New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has seven players in need of contracts who contributed to his team's depth this past season.
This summer will look vastly different for New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald compared to last year. After an exciting and unexpected 2022-23 campaign, he will go to work to continue to find the right pieces to complement his roster.
One of the team's biggest strengths this past season was their depth. While head coach Lindy Ruff's line combinations constantly changed, the one thing that remained the same was his decision to consistently roll four lines.
As we continue this mini-series, we will focus on the team's forward depth and look at the restricted and unrestricted free agents who are in need of new contracts.
Who Stays and Who Goes?
Every championship team has vital role players who serve a specific need of the team. Whether it's winning a face-off or killing penalties, they play a limited but crucial role in their team's success. Fitzgerald has to make a decision on seven players who, at specific points in the season, played bottom-six minutes. Let's dive in and begin with three veteran forwards who are free to sign with any team.
Unrestricted Free Agents
Fitzgerald stated during his end-of-season media availability, "I want people who want to be here too. They have to want to be here for the right reasons."
Enter veteran forward Erik Haula, who, during his own media availability, said, "I was just in (Fitzgerald's) office, and I was like, 'Okay, let's get it done.'"
In his first season in New Jersey, Haula appeared in 80 games and collected 41 points (14 goals, 27 assists). He was utilized up and down the lineup and was a key penalty killer. He was a vocal leader in the locker room who spoke up when necessary and held his teammates accountable. After stating, "I don't want to play for any other team. This is my family," it would be a shock not to see Haula return for the 2023-24 campaign.
Miles Wood is a homegrown Devil who has been with the organization since the 2015-16 season. He scored 13 goals this past season and earned 27 points, the second-best in his career. He struggled to find consistency, and most notably, his lack of discipline led to being a healthy scratch in the postseason. He returned for the series versus the Carolina Hurricanes and scored two goals. With Curtis Lazar under contract and players like Tyce Thompson and Nolan Foote hoping to jump from the AHL to the NHL, Fitzgerald could find a more cost-friendly option rather than bringing back Wood, who earned $3,200,000 last season.
The biggest question mark among the unrestricted free agents is 32-year-old Tomas Tatar. AFP Analytics states his next contract is projected to be 3 x $3.3 million. He finished the season with 48 points, which was fifth-best among forwards, and played up and down the lineup finding success on the top line with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer. Did Tatar perform well enough to earn a new contract with the Devils? Yes. Could there be a cheaper option to replace him in the lineup? Yes. Time will tell if Fitzgerald wants to keep the veteran on his roster.
Restricted Free Agents
If there is one player whose performance earned him a raise this summer, it is Michael McLeod. Between his skills in the faceoff circle and play in the postseason, he earned a raise from his $975,000 cap hit last season. He earned a career-high 26 points and led the team with a faceoff win percentage of 60.6.
Nathan Bastian proved how valuable he was last season and was given a more prominent role than most fourth-line players in the league.
"I think I almost have a little bit of a unique role," he said. "I think I'm on a fourth line that's valued on this team. I don't think many fourth liners get a crack at the first power play unit. They use me there, and the penalty kill is something I've been working at and kind of all different areas of the ice. I think it's nice that Lindy trusts me. It's all kind of small areas that I have been trying to build on."
Considering Fitzgerald wasted no time claiming Bastian after the Seattle Kraken placed him on waivers, fans should expect the 6-foot-4 forward to sign a new contract this summer to remain with the team that drafted him in 2016.
Jesper Boqvist and Yegor Sharangovich are two intriguing forwards. The former appeared in 70 games, while the latter played 75 games. Boqvist matched his career-high ten goals and, over the season, became a reliable penalty killer. There was an overall lack of consistency in his game, but there were moments when he proved to be a capable third-line forward.
When it comes to Sharangovich, it's figuring out where he fits in the lineup. The 24-year-old spoke about his reduced minutes and changing role during his end-of-season media availability. My question is, can the Minsk native reinvent his game? At this point, it's unclear if he is part of the equation in New Jersey. With three 30+ point seasons under his belt, he could be desirable to a team looking for NHL-ready players. Is it possible he will get moved over the next couple of months? There is a reason the summer is considered speculation season in the NHL.
The Devils' depth played a significant role in their success last season. Each of the above seven players shined at specific points in the season and can bring something valuable to Fitzgerald's roster. With a projected $34,282,500 to work with this summer, it will come down to dollars and cents and how things financially play out for Fitzgerald and his team.