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Miles Wood

Devils Notes: Wood, Bahl, Boqvist

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With two major restricted free agents to negotiate contract extensions with in Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt, it’s no surprise that the New Jersey Devils may be forced to say goodbye to some familiar faces. Damon Severson, a quality blueliner with over 600 games played as a Devil, was traded yesterday and, according to recent reporting, another veteran Devil could follow him out the door: Miles Wood.

The Hockey News’ Kristy Flannery relays word from Wood’s agent, Peter Fish, “that there has been no communication” with Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald on a possible Wood contract extension. While it’s likely that the Devils would ideally like to keep Wood, their salary cap situation and other existing needs are likely to force his exit in free agency. As a result, Fish and Wood are preparing to hit the open market on July 1st. Wood will hope to find the right contract in his first trip to unrestricted free agency, and after scoring 13 goals and 27 points this past season his rare combination of size and speed could be of interest to other teams.

Some other notes about the Devils:

  • Flannery’s article also contained updates on the status of restricted free agent defenseman Kevin Bahl, whose $795k contract is set to expire. The soon-to-be 23-year-old emerged as a lineup regular for the Devils later in their season and is widely expected to be a part of the team’s blueline mix next season. Given that he has just 66 games of NHL experience, Bahl’s next contract shouldn’t break the bank, though the defensive upside the hulking six-foot-six Bahl possesses could be factored into the equation as well, potentially raising the price tag of any new deal. Bahl’s agent, David Gagner, confirmed to Flannery that he and Fitzgerald “are engaging in preliminary talks,” and it could be that the Devils would prefer to get some cost certainty on Bahl’s next deal before finalizing the Meier/Bratt contracts.
  • 24-year-old forward Jesper Boqvist’s agent Peter Wallen relayed to Flannery that “there has been no communication with Fitzgerald and the Devils” on any new contract as of five days ago. Boqvist emerged as a lineup regular this past season scoring 10 goals and 21 points in 70 games. The 2017 36th overall pick has scored well at lower levels and the Devils are likely hoping to retain him on an affordable deal so they can fill out some depth roles in their lineup with young, energetic homegrown players such as Boqvist on cheaper contracts.

Devils Notes: Wood, Bastian, Blackwood, Foote

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Before the New Jersey Devils play against the Florida Panthers tonight, the lead reporter of the team, Amanda Stein, gave some important updates from the team’s practice earlier this morning. As the Devils begin a weekend back-to-back against the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, Stein reports that forwards Miles Wood and Nathan Bastian have not made the trip to Florida with the team.

Wood, one of the many upcoming free agents on the Devils’ roster, will miss his second straight game. After only playing three games during the 2021-22 season, Wood has again become a steady depth player for the Devils this year. Playing in his seventh season in New Jersey, Wood has reached the double-digit goal mark five times, with a career-high 19 goals coming during the 2017-18 season.

Much like Wood, Bastian has not played in the last few games for the Devils, having missed since the March 12th game against the Carolina Hurricanes. After being selected by the Seattle Kraken during their expansion draft, Bastian found his way back to New Jersey last year after a mid-season waiver claim. In his first full year back with the Devils, Bastian has also provided some depth scoring for the team, putting up six goals and six assists in 39 games played so far this year.

Other notes:

  • Although he’s been one of the more injury-plagued goalies the last several years, Stein also mentioned that goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood was practicing with the team this morning. Having not played since the team’s game against the Winnipeg Jets on February 19th, Blackwood will still be out of the lineup tonight, however; it is good news to see him back out practicing with the team. In 17 games played this year, Blackwood has a record of 8-5, with a .900 SV% and a 3.04 GAA.
  • Lastly, Stein mentions that forward Nolan Foote was also seen practicing with the team before their game in Sunrise. Drafted 27th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Foote has yet to crack the Devils’ lineup in a meaningful way. Playing only 16 games over the last three seasons, Nolan has scored a collective four goals and two assists for New Jersey. As he has played most of his games in the AHL, he has a career mark of 39 goals and 40 assists in 128 games played in hockey’s highest minor league system.

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.

2022 Arbitration Tracker

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The dates for the upcoming arbitration hearings have been set, with the first one scheduled for July 27. Hearings will continue through August 11 this year, with that being the busiest day of the schedule. It is important to note that the CBA agreement in 2020 changed the rules for arbitration so that once a hearing begins, teams are no longer allowed to negotiate with the player in question.

The full schedule is:

July 27
Isac Lundestrom (Anaheim Ducks) – Settled: 2 years, $1.8MM AAV

July 29
Jesse Puljujarvi (Edmonton Oilers) – Settled: 1 year, $3.0MM

July 30
Kasperi Kapanen (Pittsburgh Penguins) – Settled: 2 years, $3.2MM AAV
Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) – Settled: 1 year, $750K AAV (two-way contract)

August 1
Mathieu Joseph (Ottawa Senators) – Settled: 3 years, $2.95MM AAV
Steven Lorentz (San Jose Sharks) – Settled: 2 years, $1.05MM AAV

August 2
Yakov Trenin (Nashville Predators) – Awarded: 2 years, $1.7MM AAV

August 3
Jesper Bratt (New Jersey Devils) – Settled: 1 year, $5.45MM AAV

August 5
Andrew Mangiapane (Calgary Flames) – Settled: 3 years, $5.8MM AAV

August 6
Miles Wood (New Jersey Devils) – Settled: 1 year, $3.2MM AAV

August 7
Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton Oilers) – Settled: 2 years, $3.1MM AAV

August 8
Ethan Bear (Carolina Hurricanes) – Settled: 1 year, $2.2MM
Lawson Crouse (Arizona Coyotes) – Settled: 5 years, $4.3MM AAV
Zack MacEwen (Philadelphia Flyers) – Settled: 1 year, $925K

August 9
Maxime Lajoie (Carolina Hurricanes) – Settled: 1 year, $750K (two-way contract)

August 10
Keegan Kolesar (Vegas Golden Knights) – Settled: 3 years, $1.4MM AAV
Oliver Kylington (Calgary Flames) – Settled: 2 years, $2.5MM AAV

August 11
Mason Appleton (Winnipeg Jets) – Settled: 3 years, $2.167MM AAV
Morgan Geekie (Seattle Kraken) – Settled: 1 year, $1.4MM AAV
Tyce Thompson (New Jersey Devils) – Settled: 2 years, $762.5K AAV (partial two-way)
Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) – Settled: 8 years, $9.5MM AAV
Jake Walman (Detroit Red Wings) – Settled: 1 year, $1.05MM
Pavel Zacha (Boston Bruins) – Settled: 1 year, $3.5MM

New Jersey Devils Extend Miles Wood

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The New Jersey Devils and forward Miles Wood have avoided arbitration, settling on a one-year, $3.2MM deal for next season. Wood was set to have an arbitration hearing on Saturday. Now, he heads back to the Devils with a contract in hand for next season.

Wood, 26, has become an increasingly important member of this young Devils team. The former Boston College Eagle has been with the team since 2016-17, and has scored decently well. He had 17 goals and 25 points in 55 games in 2020-21 but missed most of 2021-22 due to a hip surgery. The hallmark of Wood’s game is his speed. He’s an incredibly fast straight-line skater and that allows him to be a goal-scoring threat.

Wood also has thrived in an “agitator role,” playing with the kind of physicality and tenacity New Jersey fans have long loved to see in their players. Wood has worn the “A” letter since the start of the 2020-21 season and has taken on an increased leadership role with the Devils.

If Wood can stay healthy for next season, the Devils will get a major boost to their lineup. Since this is a one-year deal that walks him to a chance at the open market, Wood’s long-term future in New Jersey is unclear. But if he can stay healthy and score 15-20 goals, as he’s shown he can, the Devils will likely have no problem locking him into a contract for the long haul.

Arbitration Breakdown: Miles Wood

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The only remaining open team-elected arbitration case is that of New Jersey Devils winger Miles Wood. With his hearing scheduled for August 6, Wood and the Devils have the next two days to agree on a new deal prior to the arbitrator’s hearing beginning.

It’s the third arbitration-related case to be inevitably settled involving the Devils organization this week. The team agreed to terms with both Jesper Bratt and Tyce Thompson earlier in the week before their cases reached arbitration.

Filings

Team: $2.975MM
Player: $3.85MM
Midpoint: $3.4125MM

(via Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman)

The Numbers

Ever since the Devils drafted Wood straight out of high school with the 100th overall pick in 2013, he’s exceeded expectations every step of the way. His aggressive brand of hockey has endeared him to Devils fans over the years since making his NHL debut in 2016, and the power forward has shown solid streaks of offensive ability as well. The 2021-22 season was one to completely forget for Wood, though. The 26-year-old played in just three games, limited by a hip injury suffered just before the start of the season. He managed to return for a trio of games in late March and early April before being shut down again, going without a point.

With his health issues, the Devils’ moves in free agency, and the development of their younger players, Wood’s role on the Devils moving forward is less clear. It’s obvious that the team still holds him in high regard, though, as evidenced by their arbitration filing of nearly $3MM. He’ll likely battle players like Andreas Johnsson and Tomas Tatar for ice time in the top nine, but any three of those players would be rather expensive fourth-liners.

When an agreement is reached, don’t expect it to be for more than one season. Wood is eligible for unrestricted free agency next offseason, and with the team’s crowded pool of prospects and forward talent, his long-term future with the team at this point is anyone’s guess.

2021-22 Stats: 3 GP, 0G 0A 0pts, 4 PIMs, 2 shots, 14:46 ATOI
Career Stats: 326 GP, 65G 56A 121pts, 351 PIMs, 706 shots, 13:23 ATOI

Potential Comparables

Comparable contracts are restricted to those signed within restricted free agency which means UFA deals and entry-level pacts are ineligible to be used.  The contracts below fit within those parameters.  

In the past in this series, we’ve only used comparables whose salary figures were compatible with that of the arbitration filings above. In this case, though, the team’s arbitration filing is high given the unique circumstances, as the best comparables for Wood came in below the $2.975MM mark.

Scott Laughton (Flyers) – Laughton signed a two-year deal with Philadelphia in 2019 following an arbitration filing, carrying a $2.3MM cap hit. Coming off a season in which the former first-round draft pick set career-highs in games played (82), goals (12), assists (20), and points (32), initially, it’s hard to imagine why the Devils filed at a higher number than this (more on that later). In recent seasons, Laughton has continued his progression into a solid middle-six role, developing further offensively and becoming one of Philadelphia’s most important depth pieces. Laughton also had added value as a center (and coming in after playing an 82-game season).

Sam Bennett (Flames) – Bennett also signed a two-year deal in 2019 following an arbitration filing for only $250K more than Laughton’s, coming in at $2.55MM. Bennett’s numbers the prior season were worse than Laughton’s, posting 27 points in 71 games, but five points in five playoff games plus a longer track record of offensive success than Laughton gave him a bit of an edge. Bennett has also broken out offensively later in his career, albeit with a different team. Given Bennett had also been tasked with playing in a top-six role at times, something that’s more rarely been asked of Wood, he had a bit more clout, again, especially given his higher draft position and his ability to play center.

Projection

There are always surprises in hockey, undoubtedly. But it’s hard to imagine the arbitrator awarding a figure closer to Wood’s number, given his lack of play in 2021-22 and a host of comparables that come in below even the team’s filing.

If Wood had played this season, we could be looking at an entirely different story. Another 30+ point season could have very well cemented his value in at least the $3MM range, and an award close to his $3.875MM filing wouldn’t be extraordinary. But with Wood coming off a season in which he played virtually no hockey, it’s nearly impossible to project how he’ll perform next season, especially with his spot in the lineup uncertain. Because of that, it seems likely the arbitrator will side closer to the team’s filing.

Given that the Devils filed for club-elected salary arbitration in the first window, there are a few restrictions worth keeping in mind (per CapFriendly), one of which explains the team’s high salary filing. Wood can’t be awarded less than 85% of his previous year’s combined base salary and bonuses, which, despite a $2.75MM cap hit previously, was backloaded with $3.5MM worth of compensation in his final season. That $2.975MM value that New Jersey filed at is the minimum possible award for Wood.

If it reaches an arbitration ruling, Wood can only accept a one-year deal, given he’s in his final year of restricted free agency. Additionally, since they elected for arbitration, the Devils can’t walk away from the arbitrator’s ruling.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Devils Notes: Hamilton, Hughes, Wood, Bernier, World Championships

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After another disappointing season, the New Jersey Devils began their wrap-up today with the first half of the team speaking to the media for exit interviews. The Devils’ Amanda Stein had a chance to speak to many members of the Devils to gather injury updates and plans for the summer. One somewhat surprising note was the lingering injury issues that defenseman Dougie Hamilton had been dealing with in the second half of the season. Hamilton had initially been injured when he took a puck to the face in a January 2nd game against the Washington Capitals, causing him to require surgery and miss nearly two months. The defenseman was able to return on February 24th and finish out the regular season, but was clearly not the same player he was before the injury.

According to Stein, Hamilton said that he had never really felt quite the same after returning from the injury, which could have contributed to his dip in play (link). He also mentioned to the Devils’ Sam Kasan that he had actually broken his toe in the game prior to his jaw injury, perhaps also contributing to his second-half slump (link). As Stein cautions, the broken toe was only “one of” Hamilton’s other ailments in addition to his jaw, not the only other ailment (link). In 30 games prior to the injury, Hamilton had seven goals and 13 assists, which fell to just two goals and eight assists in 32 games after his return to the lineup.

  • From one Devils cornerstone to another, Jack Hughes indicated to Stein that his recovery from his latest injury has been going really well, although he has not been back on the ice yet (link). Hughes suffered a season-ending knee injury after a hit from Oliver Wahlstrom on April 3rd when the Devils took on the New York Islanders, his second major injury of the year, after a shoulder injury caused him to miss a roughly six weeks in October and November. Despite the time missed, the Devil’s young star turned in an exceptional breakout season, putting up 26 goals and 30 assists in 49 games. Keeping the 2019 first-overall pick healthy will be a critical factor in New Jersey taking the next step in their build.
  • Continuing on injuries, an unfortunate key story of the Devils’ 2021-22 season, Miles Wood shared with Stein that he was shut down after just three games this season after the hip injury that had kept him out until March 27th, wasn’t recovering as fast as he had expected after each game (link). With the Devils out of the playoff race in early April, it seemed to make more sense for the Devils to shut the veteran winger down and allow him to completely work through his injury and be able to start fresh for 2022-23. Speaking of next season, Wood is set to become an RFA this summer after the expiration of his four-year, $11MM contract and though the Devils have control of him, where Wood plays next season, and what his next contract looks like, could be a particularly interesting storyline to follow this offseason.
  • The final injury update from today’s Devils interviews came from goaltender Jonathan Bernier, who had season-ending hip surgery on January 3rd. Bernier told Stein that he is hoping to be ready for the start of training camp in September, however he is not happy with where he currently is in terms of his recovery and rehab (link). On a positive note, Bernier did mention he had resumed skating last week, albeit without equipment. Hip surgery is always concerning for a goaltender, but from the Devils perspective, the organization now has a full offseason to address their goaltending situation, including Bernier’s rehab. Regardless of the goaltender’s recovery or New Jersey’s moves this offseason, Bernier still has another year at $4.125MM with the Devils next season.
  • Looking to some positive news for New Jersey this spring, several players confirmed to Stein that they plan to represent their countries at the upcoming World Championships. Forward and team captain Nico Hischier (link) and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler (link) both plan to represent Switzerland in the tournament, with forward Tomas Tatar (link) representing Slovakia, and defenseman Damon Severson (link) representing Canada.

Devils Rule Miles Wood And Jonas Siegenthaler Out For The Season

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The Devils will be without a pair of regulars for the final few weeks as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Miles Wood and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler have been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Wood has missed the majority of the year after undergoing hip surgery following an injury that he suffered in the preseason.  He made his season debut two weeks ago against Montreal and got into two more games after that while spending some time as a healthy scratch as a precautionary measure.  It appears they’re erring on the side of caution with this decision as the team is merely playing out the stretch so there’s no need to risk anything.  Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, he’ll now enter restricted free agency for the final time this summer with not much of a platform year to work off of; he’ll be owed a qualifying offer of $3.5MM which is a high price to pay for someone who maxed out at 25 points in a single season over his current four-year deal.

As for Siegenthaler, his season comes to an end due to a broken hand.  His first full campaign with New Jersey has been a successful one as he has logged more than 20 minutes a game while playing in all but one contest so far.  After being a reserve defender for most of his NHL tenure to this point, this has been a nice turnaround for him.  Siegenthaler would be a strong candidate to play for Switzerland at next month’s World Championships if he is able to recover by then; that tournament begins a little more than a month from now on May 13th.

Injury Notes: Benning, Wood, Sorokin

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The Nashville Predators announced this afternoon that the team activated defenseman Matt Benning off injured reserve. Benning has been listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury for almost two weeks now, last playing in the team’s March 13th win against Minnesota. In his second season in Nashville, Benning has tallied 10 assists in 53 games and is again providing solid defensive depth at the bottom of the lineup. The team’s defensive depth is being stretched thin with injuries to both Mark Borowiecki and Dante Fabbro, so his return to the lineup carries some extra importance as the Predators look to lock down a playoff spot as the season winds to a close.

More from around the NHL today:

  • Another name is coming off injured reserve — New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood. He’ll play his first game of the season tonight against the Canadiens, sitting out all year up until this point with a hip injury sustained during training camp. Wood is likely to draw in on the fourth line alongside youngsters Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian, and his physical game should give New Jersey’s forward group an edge that it’s lacked all season long. Up until this year, Wood had at least 10 goals and 20 points in four straight seasons.
  • New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said after today’s game against Tampa Bay that goalie Ilya Sorokin suffered an upper-body injury that took him out of the game after the second period. It’s unclear whether Sorokin will travel with the team to Columbus for their next game. If he’s out of the lineup, it’s a huge blow to any sliver of hope the Islanders had at making a miracle run into the playoffs. Quietly, Sorokin has been one of the NHL’s best this season, buoying the Islanders with his six shutouts and .927 save percentage in 42 starts. Coming into the game against Tampa Bay, he hadn’t had a save percentage under .929 in his last five games.

 

Injury Updates: Wood, Smith, Domingue, Kase

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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.

  • The Hurricanes could be close to getting defenseman Brendan Smith back in the lineup (link). Smith had not played since suffering an injury in a game against Pittsburgh on February 20th. Adding Smith back into the lineup would certainly be a welcomed defensive depth addition for the Hurricanes.
  • Goaltender Louis Domingue is back at practice for the Penguins today (link). Domingue has only played one game this season for Pittsburgh, a win on January 15th in San Jose, and has been working his way back from a foot injury. It still remains unclear what the timetable is for the goaltender.
  • Yesterday evening, the Toronto Maple Leafs placed forward Ondrej Kase on injured reserve. Kase has not played since Toronto’s 10-7 win over the Detroit Red Wings on February 26th. While Toronto has plenty of quality depth, losing Kase, who has 23 points in 44 games this season, is still a tough blow.

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