Devils Add More Versatility to Top-9 With Addition of Tyler Toffoli

Devils acquire Toffoli via a trade with the Calgary Flames.

NEWARK, N.J. -- New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald wants to have the best top-nine team in the league, and he is well on his way to achieving his goal. 

After the 2021-22 campaign, Fitzgerald held his end-of-season media availability and spoke about having too many similar players regarding his forward group. 

"I have a wish list of characteristics of players that I really think we need to add to support the young offensive talent that we have," he said. "I think we have a lot of the same upfront. I don't want a lot of the same. It's time to start mixing and matching and building a team, especially up front, that is harder to play against." 

Since then, Fitzgerald added Erik Haula, Ondrej Palat, Timo Meier, and Curtis Lazar. The players mentioned above have an average height of 6'0", weight of 202 lbs, and age of 29.5. Each brought something different to the Devils, whether it was championship experience, physicality, or bolstering the team's power play.  

After an impressive postseason performance and second-round exit, Fitzgerald looked to add more talent to his forward group and, on June 27, acquired Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames. 

- He is 31-years-old and listed as 6'0" and 203 lbs.

- In 2013, he won the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award, given to the American Hockey League player determined to be the most outstanding rookie. The award is based on voting by both the media and the players.

- The following season, at 21 years old, he won his first Stanley Cup as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. He had 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 26 playoff games. 

- Toffoli was traded from the Kings to the Vancouver Canucks on February 17, 2020. He then signed as a free agent with the Montreal Canadiens on October 13, 2020, and after 89 games, was traded to the Calgary Flames.  

Toffoli is one of three players who will make up New Jersey's top three lines, who is at least 200 lbs, joining Meier (220 lbs) and Lazar (203). He has a heavier body and was credited with 59 hits and 14 blocked shots last season with the Flames. He is not an overly physical player, but like Haula, he can add a little grit playing alongside the team's young core.

"I think I bring something that's sort of unique," he said to reporters. "It may not seem like I'm always doing the flashiest thing on the ice, but I try and take pride in doing the right thing all the time. And that was one of the things that I needed to do to start my career in the NHL. I think just making a lot of those little plays and finding open ice and getting lots of opportunities to score goals. That's something that, you know, the fans can be looking forward to." 

The Scarborough, Ontario native continued to say that while he wants to contribute offensively and build off his 73-point season, he takes pride in playing a 200-foot game. Additionally, Toffoli can contribute to the power play and be deployed on the penalty kill. 

Fitzgerald added a two-time 30-goal scorer and another Stanley Cup champion to his 2023-24 season roster. Toffoli has a knack for anticipating where to be for scoring chances and can improve one of the Devils' weaknesses from last season, their power play.