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Devils Extend Shane Bowers, Sign Ryan Schmelzer

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The Devils announced that they’ve re-signed forward Shane Bowers to a two-year, two-way contract. The deal carries a cap hit and a base salary of $775K each season. He’ll earn a $200K minors salary in 2024-25 and a $225K minors salary in 2025-26 with a $250K guarantee. New Jersey also inked free-agent forward Ryan Schmelzer to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775K in the NHL and $275K in the AHL in both seasons.

Bowers, 24, had his signing rights picked up by the Devils in a minor-league trade with the Bruins last June and promptly inked a one-year, two-way extension ($775K/$125K) to cover the 2023-24 campaign. The 2017 first-round pick cleared waivers at the end of training camp but received two brief call-ups during the season, one in January and one in April, totaling just over two weeks. He averaged just 9:27 in eight games with New Jersey, failing to record a point and going 7 for 22 on faceoffs with a +1 rating and seven shots. In 43 games with AHL Utica this year, he was limited to 10 goals, four assists and 14 points in 43 games with a -12 rating.

Despite being with his fourth organization since being drafted by the Senators seven years ago, this was Bowers’ first real look in the NHL. He made his NHL debut with the Avalanche last season but was injured after logging just 1:46 of ice time. The Nova Scotian is firmly organizational depth at this point of his career, and unless he works his way into Utica’s top six next season and has a major offensive resurgence, he’s close to peaking as an AHL fixture.

Schmelzer, 30, lands his first NHL contract, but he’s no stranger to the Devils. He’s spent the last six seasons on minor-league contracts with their AHL affiliates in Binghamton and Utica and has served as their captain for the last three seasons. 2023-24 marked a career year for the Canisius College product, leading the club in points with 52 (18 goals, 34 assists) while playing in all 72 games with a team-high +14 rating. Now, with a contract in New Jersey in hand, the 6’2″ center will be eligible for NHL call-ups next year.

Both contracts will expire following the 2025-26 season, at which point Bowers will still have his signing rights controlled by the Devils as an RFA with arbitration eligibility. Schmelzer will be a UFA.

11 Teams Face Cap Overage Penalties Next Season

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With the salary cap largely being flat the last few years, more teams have had to dip into LTIR when injuries have come up.  Accordingly, the number of teams facing bonus overage penalties has also risen.  This year is no exception as Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports in collaboration with CapFriendly that 11 teams are currently facing cap overage penalties for 2024-25 as a result of bonuses achieved this season.

When a team finishes up the season using LTIR to stay cap-compliant, they don’t have any regular cap space to which bonuses can be applied against.  Accordingly, that results in LTIR teams that have incentives that are met finishing over the cap, yielding overage penalties.  Whatever amount they finished 2023-24 over by is then deducted off the Upper Limit for next season.

The teams that are confirmed to have bonus overage penalties are as follows:

Edmonton Oilers: $3.45MM*
Dallas Stars: $2,595,407
Washington Capitals: $2.2525MM
Los Angeles Kings: $1.85MM
New Jersey Devils: $1,538,897
Montreal Canadiens: $1.0225MM
Ottawa Senators: $850K
New York Rangers: $512.5K*
Minnesota Wild: $425K*
Philadelphia Flyers: $245K
Boston Bruins $50K*

Teams denoted with an asterisk could see their bonus overage increase if the following happens:

Edmonton: Corey Perry’s contract calls for $50K if the Oilers make the Western Conference Final and another $50K if they reach the Stanley Cup Final.

New York: Theirs would increase by $25K if they win the Stanley Cup, a bonus in Jonathan Quick’s deal.

Minnesota: Marco Rossi can make $212.5K if he makes the All-Rookie Team which would then be added to the Wild’s carryover penalty.

Boston: Milan Lucic will receive $200K if the Bruins win the Stanley Cup as part of his contract.

In addition to the above, Carolina and Florida also have the potential for an overage contingent on the playoffs.  The Hurricanes would have a $50.45K penalty if Jackson Blake plays in 20 games between the regular season and playoffs.  Meanwhile, the Panthers would take a $500K hit if they win the Stanley Cup to cover that bonus in Kyle Okposo’s contract.

Team-by-team details with specifics on how each one got to the point of an overage were covered separately by PuckPedia.

It’s the first time that multiple teams will carry overage penalties of more than $2MM into the following season.  With the cap expected to go up by closer to $4MM this summer, that could in theory take some pressure off from the bonus overage perspective but only if teams leave themselves a bit more wiggle room to work with.  There’s a good chance that won’t happen so we’re quite likely to see these penalties again next season though with perhaps fewer teams getting the hit next time around.

Devils’ Timo Meier To Undergo Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

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The injury woes don’t end just because the season did, something New Jersey Devils winger Timo Meier has found out after opting to undergo an elective arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder. The procedure will take place today, performed by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow and Dr. Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, the Devils’ chief medical officer and team orthopedic surgeon. Meier is expected to make a full recovery before the team’s 2024 training camp. This procedure will hold Meier out of the World Championship, as confirmed by Switzerland’s national team (Twitter link).

Meier appeared in 69 games this season, missing time to double MCL injuries in November and an oblique injury in January. He didn’t miss a game after returning to the lineup on January 17th, working towards 28 goals and 52 points on the season. While admirable scoring, the year marked Meier’s lowest-scoring pace of the last three seasons. That could be a result of playing through a shoulder injury, though the extent of his injury hasn’t been confirmed.

Arthroscopic surgery has grown in practice over recent years, with Alex Killorn and Vladimir Tarasenko undergoing similar surgeries on their knees over the last five years. The last shoulder surgery of this kind came in 2019 when Erik Johnson went under the knife following Colorado’s exit in the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Dany Heatley also underwent the surgery in 2013, holding him out of the end of the 2012-13 season. The procedure is meant to be preventative and minimally invasive, with the goal of identifying joint-related issues or small tears.

While he played in a majority of New Jersey’s games and put up impressive scoring, there’s no doubt that Meier will be happy to move on from an injury-plagued 2023-24 season. He’ll spend the summer fully focused on rehabbing his injuries, eyeing a productive return to a New Jersey offense that could be commanded by a new head coach – with interim Travis Green not yet awarded the full-time role.

Bratt Will Not Play At World Championships

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  • James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now is reporting that New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt turned down Sweden’s invitation for him to play at the World Championships due to injury. The 25-year-old dressed in all 82 games for the Devils this season and had a career year posting 27 goals and 56 assists. Despite the ailment, it is not expected that Bratt will miss an extended period, which is good news for New Jersey as he enters the second year of his eight-year $63MM contract.

Charlie Leddy Transfers To Quinnipiac

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  • Devils prospect Charlie Leddy has transferred to Quinnipiac, notes Cameron Levasseur of The Quinnipiac Chronicle (Twitter link). The 20-year-old blueliner was a fourth-round pick by New Jersey two years ago (126th overall) and spent his first two NCAA campaigns at Boston College.  This past season, he had eight assists in 39 games.

Seamus Casey Undecided On Turning Pro

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This is the time of year when many college players will elect to forego the remainder of their college eligibility and sign their first professional contract.  Plenty have done so already, some of which have already made their NHL debuts.  One player who hasn’t made a decision at this time is Devils prospect Seamus Casey.  Speaking with reporters today during his end-of-season press conference (video link), GM Tom Fitzgerald indicated that Casey hasn’t made a firm decision yet on his future but believes he might be inclined to sign with New Jersey:

If I was a betting man, I would say he’s probably leaning toward turning pro but with that being said, we talked to him right before the National Championship weekend, he wasn’t sure, there wasn’t any pressure from us.  To me, if you forfeit the rest of your college career, you need to be more than two feet in the water. You have to jump right in and you have to really want this. Any hesitations, then it may not work. So we’re going to give him all the time he needs.

The 20-year-old was a second-round pick by the Devils back in 2022 (46th overall) and recently wrapped up his sophomore year at Michigan.  It was certainly a strong one as Casey had seven goals and 38 assists in 40 games, good for third-most among NCAA blueliners behind draft-eligible Zeev Buium and Lane Hutson.  Casey also took part in the World Juniors for the second straight year, collecting six assists in as many contests.

If Casey decides to stay in college, he’ll be remaining with a team that will be missing some key pieces as Frank Nazar, Gavin Brindley, and Dylan Duke have all elected to turn pro.  That said, the core isn’t entirely gone as Rutger McGroarty is still there while undrafted forward T.J. Hughes – one of their top scorers this season – still has two years of eligibility remaining.

On the other hand, if Casey turns pro now, there might not be a spot for him on New Jersey’s roster to start next season.  Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec are two players on their entry-level deals on the back end already while they’ll also be welcoming back Dougie Hamilton from injury.  Accordingly, if the choice is between playing in the AHL or staying in college, Casey could determine it’s better to do the latter.

With the deadline for registering a contract that burns a year this season now having passed earlier today, there’s no rush for Casey to make a decision, especially since New Jersey’s AHL team is in tough to make the playoffs.  Accordingly, it may take a while yet before the blueliner decides on his future.

Longtime Devils Scout Glen Dirk Passes Away At Age 85

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Legendary New Jersey Devils scout Glen Dirk has passed away at age 85 (Web link). Dirk dedicated much of his life to scouting, serving over 40 years in scout roles between the WHL and NHL. He’s most well known for being the scout to recommend Scott Niedermayer to the New Jersey Devils ahead of their third-overall selection of him in 1991. That recommendation earned Dirk a role with the Devils three years later, and he’s served with the team ever since – even filling out an amateur scouting role this season.

Success followed Dirk wherever he went. He played a key role in building a Kamloops Blazers squad that would win both the 1992 and 1994 Memorial Cup. His championship-winning traditions quickly transferred to the NHL, with Dirk’s first season with the Devils being their 1995 Stanley Cup-winning season. He’d go on to play a role in the 2000 and 2003 Cup wins, as well as the 2001 and 2012 runner-up seasons.

Dirk was attributed with much more than just the Nidermayer find, serving as an advocate for Scott Gomez in 1998 and recruiting Travis Zajac during his BCHL years. In fact, it was Dirk’s guidance that allowed the Devils to so confidently draft out of Western Canada in the early-2000’s. Those decisions would ultimately land them Gomez, Zajac, Deryk Engelland, and plenty more impactful NHL talent.

Dirk was a native of Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, and became an icon of hockey in Western Canada. He served a total of 29 seasons with the Devils, in addition to roles with the Washington Capitals, Kamloops Blazers, the Regina Pats, and the Spokane Chiefs. He is survived in legacy by the many scouts he mentored, and in kin by his two daughters and their families. Pro Hockey Rumors sends our condolences to the Dirk family and the New Jersey Devils fanbase.

Devils Notes: Barabosha, Meier, Foote, Hughes, Nemec

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According to James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now, the New Jersey Devils have lost one of their defensive prospects for the next three years. In the article, Nichols announces that defenseman Artyom Barabosha has signed a three-year extension with CSKA Moskva of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Nevertheless, it may be the best option forward for both player and organization, as Barabosha’s future with the Devils was always a longshot considering he was the 198th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Now that he is committed to the KHL for the next three years, New Jersey can continue to let him develop in a comfortable environment while retaining his signing rights.

In his first year in the KHL this past season, Barabosha suited up in 21 games for CSKA Moskva, scoring one goal and five points in total. While offensive play is not his strong suit, Barabosha is a punishing defender, regularly laying devastating hits without remorse against his opposition overseas.

Other Devils notes:

  • In his first full season with the Devils, forward Timo Meier got off to an unexpectedly slow start. Thanks to team reporter Amanda Stein, we now have a little more information regarding Meier’s poor play from October into December. Stein reports that Meier was dealing with two separate MCL injuries, causing him to score just nine goals and 16 points in his first 30 games, while also causing him to miss stretches of games entirely.
  • Only managing to string together eight games combined between the NHL and the AHL, Nolan Foote had a season to forget. Stein reports that Foote was dealing with a lingering back issue that cost him the season, and has also caused him to miss time the last four years. Without alluding to the possibility of surgery, it is the most likely outcome for Foote to continue his professional career without missing any more time.
  • With most members of New Jersey having their eyes set on the 2024-25 offseason, some players are looking ahead to the 2024 IIHF World Championships that begin on May 10th. For the first time in his career, young defenseman Luke Hughes will join Team USA for the tournament (X Link). Only a year removed from international competition, Hughes was a member of the U20 Team USA roster that earned a bronze medal in the 2022-23 IIHF World Junior Championship.
  • Joining Hughes in the World Championships will be fellow defenseman Simon Nemec, who will be joining Team Slovakia (X Link). Unlike Hughes, Nemec did suit up for Team Slovakia in last year’s World Championships, while also scoring one goal and five points in five games in the 2022-23 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Metro Notes: Bowers, Clarke, Malenstyn

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The New Jersey Devils announced that they’ve assigned forward Shane Bowers to the Utica Comets of the AHL. The 24-year-old was recalled by the Devils a little over a week ago and went scoreless in five games to finish out the NHL season. The native of Halifax, Nova Scotia appeared in eight games this season, tallying no points, while averaging 9:27 of ice time per game.

A former first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators in 2017 (28th overall), Bowers hasn’t developed into the power forward many thought he could be back when he played for Boston University. He was part of the package that Ottawa traded to the Colorado Avalanche for Matt Duchene but has never been able to find his scoring touch at the AHL level and has bounced around to two more organizations since then. With Utica this season, Bowers has just nine goals and four assists in 40 games and is -11.

In other Metropolitan Division notes:

  • The Devils also assigned forward Graeme Clarke to Utica of the AHL. Clarke appeared in two games during his most recent recall and three NHL games this season. He has yet to register an NHL point, but the 22-year-old has been a solid AHL scoring option in his four-year professional career. The Ottawa, Ontario native has posted 24 goals and 23 assists in 64 AHL games this season and 147 points in 215 career games at the AHL level.
  • Washington Capitals writer Stephen Whyno is reporting that Capitals forward Beck Malenstyn left last night’s game after suffering an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old was skating through the neutral zone with the puck when he sent a pass and was hit late by Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic. Malenstyn remained on the ice briefly before getting back to his feet and skating to the bench. He immediately walked to the dressing room while receiving assistance from the medical staff. No word yet on the severity of the injury. Malenstyn has dressed in 80 games this season, posting six goals and 15 assists while dishing out 237 hits.

Tomas Nosek Returns To The Lineup

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Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman tweeted that New York Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson would not play tonight and is still considered day-to-day. The 24-year-old played just 1:28 on Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens as he suffered an upper-body injury that forced him to miss nearly the entire game. The former 12th overall pick missed Saturday’s game against the Rangers then didn’t practice with the Islanders yesterday and didn’t travel with the team to New Jersey today.

Dobson’s injury doesn’t appear to be long-term and that would be welcome news for the Islanders as the Summerside, Prince Edward Island native has been logging an average of 24:31 a night and has posted 10 goals and 60 assists in 79 games this season. While he is unlikely to win the Norris Trophy, he may get consideration given that he is seventh in NHL scoring by a defenseman.

In other Metropolitan Division notes:

  • The Pittsburgh Penguins welcomed back forward Jansen Harkins off the injured reserve today.  The 26-year-old has been out since March 7th with a hand injury and dressed on the fourth line alongside Jeff Carter and Emil Bemstrom in the Penguins 4-2 victory over the Nashville Predators. Harkins played just 5:38 and registered a single hit making it 19 consecutive games without a point and 44 games on the season without a goal. The Penguins acquired Harkins off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets back on October 2nd, and while he hasn’t offered up much offensively he has been one of the few Penguins forwards to consistently play a physical game.
  • New Jersey Devils forward Tomas Nosek returned to the lineup for the Devils’ final game of the regular season. The 31-year-old hadn’t played since April 9th and played just over 15 minutes tonight as he was held pointless. Nosek had been out with an undisclosed injury and will finish the season with two goals and four assists in 36 games with New Jersey. Nosek is a free agent on July 1st after signing a one-year $1MM contract with the Devils last summer. It seems unlikely he will do much better this summer as his age and lack of offensive production will likely deter teams from offering term and lucrative money to the Pardubice, Czechoslovakia native.

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