Pierre Lebrun reports the Devils are “getting a ton of calls” on Sharangovich.

New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald has a laundry list of things to do this summer. He entered the offseason knowing a decision would need to be made for his five unrestricted and eight restricted free agents. 

Over the past few weeks, he traded his longest-tenured player, Damon Severson, to the Columbus Blue Jackets and signed Jesper Bratt to an eight-year contract. On June 16, Fitzgerald revealed that he is working with Timo Meier's agent, Claude Lemieux, to complete a long-term deal. 

Decisions still need to be made on players like Ryan Graves and Mackenzie Blackwood, but with the 2023 NHL Entry Draft quickly approaching, there may not be a more intriguing player than Yegor Sharangovich.

Pierre Lebrun of The Athletic was the first to report that New Jersey was getting "a ton of calls" on the 25-year-old forward. (from 'LeBrun: Erik Karlsson 'open-minded' on trade destinations, plus latest rumblings on Meier, Barbashev, Hellebuyck, more,' The Athletic, Jun. 16, 2023). 

Sharangovich just completed his third season with the Devils. He reached the 30-point mark each season but regressed in the 2023-22 season, earning 16 points less than the prior season when he reached a career-high 46 points. 

During his end-of-season media availability, Sharangovich spoke about his performance and acknowledged a change in his role. 

"This season didn't go the way I wanted it to," he said. "I'm going to work on myself this summer. I will change my preseason workouts on the ice because a lot of guys got to a new level. A couple of new guys are on the team, and my ice time went down. My role has changed." 

When Fitzgerald acquired Meier on Feb. 26, 2023, it set the stage for Sharangovich to become the odd man out. If he remains in New Jersey, it is unlikely he will consistently find himself playing a top-six role, which means he would need to contribute and make an impact in other ways. 

If there is one thing that can be said about Sharangovich, it is that he performed his best playing alongside the team's top talent, specifically Jack Hughes. Knowing this, Sharangovich could pique the interest of a team looking to retool their roster and build around their star players. 

For example, reports have been circulating that the St. Louis Blues will be a team to watch at the NHL Draft. The organization possesses three first-round picks and could make one or two available if the return includes an established NHL player. 

Blues general manager Doug Armstrong is looking for young talent who can play alongside 25-year-old Jordan Kyrou and 23-year-old Robert Thomas. Sharangovich could fit the bill as he is the same age as Kyrou and can play virtually any forward position seamlessly, working into the Blues' top six. 

With his penalty-killing ability and skill to score shorthanded, he could become a valuable acquisition to not only the Blues but teams like the Colorado Avalanche and Washington Capitals as well.

In his tenure as general manager, Fitzgerald has never been afraid to move a player if he thinks the return will help his organization long-term. New Jersey is currently in a win-win situation regarding the Minsk, Belarus native. He can either be moved for a future asset or remain a Devil and contribute in a new role.