Offseason Checklist: New Jersey Devils

Before getting into the bridge versus long-term debate, this is a good time to mention their cap situation.  Per PuckPedia, the Devils have roughly $12MM in cap space at their disposal with a few forward spots to fill (including those center positions), a new deal for Hughes, and one other possible opening in the next section.  On top of that, they likely want to leave themselves some in-season wiggle room so not all of that may be spendable.

While there’s enough of a track record to make a long-term deal feasible, New Jersey’s cap situation might dictate they go with a short-term pact, allowing for some extra flexibility, especially if Fitzgerald is able to make a big swing or two as he’s hoping for.  Notably, Hughes has five years of club control remaining, giving them a few more options on a short-term agreement as a bridge deal could conceivably be four years long with him still being restricted at the end of it.  A two-year agreement could land around the $5MM range while a four-year pact likely could push past $6MM per season.

On the flip side, Hughes could be viewed as the top priority of the offseason which could allow the two sides to work out a longer-term pact up to the maximum of eight years.  There are recent comparables to work with in Owen Power (seven years, $8.35MM per season) and Brock Faber (eight years, $8.5MM per season) although those were obviously signed before the projection of a faster-escalating cap came into play.  But New Jersey should know that if they want to go long-term with Hughes, the price tag likely starts with an eight.

With no arbitration or offer sheet rights, this is one of those cases that could linger toward training camp.  But with the Devils needing to know what money they have available to fill their other holes on the roster, this is something that they’re going to want to get done sooner than later.

Look For Goalie Insurance

Starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom has just one year left on his contract before being eligible for unrestricted free agency.  Jake Allen is set to hit the open market this summer and profiles as one of the top netminders available in a particularly thin class.  This season, their goaltending position was one of strength but it’s already looking a little shallower.

Yes, Nico Daws is already under contract at a cap hit that’s less than $40K above the league minimum.  While that’s ideal from a cap standpoint, he’s coming off a particularly rough year with AHL Utica that saw him put up a 3.16 GAA and a .893 SV% in 34 games.  Meanwhile, while he fared much better in six NHL games, his career numbers in 54 outings aren’t the strongest.  It’s possible that the plan is to give him a shot at being the full-time backup and if that’s the case, they’re going to want some insurance, either as someone who could battle with Daws for the number two spot or come up if he struggles.

Alternatively, they could look for a more proven second option with an eye on starting Daws in the minors again, pending waiver clearance.  Markstrom’s former Calgary teammate Daniel Vladar could be an option, as could Ilya Samsonov if he leaves Vegas.  Allen realistically shouldn’t be ruled out either after a relatively solid first full season with them.  Of course, those options cost more and would cut into what they can spend for help down the middle or when working out a deal with Hughes.  Some of those players might require more than one year which would at least give them one proven option under contract beyond 2025-26 as well.

Utilize Defensive Depth

New Jersey has put together a solid defensive group with two promising youngsters behind them in Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey.  As things stand, they have more than $27MM committed to their blueliners, a cost that’s only going to go up considerably once Hughes signs.  It’s not out of the realm of possibility that their back end will be the most expensive in the league, costing more than 35% of the salary cap in the process.

Once Hughes signs, their lowest-paid defenders will be Jonas Siegenthaler ($3.4MM) along with Johnathan Kovacevic and Brenden Dillon ($4MM apiece).  Individually, these aren’t bad value contracts but with that much tied up in their top six and Nemec and Casey in the wings, there’s a case to be made that they might be better off dealing from their surplus of veterans, a move that would open up a spot for one of the youngsters and potentially some additional cap flexibility.

The challenge here revolves around handedness and it’s not necessarily the normal one.  Both youngsters are right-shot players as are veterans Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, and Kovacevic.  At a $9MM price tag for three more years, Hamilton will be difficult to move, at least without considerable retention.  Pesce just signed last summer and has a full no-trade clause while Kovacevic only signed his extension less than three months ago so he’s probably safe as well.

Speculatively, Siegenthaler would be the likeliest to move if the Devils do deal from their depth.  Being the cheapest player helps but he has primarily played top-four minutes over the last four years and with three years left on a reasonable contract, he would yield a solid return.  That would put them in a rare spot of having more right-shot options than lefties but that would help open up some options for Fitzgerald to try to make a splash this summer.