Here's a recap of the latest Devils' news and notes from this week.
NEWARK, N.J. -- New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald had a busy week. On June 15, he locked up restricted free agent Jesper Bratt to a long-term eight-year deal and provided updates on some of his other players, including Timo Meier.
Here's a wrap-up of all the latest Devils' news and notes as the offseason begins to heat up around the league.
New Jersey Devils Headlines
- Fitzgerald can cross one giant item off of his to-do list. He finally reached an agreement with Jesper Bratt and his agent, Joakim Persson. His contract carries an average annual value of $7.875 million. The contract breakdown is as follows: 2023-24: $10,000,000; 2024-25: $9,000,000; 2025-26: $9,000,000; 2026-27: $8,000,000; 2027-28: $7,200,000; 2028-29: $7,200,000; 2029-30: $6,600,000 and 2030-31: $6,000,000.
- Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Thursday, June 15, that the Devils filed for team-elected arbitration with Meier.
- Brendan Smith's younger brother Reilly is a Stanley Cup champion. Considered one of the original misfits, he was the second player to hoist the Cup after captain Mark Stone. The Devils defenseman shared a congratulatory message on Instagram, calling the moment unbelievable.
- Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reported New Jersey is receiving calls for restricted free agent Yegor Sharangovich. It's no surprise the 25-year-old is garnering interest as he has consistently been a 30-point player, earning a career-best 46 points during the 2021-22 season. A team like the St. Louis Blues could make sense for Sharangovich as they are looking for players who are NHL-ready and can play with 25-year-old Jordan Kyrou and 23-year-old Robert Thomas. (from 'LeBrun: Erik Karlsson ‘open-minded’ on trade destinations, plus latest rumblings on Meier, Barbashev, Hellebuyck, more,' The Athletic, Jun 16, 2023).
Update on Contract Negotiations with Meier
During his media availability on June 16, Fitzgerald provided updates on his negotiations with Meier's agent Claude Lemieux. He confirmed there is interest from the Devils as well as Meier to sign an eight-year contract.
"Timo knows since I spoke to him (on June 15)," Fitzgerald said. "He knows how much we want to continue this relationship, long term, and he's reiterated that to me ... this is where he wants to be. He sees himself as a Devil and has asked his agent to negotiate an eight-year deal with us. It's music to my ears, and we'll continue to kind of chip away at it, but the goal is to have Timo Meier in a Devils' uniform for the next eight years."
Around the Metropolitan Division
- LeBrun reported on TSN's Insider Trading show that if the Carolina Hurricanes can't extend Brett Pesce this summer, they might look to move him. Ryan Henkel has the story for The Hockey News.
- Stefen Rosner writes about the players the New York Islanders spoke to at the 2023 NHL Draft Combine. Like the Devils, they do not have a first-round selection, with their first pick being 49th overall.
- Peter Laviolette was selected as the 37th head coach of the New York Rangers. Was it the right choice or a safe choice? Jonny Lazarus gives his take.
- On June 14, the Philadelphia Flyers announced they made qualifying offers to Noah Cates, Morgan Frost, Olle Lycksell, Ronnie Attard, and Cam York. Ryan Quigley breaks it all down.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins hired Jason Spezza as their assistant general manager. According to Nick Horwat, the Penguins still have a vacancy at the general manager role, but Kyle Dubas stated he will handle that position in the interim.
- What exactly is going on with Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals? Has he been made available? Reporter Sammi Silber has the latest.