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Jack Hughes Scratched Last Night

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Calgary Flames Forward Nazem Kadri left yesterday’s practice with an apparent knee injury (as per Salim Nadim Valji of TSN). Kadri suffered the injury after a collision with teammate Blake Coleman and went to the locker room right away. No word yet on the severity of the injury to the 33-year-old but Kadri and Coleman did collide knee on knee. Flames head coach Ryan Huska commented after practice that the team got off lucky, so the news sounds encouraging.

Kadri is expected to be one of the Flames’ on-ice leaders this year as the team has entered a rebuild. He was one of Calgary’s most consistent contributors last season posting 29 goals and 46 assists in 82 games. The Flames reportedly listened to offers on Kadri this past summer but opted to keep the veteran with the Flames.

In other morning notes:

  • Former Washington Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov was reportedly injured and will miss the next two months (KHL twitter link). Kuznetsov has dressed in nine KHL games this season for SKA St. Petersburg and posted a goal and four assists. Specific details about his injury are murky but the ailment is being called a serious one. Kuznetsov has been playing on the third line this year after mutually terminating the final year of his NHL contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.
  • Jack Hughes was a scratch last night for the New Jersey Devils after he was originally slated to play in their preseason game (as per James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now). Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe clarified the reason for the scratch post-game saying that Hughes experienced a Charley horse in the previous game, and the team opted to hold him out of the game before their trip to Prague. Hughes is expected to play when the team arrives overseas and did work yesterday with the second training camp group before getting the evening off to rest.

Pesce Still Not Cleared To Play, Hatakka Out More Than Day To Day

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Devils defenseman Brett Pesce still has not yet been cleared to play as he works his way back from offseason surgery, relays team reporter Amanda Stein (Twitter link).  New Jersey’s top free agent signing underwent fibula surgery to repair an injury sustained in the spring in the playoffs for Carolina.  Their game tonight was their final one before the main team travels to Prague this weekend for their upcoming Global Series games against Buffalo.  While New Jersey still has three preseason games remaining, those will be contested by their farm team and PTO players.  That means Pesce won’t have a chance to see any preseason action before the season gets underway unless they keep him off the road trip to start the season.

  • Stein also noted that blueliner Santeri Hatakka is dealing with something that has him classified as out longer than day-to-day but he is still being evaluated to determine the exact seriousness. The 23-year-old spent most of last season with AHL Utica where he had 20 points in 48 games but also got into 12 games with the Devils, collecting two assists in a little under 15 minutes a night.  Because of the NHL time last season, Hatakka will have a prorated cap charge relative to the percentage of days spent in New Jersey’s roster in 2023-24 if he starts the year on season-opening IR.  That would work out to roughly 15% of his $775K AAV.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New Jersey Devils

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the most important tasks for a front office.  Teams that can avoid total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful.  Those that don’t often see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2024-25 season.  This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL.  All cap figures are courtesy of PuckPedia.  We’re currently covering the Metropolitan Division, next up is New Jersey.

New Jersey Devils

Current Cap Hit: $87,023,897 (under the $88MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

D Luke Hughes (one year, $925K)
D Simon Nemec (two years, $918K)

Potential Bonuses
Hughes: $1.85MM
Nemec: $3.25MM
Total: $5.1MM

Hughes had a strong rookie season offensively, notching 47 points while maxing out his $850K of ‘A’ bonuses in the process.  Even with that being his only full season of experience, with the way young blueliners have been locked up lately, a max-term agreement could be coming his way, one that could run past $8MM.  However, an injury to start the season won’t help his cause.  Nemec, meanwhile, spent most of last season in New Jersey, acquitting himself well to the NHL.  He doesn’t have quite the offensive upside that Hughes does but he could be an all-situations player; that, coupled with his lofty draft status (second overall in 2022), could have him surpassing $8MM on his next contract if he progresses as expected.

Signed Through 2024-25, Non-Entry-Level

G Jake Allen ($1.925MM, UFA)*
F Nathan Bastian ($1.35MM, UFA)
D Nick DeSimone ($775K, UFA)
D Johnathan Kovacevic ($758K, UFA)
F Curtis Lazar ($1MM, UFA)
F Tomas Tatar ($1.8MM, UFA)

*-Montreal is retaining an additional $1.925MM on Allen’s contract.

Tatar returns to New Jersey after a particularly rough season between Colorado and Seattle but he’s only a year removed from putting up 48 points with the Devils.  It’s possible that he’s on the decline but it’s reasonable to think he’ll produce enough to warrant this price tag.  He hasn’t fared well lately in free agency so even if he rebounds, he probably won’t command a huge jump in salary.  Bastian is a capable fourth liner who showed some offensive upside in 2021-22 but will need to get back to that level if he wants to match this deal next summer let alone beat it.  Lazar is coming off a career year offensively which is an outlier relative to the rest of his career.  If he can repeat the 25 points he had, he could double this price point or even more.  However, if he goes more to his career averages, a small increase is about the best he could hope for.

DeSimone was a midseason waiver claim from Calgary and held his own in a depth role.  It’d be surprising to see him advance past that this season so he’s likely to stay around the minimum salary moving forward.  Kovacevic came over in a trade from Montreal over the summer after largely holding down a spot on the third pairing the last two years.  While a lot will depend on if he can play a regular role this season, the fact he’s a right-shot defender with some experience under his belt could give him a shot at doubling his current rate next summer.

Allen also was acquired from Montreal, this time back at the trade deadline where he stabilized things between the pipes down the stretch.  Stabilizing is a fitting description for what Allen’s best role is at this point of his career.  He can handle a starting workload for brief stretches but is best utilized in a platoon type of role or as a high-end backup which is where he’ll be this season.  The market for those types of netminders has flattened out somewhat in recent years, however, while the fact he’ll be 35 heading into 2025-26 will also hurt him.  It’s possible that he can get a two-year deal but a possible comparable might be the two-year, $5MM pact that Cam Talbot received from Detroit this summer.

Signed Through 2025-26

F Paul Cotter ($775K, RFA)
F Erik Haula ($3.15MM, UFA)
G Jacob Markstrom ($4.125MM, UFA)*

*-Calgary is retaining an additional $1.85MM on Markstrom’s contract.

Haula hasn’t been able to get back to the level of production he had when he started with Vegas in 2017-18 but he has settled in nicely over the last three seasons as someone who will play around a 15-goal, 40-point pace.  That price point for a center is solid value but he’ll also be 35 when this deal is up which could limit his shot at a raise in 2026.  Cotter was acquired from Vegas this summer as a way for the Devils to add some more grit to their lineup.  Part of the reason the price was relatively high (Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid) is the fact he’s signed for two more years at the league minimum.  Cotter could triple that or more on his next deal if he plays at a similar rate for the next two seasons.

It took a little longer than first expected to get Markstrom to New Jersey but they got the deal done before the draft.  He’s a solid starter although he’s also getting closer to the end of his career as he’s already 34.  Accordingly, even if the starting goalie market goes up (depending on what contracts Jeremy Swayman and Igor Shesterkin get), Markstrom is likelier to stay closer to his current price point if he can maintain his current level for two more seasons.

Signed Through 2026-27

D Brenden Dillon ($4MM, UFA)
F Nico Hischier ($7.25MM, UFA)
F Kurtis MacDermid ($1.15MM, UFA)
F Dawson Mercer ($4MM, RFA)
F Stefan Noesen ($2.75MM, UFA)
F Ondrej Palat ($6MM, UFA)

At the time that Hischier’s contract was signed, he had just two seasons under his belt so there was certainly some risk to a max-term commitment at the time.  However, it has worked out rather well so far for the Devils as it is already below market value at the time he’s entering his prime years.  (The success of this contract provided a road map for other teams to take similar approaches with their top youngsters as well as these types of contracts are much more prevalent now.)  Hischier probably won’t produce enough to be viewed as a true number one center but his two-way game is strong enough that there will be teams that treat him as one.  Accordingly, between that and the fact he’ll hit free agency at 28, Hischier could command a double-digit AAV on his next contract.

Palat hasn’t been able to produce at the levels he did with Tampa Bay over his first two seasons with New Jersey with injuries being an issue at times as well.  Already 33, if he’s not able to turn things around, this is a deal that could be problematic for them as GM Tom Fitzgerald continues to try to add to his roster.  Mercer was all but guaranteed to land a bridge contract given New Jersey’s current cap situation but the fact they got a third season at that price point will help.  However, it takes him to within a year of UFA eligibility so it’s not without its risk.  Mercer will be owed a $4.25MM qualifying offer with arbitration rights and if he can get back to his 2022-23 production (56 points), he could add a few million per year to that number.

Noesen proved to be quite a bargain for Carolina for the last two seasons, recording 36 and 37 points for a cap hit below the league minimum.  That helped earn him this deal, well above the six-figure price tags he was accustomed to getting.  Is this his new baseline performance?  He’ll need it to be if he is going to stay around this price moving forward.  MacDermid signed this deal back in May to avoid free agency.  It’s a reasonable price tag for an enforcer and falls within the range of some of the more established options.  It’s also fully buriable in the minors if they decide a tough guy is something they can no longer afford to carry.

Dillon was part of the defensive makeover this summer, coming over from Winnipeg.  This will be seasons 11 through 13 that he makes more than $3MM with this price tag being the highest.  He’ll be 36 when he tests the market again and if he’s still a fourth or fifth blueliner at that time, that streak could be extended though potentially on a year-to-year basis moving forward.

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East Notes: Zub, Ovechkin, Reilly, Hatakka

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Ottawa Senators defenseman Artem Zub has suffered a lower-body injury shares Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.

Zub has missed 42 games over the last two seasons, facing a long list of short-term but nagging injuries. That includes routine absences with lower-body injuries dating back to October of last year. He found his way to success last season regardless, recording a career-high 25 points in 69 games and spending time on the top unit of both special teams. He’s set to return to that role this year, though a precedent of injuries could force Ottawa to be cautious about how they transition him back. The Senators have five pre-season games remaining before their regular season kicks off on October 10th.

Other notes from around the Metro:

  • Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery shared with NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti that Alex Ovechkin could play in multiple preseason games after returning from a minor injury. Carbery added that this is the next step in ramping Ovechkin up to speed, as he prepares for his 20th season in the NHL – the most experience of any active player. Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record, currently sitting just 41 goals back. He’s played in three preseason games every season since 2021, a tradition he seems set to continue.
  • New York Islanders defender Mike Reilly has returned to the team’s practices after sitting out with illness, shares Ethan Sears of the New York Post. He’s preparing for his second season in New York after recording 24 points in 59 games with the Islanders last year. Reilly was one of the few consistent pieces on an Islanders blue-line plagued by injury, though he only averaged 17 minutes of ice time. The 2024-25 campaign will mark Reilly’s 10th NHL season. He’s managed 400 career games and 122 points, split across six franchises.
  • New Jersey Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe shared that defender Santeri Hatakka is being evaluated for an injury, per James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now. Hatakka is in competition for New Jersey’s seventh-defender role, after spending the bulk of last season in the minor leagues. Hatakka scored 20 points in 48 AHL games in that stint. He was also recalled for 12 NHL games, though he only recorded two assists. Keefe did not provide any clarity on what Hatakka’s injury is or how long he’s expected to be out, though his absence could clear more room for Nick DeSimone and Johnathan Kovacevic in their quest for an NHL role.

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

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

  • 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

at CDT | by 2 Comments

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.

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