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New Jersey Devils Acquire Andrew Hammond

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For the second time this season, Andrew Hammond is on the move. The goaltender has been traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Nate Schnarr.

Hammond, 34, was acquired earlier this season when the Canadiens had a lack of healthy goaltending options, but is actually now hurt himself after playing in four games for them. Expected back in the next few weeks, he’ll head to a New Jersey team that has had plenty of their own injury issues when it comes to goaltending.

A name that will be forever remembered by Ottawa Senators fans for his incredible run as a 26-year-old rookie in 2014-15, the “Hamburgler” actually played great in his short time in Montreal. In four appearances, he posted a .920 save percentage and went 3-0, his first wins since 2016. While there’s probably not a ton left for his playing career, it was a nice little addendum for a goaltender that was so well-liked in his early days. Signed to a one-year, two-way contract, Hammond will be an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.

In Schnarr, the Canadiens actually are getting something of value back, even if he’s never played at the NHL level. The 23-year-old has been good for the Utica Comets this season, posting 13 goals and 26 points in 43 games, and can help the Laval Rocket down the stretch. Whether Schnarr, who is in the last season of his entry-level contract, earns a qualifying offer this summer isn’t totally clear, as to this point he hasn’t really shown any NHL upside despite his status as a third-round pick in 2017.

Damon Severson Could Discuss Extension This Summer

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After seeing the packages that fellow defensemen Ben Chiarot and Hampus Lindholm were traded for, Damon Severson’s name began circulating as a potential trade chip for the New Jersey Devils. When asked about the possibility of Severson being moved, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman put the brakes on the idea, indicating that he believed Severson wanted to stay and was interested in discussing a contract extension (link). Severson is currently in the second-to-last year of a six-year, $25MM contract he signed with the Devils prior to the 2017-18 season, which carries a cap hit just below $4.2MM.

If Severson was to discuss an extension with the Devils, the two sides could not begin those discussions until at least July 1st of this year, and any extension with Severson would not begin until his age 29 season, starting in 2023-24. It’s a fair point to wonder if Severson should be dangled at this year’s trade deadline, as the talented defenseman is not a rental, having an additional year of term at a reasonable cap-hit, is on pace to have a career year, currently sitting on 33 points in 60 games, and the Devils well out of playoff position. Also, comparing the packages the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks received for Chiarot and Lindholm, respectively, it’s plausible to think Severson could fetch New Jersey a strong return.

Update On Andreas Johnsson

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One of those players with a cap number exceeding actual cash owed is Devils winger Andreas Johnsson. Johnsson, 27, is set to have a base salary of only $750k next season. His signing bonus is set at $1.75MM, but his cap hit is going to be $3.4MM. This makes Johnsson an ideal candidate for them, and TSN’s Darren Dreger links Johnsson with the Coyotes for this exact purpose. Johnsson could be a fit with the Coyotes for not only all the financial reasons previously mentioned but also for his play on the ice. Johnsson has 11 goals and 28 points this season, and his 28 points would make him the fourth-highest scorer on the Coyotes. He is an accomplished offensive player at lower levels who has flashed talent at the NHL level, and has scored 20 goals before. The Coyotes went all-in on mining value from unconventional sources when building their roster this season, as evidenced by the out-of-nowhere success of Travis Boyd. Acquiring Johnsson, as Dreger reported they could, would represent a continuation of that philosophy for GM Bill Armstrong.

Latest On P.K. Subban

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While the New Jersey Devils aren’t exactly true sellers, as we outlined in our Trade Deadline Primer last month, there is one name that appears to be on his way out. P.K. Subban met with Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald over the weekend according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic, and was told that the team wouldn’t be extending him. That means as Fitzgerald put it, “if the move makes sense for the New Jersey Devils…I have to do what’s best for the organization.”

Subban of course comes with a huge $9MM cap hit, meaning that it would need to be a perfect fit and would likely require the Devils to retain 50 percent. But with the number of depth options that are moved at the deadline each year that don’t possess anywhere near Subban’s upside, it does seem like some teams will at least inquire about the veteran defenseman.

There’s no doubt that a 32-year-old Subban is a shadow of the player that won the Norris Trophy in 2013 and was a finalist two other times, most recently in 2018. He is averaging fewer than 20 minutes a night for the first time in his entire career and still provides risky, inconsistent play in his own end. He does have 18 points in 53 games though–none of which have come on the powerplay–and can contribute offensively when put in the right situations.

Not to be overlooked is the simple fact that Subban is right-handed, a trait that seems to be in higher demand at the NHL trade deadline than at any other time in history. There are simply not very many NHL-level right-handed defensemen available at any given time, and contenders are always looking to add an extra one for a potential long playoff run.

For his own part, Subban does have a long successful history in the NHL postseason. He’s suited up in 96 playoff games during his career and has 18 goals and 62 points in those contests. That includes a run to the finals with the Nashville Predators in 2017 and several other lengthy runs, usually logging more than 25 minutes a night. That’s not the role he would play on any acquiring team, but the experience is still valuable as the games get tighter.

An unrestricted free agent in the summer, it’s unclear what the future holds for Subban. It won’t be in New Jersey though, something that seemed obvious when the team went out and signed Dougie Hamilton to a massive seven-year, $63MM contract last offseason. With Damon Severson still in place on the right side for at least one more year (unless he too is dealt at some point) and more youth coming through the pipeline, Subban will have to find somewhere else to play next season; he’ll potentially get a sneak peek at a new market in the coming weeks.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images`

Miles Wood Close To Returning

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Positive news on the New Jersey Devils injury front, as head coach Lindy Ruff said this morning that he hopes forward Miles Wood can return to the lineup sometime in the next seven to ten days (link). It has been a rough stretch for the Devils and for Wood, the Devils sitting in last place in the Metropolitan and Wood not having played a game yet this season due to injury. While Wood certainly won’t turn the season around in New Jersey, his grit and speed could certainly spark the team’s young core as they try to end the season on a positive note heading into 2022-23.

Dallas Stars Claim Marian Studenic; Waive Tanner Kero

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Feb 25: Kero has cleared waivers, and can now be assigned to the AHL’s Texas Stars per Chris Johnston of TSN. It is the second time this season that Kero has cleared waivers. Kero has two assists in three total games with the AHL’s Stars so far this season.

Feb 24: The Dallas Stars have made a forward swap, claiming Marian Studenic from the New Jersey Devils and placing Tanner Kero on waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The swap is one depth forward without a ton of offensive upside for another, as Studenic and Kero have combined for one goal and four points in 40 games this season. The difference for the Stars is the six-year age difference in Studenic’s favor, along with the fact that Kero will likely clear waivers and remain with the organization.

Now 29, Kero is in the first season of a two-year contract he signed last spring that comes with a huge minor league guarantee, and given his lack of success in the NHL, it seems likely that he’ll be reporting to the Texas Stars in the next few days.

For Studenic, he joins a team much closer to the playoffs and avoids returning to the minor leagues, where he has spent the majority of the last few seasons. If he can find a way into the Dallas lineup, he’ll also set himself up for a much better negotiation this offseason, when he’s an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent.

In addition to those two moves, the Stars have recalled Riley Tufte from the AHL and placed Andrej Sekera on long-term injured reserve due to a non-COVID-related viral infection, retroactive to January 28.

Marian Studenic Placed On Waivers

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The New Jersey Devils have placed Marian Studenic on waivers, according to CapFriendly. Studenic cleared waivers earlier this season but has spent enough time with the NHL squad to need them again before being assigned to the minor leagues.

The 23-year-old forward has suited up 17 times for the Devils this season, scoring a single goal and averaging just under 12 minutes of ice time. A fifth-round pick from 2017, he hasn’t quite found where he fits in the organization yet, bouncing back and forth between the AHL and NHL the last two seasons.

Given the fact that he comes with just a one-year, two-way contract that carries an NHL cap hit of $750K, Studenic could potentially attract attention on waivers. Still, it seems more likely that he will clear and can return to the Utica Comets in the coming days.

For New Jersey, it is likely the result of Dougie Hamilton’s impending return to the lineup. The team needed a roster spot to activate the defenseman, and Studenic is one of the most likely to sneak through waivers. Hamilton hasn’t played since January 2, when he suffered a broken jaw that required surgery.

Dougie Hamilton To Return Thursday

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  • New Jersey is set to get blueliner Dougie Hamilton back on Thursday, notes NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. The veteran has missed the last 17 games due to a broken jaw although he still sits second in scoring by Devils defenders with 20 points in 30 games.  New Jersey is currently carrying a full roster and will need to make a move in order to free up a spot to activate Hamilton from IR.

Snapshots: Hertl, MacKinnon, Devils

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One of the biggest question marks at this year’s Trade Deadline will undoubtedly be the availability of star San Jose Sharks center Tomas Hertl, who will be a pending unrestricted free agent this offseason. Despite an early-season surge, the Sharks aren’t likely to be in the playoff picture and although Hertl’s voiced his desire to stay in San Jose if the team doesn’t feel an extension is reachable, he could be on his way out for a nice return. However, while those contract talks have started, The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports that the team hasn’t made an official extension offer to Hertl as the deadline is now just one month away. Pagnotta speculates that the Sharks should extend an official offer to Hertl within the next week or two, giving them an abbreviated timeframe to decide on whether or not to trade him.

Some more notes on this Monday night:

  • Eyebrows rose across the internet when a video of Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon seemingly slashing a linesman on the legs after the opening faceoff of their game today against Boston went viral. However, Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet 590 says that he was told NHL hockey operations and officials investigated the incident, and no further discipline will be handed to MacKinnon for the play. That’s great for the Avs, who have already been without MacKinnon for chunks of time this season as injuries have limited him to 35 games.
  • Also according to Pagnotta, the New Jersey Devils could be active at the Trade Deadline, but not necessarily as a stereotypical seller. General manager Tom Fitzgerald could look to make a traditional asset-for-asset type of deal, and that’s not entirely surprising. The team’s been linked, by multiple reports, in recent days to the Vancouver Canucks, and could look to acquire either one of Conor Garland or Brock Boeser to improve the team’s waning depth on the wings.

Trade Deadline Primer: New Jersey Devils

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With the All-Star break now behind us, the trade deadline looms larger and is just a month away. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New Jersey Devils.

The New Jersey Devils looked poised to put their rebuild behind them this season and push for a playoff spot after signing star defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year, $63MM contract, and adding veteran forwards Tomas Tatar and Jimmy Vesey, goaltender Jonathan Bernier, and defenseman Ryan Graves to complement a group of developing young talents such as Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, and Ty Smith. That hoped-for success the Devils saw going into 2021-22 was not realized however, after a tough series of injuries, COVID-protocol absences, and poor play. While the Devils are not the buyers they may have wanted to be, the organization also likely does not consider itself a traditional seller either. The team is poised to shop several veteran assets, but may also look for longer-term building blocks to add in the right situation.

Record:

17-28-5, 8th in the Metropolitan

Deadline Status:

Hesitant seller

Deadline Cap Space:

$21.45MM today, $36.46MM in projected deadline space, 1/3 retention slots used, 47/50 contracts per CapFriendly.

Upcoming Draft Picks:

2022: NJD 1st, NJD 2nd, NJD 3rd, NJD 4th, EDM 4th, NYI 4th, CBJ 5th, NJD 6th, NJD 7th

2023: NJD 1st, NJD 2nd, NJD 3rd, NJD 4th, NJD 5th, NJD 6th, NJD 7th

Trade Chips:

Depending on which direction, or directions, the Devils decide to go at this deadline, they have several pieces they could move in either situation. The most notable piece the Devils have to offer is that of defenseman P.K. Subban. Subban is on an expiring contract, becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season. While certainly a big name who can still make an impact on a powerplay, he is not the player he was when he won the Norris Trophy in 2013 or the player who helped lead the Nashville Predators to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in 2017. Subban has picked up three goals to go along with 14 assists in 47 games this season for New Jersey but has also seen his ice time drop off significantly from last season, decreasing from 22:22 in 2020-21 to 19:34 in 2021-22. Subban’s offensive prowess could be useful to a playoff team, though he does carry a steep $9MM cap hit. While it comes off after this season, it may be a tough squeeze for teams that would benefit from his services, even if the Devils retain a large portion.

New Jersey also has an intriguing unrestricted free agent piece in Vesey. After big-time hype coming out of college, Vesey has been a steady presence in the NHL, albeit not at the level some had him pegged. After struggling last year to just ten points in 50 games between Toronto and Vancouver, which saw him placed on waivers and claimed by the Canucks, Vesey was invited to Devils training camp and made the team. He has performed well for New Jersey, tallying seven goals and six assists in 46 games and being a presence on the penalty kill. While he won’t be a major trade chip, the Devils could expect some demand for the veteran who carries just an $800K cap hit for the remainder of the season.

Looking in another direction, New Jersey could look to buy, so long as they can acquire a piece that acts as a building block for the future. The most notable and discussed of these potential pick-ups is Canucks’ forward Brock Boeser. In addition to draft picks, the Devils have several talented young players they could part with to make a splash. Perhaps the likeliest of candidates is forward Pavel Zacha. Zacha, who the Devils selected sixth overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, has not necessarily reached the heights that were expected of him, but has appeared to find his groove in the past couple of seasons, putting up 29 goals and 29 assists in 97 games over the course of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons so far.

In a trade like this, the Devils could also conceivably be asked to move one or both of Yegor Sharangovich or Smith. Sharangovich, a fifth-round pick in 2018, has been a nice find for the Devils, scoring ten goals and 24 points in 44 games this season on top of 16 goals and 14 assists in 54 games last season. Smith was the Devils’ first-round pick in 2018, going 17th overall. He made his NHL debut last season and played well, but has struggled for much of this year. Presumably, the Devils would prefer to build a package around Zacha, as opposed to a Sharangovich or Smith.

The organization also boasts a strong prospect pool from which to deal. Teams would of course be interested in a top prospect like fourth-overall selection Luke Hughes, or others like Alexander Holtz, Chase Stillman, or Shakir Mukhamadullin, but New Jersey would obviously likely prefer to counter with smaller, but still impactful names such as Reilly Walsh, Nolan Foote, or Daniil Misyul.

Other Potential Trade Chips: F Nathan Bastian ($825K, 2 years, RFA); D Christian Jaros ($800k, RFA); Jon Gillies ($750K, UFA)

Team Needs:

1) Scoring Wingers: The Devils have plenty of depth down the middle, most times employing some of those players on the wing. The team has seen incredibly strong production out of Bratt, and solid, expected production out of Tatar and Andreas Johnsson, but the team should look to add another wing or two to complement the likes of Hughes and Hischier. If all works out, Holtz will fill one of those spots moving forward, but acquiring a player like Boeser, or even Conor Garland, could have a strong impact on the Devils scoring, and bolster the overall depth of the forward group.

2) Defensive Depth: Between Graves and Hamilton, the Devils have created themselves a formidable top pairing. However, for long-term success, the organization must be able to round out its entire defense core. Subban’s tenure with the Devils appears to be ending shortly, and there are questions about Smith’s development. Jonas Siegenthaler has rounded out his game nicely and appears to be a reliable piece for the team. Mukhamadullin and Hughes, if their development goes well, should join the team in the coming years.  Still, the team could benefit from adding one or two more formidable defensemen to complement Graves and Hamilton, and bring along the young players.

3) Draft Picks: While the organization is looking to add pieces to join the line up now and end the rebuild, this will be the likely return for any deadline sales the team makes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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