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Devils Acquire Curtis Lazar

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The Devils have added some extra depth up front as they’ve acquired forward Curtis Lazar from the Canucks.  Going the other way is a 2024 fourth-round pick.

The 28-year-old was in his first season with Vancouver after inking a three-year, $3MM deal ($1MM AAV) with them last summer.  However, things didn’t go quite as planned.  Lazar has struggled to say healthy – he’s currently on injured reserve – and when he has been in the lineup, he hasn’t been the most productive, collecting just three goals and two assists in 45 games.  However, Lazar has won nearly 52% of his faceoffs while averaging 2.75 hits per game.

New Jersey moved out some of its forward depth in the recent Timo Meier move and Lazar’s acquisition helps to fill some of that at a reasonable price tag.  When he’s able to return, he could fill a spot on their fourth line or simply serve as injury depth for what they hope is a long playoff run and could spend some time on their penalty kill as he’s averaging more than a minute per night shorthanded.

Cap-wise, the Devils now have roughly $1.26MM remaining in LTIR room, per CapFriendly, so beyond another depth move, New Jersey might be quiet the rest of today.  Meanwhile, CapFriendly pegs Vancouver’s LTIR space at just over $4.7MM.  With the four players on their LTIR out for the season, they’ll have some flexibility to take on a contract or be a third-party retainer to add an additional pick or two.

TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report the trade.

Devils Recall Graeme Clarke

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Graeme Clarke has played his way into becoming one of New Jersey’s more intriguing prospects and he was rewarded for his efforts as the team announced (Twitter link) that he has been recalled from Utica of the AHL.

The 21-year-old was a third-round pick by the Devils back in 2019 (80th overall) but has outperformed his draft stock since then.  He’s actually in his third season of professional hockey already – a rarity for a major junior-drafted player – and has shown steady improvement.  After putting up 24 points in 52 games last season, Clarke has been considerably more productive this year with 20 goals and 24 assists in 51 contests; his 44 points place him first on the Comets in scoring.

This will be Clarke’s first opportunity at the NHL level and it’s possible that it will be a short-lived one.  Recently acquired winger Timo Meier isn’t yet ready to play as he continues to battle an upper-body injury and Clarke may simply be up until Meier is ready to make his debut.  New Jersey had an open spot on their roster thanks to them losing Scott Harrington on waivers to Anaheim earlier today so no further moves needed to be made to bring Clarke up.

Anaheim Ducks Claim Scott Harrington

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After being traded from the San Jose Sharks to the New Jersey Devils, Scott Harrington is quickly on his way back to California. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports that the depth defender has been claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Ducks.

While the Devils likely hoped they could sneak Harrington through, this isn’t a big loss as the prize of the deal was Timo Meier.

In Anaheim, the 29-year-old defender will get a much bigger opportunity at the NHL level, especially if the Ducks move out some of their expiring contracts in the next few days. Harrington, quietly, has racked up 238 regular season games in the NHL, mostly playing the seventh defenseman role.

There is at least a chance that the Ducks could even flip him, should another team be interested in adding Harrington as a depth piece. Anaheim would have had the second crack at him on waivers, given they sit in 31st place, only ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Michael Houser Clears Waivers

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Feb 28: Houser has cleared, but Harrington was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks.

Feb 27: The Buffalo Sabres have signed Michael Houser to a midseason contract for the third season in a row, and placed him on waivers for the purpose of an assignment to the minor leagues. Houser was playing with the Rochester Americans on an AHL deal (again), and would need to clear waivers to remain there. Chris Johnston of NorthStar Bets reports that Scott Harrington, recently acquired by the New Jersey Devils, is also on waivers.

Houser, 30, has actually been incredible in his limited NHL opportunities with the Sabres, stepping into emergency situations and playing very well. Last season in two games he allowed just four goals on 77 shots, winning both appearances and posting a .948 save percentage. He’s never been that effective at the minor league level but has now cashed in with three consecutive one-year NHL contracts.

It is unclear why exactly the Sabres are signing him now, but it could suggest one of their other goaltenders will be traded away in the coming days. There has been some rumbling that Craig Anderson has drawn a bit of interest, and Eric Comrie’s contract is likely one the team is ready to move on from.

This was always the likely scenario for Harrington after joining the Devils, as he won’t have a full-time NHL role with his new team. That doesn’t necessarily mean he will spend the rest of the season in the minor leagues, but at this point the team doesn’t need him on the active roster and can stash him in the AHL. That is, of course, unless a team wants to take him, but Harrington already cleared waivers twice this season, so the risk seems minimal.

Devils, Bratt Talking About A Potential Extension

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Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has been a busy man the past few days. Fresh off his acquisition of Timo Meier, Fitzgerald joined the NHL Network yesterday where he revealed that he is involved in extension talks with pending restricted free agent Jesper Bratt.

Bratt opted to bet on himself last summer by signing a one-year deal for $5.45MM. The move has paid off for the pending restricted free agent, as he is sitting at nearly a point a game in what has been another strong season.

The Devils have just four forwards from their current lineup that are signed for next season, meaning any potential extension with Bratt would alleviate some pressure off Fitzgerald in what is sure to be a busy summer. The Devils would still need extensions for the newly acquired Meier, as well as Ryan Graves, Damon Severson, and Miles Wood. All of whom are unrestricted free agents on July 1st.

New Jersey Devils Place Mackenzie Blackwood On IR

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Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has been placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, retroactive to Feb. 21, by the New Jersey Devils, the team announced on Twitter. 

Blackwood’s injury comes just a day after Devils fans were celebrating the Timo Meier trade with the San Jose Sharks. Blackwood has been no stranger to the injured list in recent seasons, and has played just 17 games this season with a 3.04 GAA and .900 save percentage.

The Devils have received strong play in the crease this season from Vitek Vanecek, who has shined with a 2.37 GAA and .913 save percentage with 25 wins in 38 games played this season.

Rookie goaltender Akira Schmid also recorded a 23-save shutout for his first NHL win on Saturday in a 7-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

The future of Blackwood in New Jersey was an unclear situation that is made even muddier by the announcement Monday he is headed to the IR yet again. With the Devils’ focus turning toward being ready for the postseason, if Blackwood is unable to suit up for the stretch run, he may be left out of New Jersey’s future plans.

Blackwood is set to be a restricted free agent this summer, and with his status being almost an annual uncertainty, he very well may find himself without a qualifying offer and on the open market this offseason.

New Jersey Devils Acquire Timo Meier

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The New Jersey Devils have completed what many expected them to do for months as they have made a big addition up front.  They have acquired forwards Timo Meier and Timur Ibragimov, defensemen Scott Harrington and Santeri Hatakka, goaltender Zacharie Emond, and Colorado’s 2024 fifth-round pick from the San Jose Sharks.  In return, the Sharks receive prospect defensemen Shakir Mukhamadullin and Nikita Okhotyuk, forwards Andreas Johnsson and Fabian Zetterlund, a 2023 first-round pick (top-two protected), a conditional 2024 second-round selection, and a 2024 seventh-round selection.

The conditions on the 2024 selection are as follows:

Should New Jersey reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals (and Meier plays in at least 50% of Meier’s Club’s Playoff games in 2023) or the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, New Jersey will transfer its own first-round pick in 2024 NHL Draft to San Jose (top 10 protected), instead of its own second-round pick in 2024 NHL Draft. If New Jersey’s first-round pick in 2024 NHL Draft is a top 10 selection, New Jersey will have the option to instead transfer its own first-round pick in 2025 NHL Draft to San Jose. Should New Jersey transfer its first-round pick in 2024 NHL Draft per the original condition (top-two above in Condition A), New Jersey will instead transfer its own first-round pick in 2025 NHL Draft should they reach the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals.

At the NHL trade deadline, veteran players on expiring contracts are often dealt to contenders for a package of future assets. Usually, those rentals are nearing or over 30, sometimes even in the twilight of their careers. That’s not the case with Meier, who won’t turn 27 until October and is a legitimate first-line star in the prime of his career.

The big winger already has 31 goals this season through 57 games, after scoring 35 last season, and averages 20 minutes a night for the Sharks. He instantly upgrades the Devils’ attack, making them an even bigger contender in the treacherous Eastern Division playoff race. Whether he plays with Swiss countryman Nico Hischier or superstar center Jack Hughes, Meier always seemed like the perfect fit for a New Jersey team finally ready to push some chips to the middle of the table.

After years of rebuilding, stockpiling prospects and draft picks, the Devils are a dangerous group despite being one of the youngest in the NHL. Meier’s status as a pending restricted free agent only makes him more valuable to an acquiring team like New Jersey, which could legitimately afford to sign him to a long-term extension.

That extension will be pricey, though. The winger is due a $10MM qualifying offer this summer because of how his current contract is structured and he will have plenty of leverage in negotiations. If he desires to test the open market, he could agree to the qualifying offer for a one-year deal, and hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2024.

While there were reports for some time that the Devils wouldn’t agree to a deal without an extension in place, it’s still a reasonable bet to grab Meier now and worry about a contract later. The Metropolitan Division has already seen plenty of incoming star power, with Vladimir Tarasenko and Bo Horvat joining the New York Rangers and New York Islanders, respectively, and could see Patrick Kane join the bright lights of Broadway this week. To keep up in the arms race, New Jersey has landed their own difference-making forward—one who could be the best of the bunch, at least right now.

Of their other additions, Harrington gives them an experienced depth defender that has spent most of the season in a depth role with San Jose.  He’s on a two-way deal and is an unrestricted free agent this summer.  Hatakka got into nine games with the Sharks last season but has missed most of this season due to injury, suiting up just eight times for the AHL’s Barracuda.  He has one year left on his entry-level deal.  Ibragimov has spent the entire season with ECHL Wichita, picking up 32 points in 52 games and will be a restricted free agent this summer.  Emond has played in just four games for the Thunder and will also be a restricted free agent this summer.  Ibragimov and Emond’s inclusion are likely just for contract matching purposes to keep both teams compliant with the 50-contract limit.

As for the Sharks, they add some important pieces for the future with the high draft picks along with Mukhamadullin, the 20th pick in 2020.  The 21-year-old is having a strong season in the KHL with 25 points in 67 games and is expected to come to North America as soon as Salavat Yulaev’s season comes to an end so it’s possible San Jose will be able to get him into their system late in the season.  Okhotyuk has split the season between New Jersey and AHL Utica.  He has played in ten contests with the Devils plus 20 more for the Comets and could fill the depth defender role that Harrington is vacating.  The 22-year-old has one year left on his entry-level deal.

Zetterlund has been a regular most nights for the Devils and has been a good depth scorer, notching 20 points in 45 games despite averaging less than 13 minutes a night.  The 23-year-old should get a bigger opportunity with the Sharks following the move which could boost his value heading into restricted free agency this summer where he’ll be eligible for salary arbitration for the first time.  Johnsson’s inclusion is mostly for salary purposes as he’s in the final season of a deal that carries a $3.4MM AAV.  That cap hit has kept him in the minors for most of the season where he has 29 points in 36 games with Utica.  However, he has 113 points in 248 career NHL contests and could get a shot at regular playing time down the stretch with San Jose to rebuild his value heading into unrestricted free agency for the first time this summer.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic was the first to report that Meier was going to New Jersey.  TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie was the first to mention San Jose’s 50% retention.  Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli first reported Harrington’s inclusion.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first with Johnsson being in the deal along with Okhotyuk.  Shayna Goldman of The Athletic first had Zetterlund’s involvement with the 2023 first-round pick.  The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta was first with Hatakka’s inclusion.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Devils, Timo Meier

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The Timo Meier trade saga seems to be finally reaching a conclusion. While no trade is believed to be imminent, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the San Jose Sharks “are down to two teams” in Meier trade talks: The New Jersey Devils and Vegas Golden Knights.

These reports should not come as a major surprise, as yesterday we covered reports that the Devils were leading the pack in the chase for Meier. But today’s news that the Hurricanes are out of the running for Meier does come as a major development.

Assuming top-end pieces such as Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec are off the table, the Devils have 2020 seventh-overall pick Alexander Holtz to offer, as well as other talented youngsters such as 2022 second-rounder Seamus Casey, 2020 first-rounder Shakir Mukhamadullin, top AHL scorer Graeme Clarke, or other first-rounders such as Nolan Foote and Chase Stillman.

Still No Timeline on Mackenzie Blackwood

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  • New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood has been out of the lineup since Tuesday when he reportedly tweaked something at practice. The team has been rather quiet about his absence since, but Ryan Novozinsky of NJ Post reports head coach Lindy Ruff says that a timeline on Blackwood’s recovery will be coming soon. Akira Schmid has been called up to fill in and gets the start tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Latest On Timo Meier

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With the announcement that Timo Meier wouldn’t play tonight coming earlier today, speculation ran rampant across sports media about where and when he would be traded. Fans will likely have to wait a bit longer, as Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic tweets that the move isn’t expected to come tonight. The San Jose Sharks are celebrating Patrick Marleau’s career tonight with a jersey retirement ceremony and don’t want to take focus away from their franchise icon.

That said, it’ll be hard to keep Sharks fans’ attention on anything other than the potential trade of their current star winger. Corey Masisak of The Athletic reports that multiple other teams believe the New Jersey Devils are still the favorite to land Meier when the deal is officially completed.

For weeks, the Devils have been linked to Meier with the caveat of a contract extension. New Jersey was more interested in him as a long-term play, than just a player to help the club this season. Meier, of course, isn’t really a rental either way, as he will be a restricted free agent in the summer—provided an acquiring team is willing to issue the $10MM qualifying offer he is owed.

Meier is also dealing with an upper-body injury which is likely part of the reason for him sitting out, though asset protection certainly comes into play with the deadline so close. As the most significant chip on the market, the Sharks will want to make sure any minor ailments don’t slow down the process.

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