In ten short days, the players of recent speculation will finally know their fate. The race for the third seed in the Metropolitan Division is a morass of four teams, all within seven points or less of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The New Jersey Devils are firmly ensconced in the group of four chasers, five points behind the Flyers with a valuable game in hand as of Feb. 27. The time to act is right now; general manager Tom Fitzgerald has the opportunity, and the necessary cap space, to ensure that the team that flies home from Los Angeles on Sunday night is an improved version of the one that skated off the ice to boos after a lackluster effort against the Tampa Bay Lightning last Sunday.
Devils Must Strike Fast as Buyers
The time to add pieces for the long term has passed. Now, the Devils should be in scramble mode, trying to add pieces on expiring contracts to help get them past Philadelphia and outlast challenges from the Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Several pending unrestricted free agents would not cost significant assets but could immediately bolster and stabilize the team. The time to decide whether to part with major assets is about to expire. Instead, the Devils should weaponize their cap space and load up on depth without a long-term commitment. The goal should be adding firepower to sweep the California trip and reevaluate. Here are a few options for management to consider.
Tomas Tatar
A major concern with adding a player at this point in the season is how long it will take them to acclimate. With Tomas Tatar, that is not an issue. Both sides desired an extension last summer, but Tatar admittedly overplayed his hand, expecting to get term in a market where a flat cap would not allow it. Instead, he ended up signing a one-year deal in Colorado. Early on, the Colorado Avalanche figured out he was not a fit there and shipped him to Seattle, where he has played well in streaks for the Seattle Kraken. Considering the Devils’ rash of injuries and his versatility, Tatar should have been on the Devils’ radar when the Avalanche moved him earlier. Now, he should be at the top of their list.
Tatar can play both wings; he can contribute in all three zones and on both special teams, which is, in essence, the perfect depth forward to add at this time of the season. He had tremendous chemistry alongside Nico Hischier and, last season, was among the league leaders in plus/minus. His leadership, especially with the young European players, has not been fully replaced, and everyone would welcome him back to the club with open arms.
Tatar’s track record in the playoffs is notoriously lacking, but the Devils must get there first. The most important part of the equation is his familiarity with the team’s structure and the fact that he could be immediately inserted into the lineup without hesitation. With the loss of Nathan Bastian for what appears to be a substantial amount of time, there is a hole in the forward group, and Tatar is the perfect plug for the Devils.
The Kraken traded a fifth-round pick to the Avalanche for Tatar. Should the team make the playoffs, the Devils could allow Seattle to recoup that pick or sweeten the deal with a conditional pick. The price is certainly worth it for a player of Tatar’s caliber and familiarity.
The 33-year-old Slovakian has been having a typical season since he was traded. In 27 games with the Kraken, he has six goals and 11 points, is a plus-9, and has two game-winning goals. Seattle sits in a similar position to New Jersey concerning the playoffs, though they appear more likely to sell. With the cost only being draft picks and cap space, both things the Devils have in abundance, Fitzgerald should pull the trigger on this deal before the team hits the ice to face the San Jose Sharks and have Tatar in uniform by the time the team reaches Anaheim.
Kaapo Kahkonen
The time for big swings with big assets has passed. The Devils need a long-term fix in the net, but it may be too late when a deal is finished. Plus, the terms of a trade and the potential goaltenders on the market may improve in the offseason. At this point, Fitzgerald should focus on the cheaper and simpler options for players on expiring contracts that will only cost cap space and draft picks. Kaapo Kahkonen fits that bill perfectly, and Fitzgerald should not leave San Jose on Tuesday evening without Kahkonen.
Related: Lack of Urgency From Devils Front Office Dims Playoffs Hope
Even if Vitek Vanecek’s return is imminent, the Devils need goaltending help. Of all the available pending free agents, Kahkonen makes the most sense. Yes, his goals-against average (GAA) is high, but he plays for a team that is awful defensively. More encouraging are his underlying numbers, having saved over seven goals above expected in just 27 games, which is more than all the Devils goalies combined. He also has something none of the Devils goalies have in a save percentage (SV%) of .905. None of the numbers are eye-popping, but he would solidify the net and allow the Devils to win without relying on inconsistent rookies or journeymen.
Anthony Duclair
Two other options available to New Jersey would be Sharks winger Anthony Duclair. The speedy Duclair would be a good system fit with the Devils and has been hot since his return from the All-Star Break. He also had 11 points in 20 games for the Florida Panthers in the playoffs last season. The Sharks and Devils are familiar with each other and should be able to work quickly. With the Sharks in rebuild mode, Duclair can likely be had for draft picks and would be a valuable audition to see if he is a long-term fit, even if New Jersey does not make the playoffs.
When Should Fitzgerald Sell
By Sunday night, Fitzgerald should know if his team is a seller. If they cannot amass a minimum of five points from the three-game trip, he should start to sell off his valuable expiring assets even if the team is within striking distance. At this point in the season, with the Devils as healthy as they have been since early November, losing points to the Sharks and/or Anaheim Ducks should be enough to switch Fitzgerald’s mindset.
The main asset he has is the expiring contract of Tyler Toffoli; given his age and potential contract, Toffoli is unlikely to return. The team’s goal leader would be sought after by any team that thinks they are one player away. A Stanley Cup winner, his leadership would be attractive to most teams, thinking they can contend.
The Edmonton Oilers, looking for a top-six winger, would be fortunate to land a player of Toffoli’s caliber. With Jake Guentzel’s health status being inconclusive, Toffoli could be the subject of a significant bidding war among playoff-bound teams. If Sean Monahan was moved for a first-round pick, what would a player of Toffoli’s ilk likely bring? A good comparison is the New York Rangers’ acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko last season, which garnered a first-round pick. The Devils gave up Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick for Toffoli. Flipping him for a first that they could use for a goalie trade in the offseason would be a win for Fitzgerald.
If the Devils cannot remain in the hunt for the playoffs, they must acquire as many assets as possible to be able to use as ammunition to acquire the goalie for their championship run in the future. To accomplish this, they need to leverage all of the unrestricted free agents left on their roster with any value.
The three players that immediately come to mind are defensemen Colin Miller and Brendan Smith and center Tomas Nosek. None of them will bring back a significant return, but all three have extensive playoff experience and would improve a contender’s depth. If the Devils can turn all three into draft picks, it would be a huge success for the team. With none of the four pending free agents having any movement restrictions in their contracts, there is no reason Fitzgerald cannot move these players.
If the Devils become sellers or choose only cautiously to buy, they can still weaponize their long-term injured reserve (LTIR) cap space to gain assets. The Devils should consider working as a third-party broker for teams seeking help retaining salary. With Dougie Hamilton on LTIR and several million of space, the Devils would be wise to use that space to acquire additional assets in players and picks.
The Arizona Coyotes have used this method to stockpile draft picks for their rebuild; the Devils should use it to stockpile picks to acquire their final missing pieces. With this being the final year of the flat salary cap, teams will be up against it even if they take on expiring contracts. The Devils’ ability to lend a hand to those teams should pay off in the long run.
Now is not the time for the Devils to be cautious. The team is still on the precipice of the playoffs. Fitzgerald should make immediate, low-risk moves to give his team a chance to get to solid playoff ground. He should also be prepared that if this week goes as terribly as the last four games, he will need to pivot and sell off assets to weaponize his cap space with a look towards accumulating draft picks that can be used in the offseason to retool the team as their window of contention opens.
