The initial rush of NHL free agency is over.
The New Jersey Devils addressed their depth scoring, signing Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov. The organization also parted ways with five players who comprised their third and fourth lines during the 2024-25 season: Nathan Bastian (remains unsigned), Justin Dowling (New York Rangers), Curtis Lazar (Edmonton Oilers), Daniel Sprong (remains unsigned), and Tomas Tatar (Switzerland's National League).
The two additions were good ones by general manager Tom Fitzgerald, but upon examining the Devils' current roster, two holes in their lineup become apparent.
The Devils are still in need of a top winger to play with Jack Hughes. The dazzling duo of Hughes and Jesper Bratt requires a goal scorer to complete their line. It would also benefit Hughes to have a winger alongside him who has some size.
The 2019 first-overall pick needs to remain healthy after being limited to back-to-back 62-game seasons. Having a sizable forward who can carry the puck into the zone and take some of the physical pressure off Hughes would be beneficial, as the 24-year-old has dealt with multiple shoulder injuries.
If there are no further changes to New Jersey's forward group, there are two options to complete the top line. First, there is Dadonov, who is coming off a 20-goal performance with the Dallas Stars. The second is Ondrej Palat. The 34-year-old has gained the trust of Keefe, who kept the Czech winger alongside Hughes and Bratt for the majority of the 2024-25 season.
The other question that remains is who will be the team's third-line center? When The Hockey News asked Fitzgerald if he was in the market for a center on July 2, his response was simply, "My number one priority right now is signing Luke Hughes."
The Devils relied heavily on Nico Hischier last season in the face-off circle as he took 1,777 face-offs. Erik Haula took the second most at 718.
On June 18, 2025, the Devils traded Haula to the Nashville Predators. As previously mentioned, the Devils parted ways with Dowling and Lazar, who took a combined 727 draws.
The Devils re-signed Cody Glass, who was the team's third-line center in the postseason, and signed Juho Lammikko, who has a career face-off win percentage of 47.6%. There are additional internal options, including Dawson Mercer and Paul Cotter as well.
The Devils need a third-line center who can shoulder some of Hischier's responsibilities, shut down an opposing top forward line, and handle difficult minutes on a nightly basis.
As of mid-July, New Jersey's forward group appears incomplete, with players positioned to be higher in the lineup than necessary. It is not a recipe for success for a team looking to take the next step, but time will tell if Fitzgerald has any additional offseason moves up his sleeve before training camp in September.
Photo Credit: © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
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