season but quickly worked his way up the depth chart, making 60 appearances in his rookie year while finishing 14th in Calder Trophy voting. The right-shot defender projects to start the season in a third-pairing role behind Hamilton in Pesce after posting 19 points and a -7 rating with strong possession quality numbers in fringe top-four minutes in 2023-24.

New Jersey, Mercer Still Making Progress On Contract Talks

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The New Jersey Devils are prepping to begin training camp tomorrow without forward Dawson Mercer but the team hopes it won’t be for long. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported earlier that the team continues to discuss a new contract with Mercer but there is still no deal.

Mercer has been one of the most consistent forwards for the Devils over his entry-level deal as evidenced by the fact he has not missed a game since debuting in the 2021-22 NHL season. His first two years saw him score 44 goals and 98 points in 164 contests for New Jersey but his scoring depressed last year with 20 goals and 33 points in 82 games. The dip in scoring last year and his discouraging defensive play during his first three years may be why contract talks have dragged into training camp.

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Devils Sign Andy Welinski To PTO

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The Devils have signed defenseman Andy Welinski to a professional tryout, general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced Monday. The team also confirmed that former Sharks forward Kevin Labanc will be in camp, as initially reported Sunday by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now.

Welinski, 31, hasn’t seen NHL ice since he was a part of the Ducks organization in the 2020-21 season. The Anaheim 2011 third-round pick has 46 games of NHL experience – all in Orange County – with a goal, five assists, six points, and a -2 rating while averaging 15:46 per game.

The organizational depth defender has been an AHL fixture in recent years. After a PTO with the Blues last year proved unsuccessful, Welinski settled for an AHL contract with the Iowa Wild. He posted 10 points in 27 games with the Minnesota affiliate before being sent to the Panthers organization at the minor-league trade deadline. He went without a point in eight appearances for the Charlotte Checkers.

Welinski looks to earn his first NHL contract in camp with the Devils since inking a two-way pact with the Rangers for 2022-23. The native of Duluth, Minnesota, is still a capable veteran puck-mover at the AHL level and would benefit New Jersey’s affiliate, the Utica Comets, especially early on in the season. They’ll likely be without a regular for the first few weeks of the campaign with Luke Hughes out with a shoulder injury, creating a ripple effect that will have one of the Comets’ top names on the NHL roster as a reserve on opening night.

In parts of nine AHL seasons, Welinski has 42 goals, 110 assists, 152 points, 119 PIMs, and a -17 rating in 319 appearances.

Devils Optimistic About Signing Dawson Mercer Before Camp

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The Devils continue to grind away at contract negotiations with restricted free agent forward Dawson Mercer, and there’s a sense of optimism the two sides will agree on a bridge deal before training camp opens Wednesday, Peter Baugh of The Athletic reports.

Talks seemed to be at a standstill for much of the summer until New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald told James Murphy of Responsible Gambling last month that he’d exchanged proposals with Mercer’s camp and was working toward an agreement. Multiple reports since then indicated a short-term contract was the likeliest outcome. PHR’s Brian La Rose examined possible comparables for Mercer’s pending deal earlier this month, exhausting any long-term options.

The Devils have less than $5MM in projected cap space to get a deal done, per PuckPedia. That number could increase slightly to begin the season if they place defenseman Luke Hughes on long-term injured reserve while rehabbing a shoulder injury. Still, they’d need to clear enough cap space to activate him quickly, as his absence isn’t expected to stretch past early November.

A bridge deal with a sub-$5MM cap hit seems fair to both sides after the season Mercer just had. The 2020 first-round pick’s third NHL season was his worst, posting career lows in assists (13), rating (-26), and shots on goal (134). That came despite a career-high 17:13 ATOI and playing in all 82 games yet again, continuing his career-opening ironman streak.

Yet Mercer, who turns 23 in October, hit 20 goals for the second time and projects as a reliable, versatile top-six utility piece who can play any forward position, even if his overall production this season reflected someone better suited for a third-line role offensively. After hitting 56 points in his sophomore campaign, it’s clear Mercer’s contract year was a bump in the road – one with unfortunate effects on his short-term earnings.

Devils Expected To Sign Kevin Labanc To PTO

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The New Jersey Devils are expected to sign longtime San Jose Sharks winger Kevin Labanc to a professional try-out agreement. The deal was first reported by Sheng Peng of San Jose Hockey Now.

Labanc – a native of Brooklyn, New York – has spent the entirety of his eight-year NHL career with the Sharks. He made his NHL debut in 2016, just two years after his sixth-round selection in the 2014 NHL Draft. Labanc was effective out of the gates, recording eight goals and 20 points in 55 rookie games. His scoring climbed over the next two seasons, peaking with a career-high 17 goals and 56 points in the 2018-19 season – the only year that Labanc played in all 82 games. But he’s been on the down-slope ever since, with a pair of 33-point seasons the closest he’s come to matching his career year.

Labanc finally fell out of the lineup last season. He scored just two goals and nine points in 46 appearances, ultimately ceding ice time to the likes of Givani Smith and Daniil Gushchin. That’s a heavy blow to take on an offense as poor as the 2024 Sharks – but Labanc can’t be written off just yet. He’s still managed 225 points across 478 games, and could offer stout third-line scoring for a team in need. New Jersey certainly fits that bill, looking for consistent lineup pieces to surround Erik Haula and Curtis Lazar in the bottom-six. Labanc will step into competition for minutes with wingers like Nathan Bastian, Stefan Noesen, and Paul Cotter when New Jersey opens their training camp on September 18th.

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