April 15 was not the day the New Jersey Devils or their fans had targeted for the last game of the season. After playing into May last year, the season ending immediately following game 82 left many Devils fans wanting more. The good news is that even though the Devils are finished playing, there is still a reason to watch the playoffs. The Devils have significant holes and many moves to make this offseason. These five teams could hold the key to ensuring they return to the postseason in 2025.
Boston Bruins
Former Devils Jesper Boqvist and Pavel Zacha will be in the lineup when the puck drops for the first game between the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs, but they should not be the focus of Devils fans. Instead, keep an eye on the action in the crease. The Devils need a goalie, and the Bruins have two bonafide starters who will both need to be paid like one in the next year or so. Veteran Linus Ullmark, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner, has been made available by Boston to teams looking for a goalie. Ullmark reportedly declined to waive his no-trade clause during the season, but with one year left on his deal, he may be willing to move to a more permanent location this summer. He has arguably been the last two seasons’ best goalie in the NHL. In 89 regular season games, he has stopped just over 57 goals above expected (GSAx); he leads the NHL in save percentage (SV%) with .927 and goals-against average (GAA) with 2.20. He has nothing left to prove in the regular season.
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His playoff numbers have been less than stellar and should only give the Devils pause. Ullmark has played in eight games for the last two postseasons, to an abysmal .888 SV% and a 3.54 GAA. The Bruins have not announced how they will attack this season’s playoffs regarding a goalie rotation. Still, there is significant pressure on Ullmark to translate his regular season success to the postseason. Should he turn his playoff fortune around, he would become the top target for general manager Tom Fitzgerald’s big-game goalie hunt. It is also worth noting that fellow goalie Jeremy Swayman has expressed displeasure with how Boston handled his contract. Should he become available, the Devils should look his way as well. The last storyline to keep an eye on for Devils fans is if the Bruins flame out early, does that endanger head coach Jim Montgomery’s job and cause the Bruins to go into full rebuild mode? If so, he should be Fitzgerald’s first call for his coaching vacancy.
Vegas Golden Knights
The key to solving the Devils’ defensive consistency may be found out west in the desert where sand turns into gold, on the blue line of the reigning champion Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas has learned how to play fast and loose with the salary cap and weaponized long-term injured reserve to load up for this season’s playoffs to make a run at a second title. Once the playoffs are over, though, it will be time to pay the piper, as their current roster is unsustainable with the current salary cap. Their cap woes will make it difficult for them to compete in the free-agent market. Two forwards integral to the franchise’s success will become unrestricted free agents on July 1, Chandler Stevenson and Jonathan Marchessault. Either would be a good addition to the Devils’ top nine, bringing grit, experience, and clutch performance needed in Newark. The other area to look at is the Vegas defense.
Vegas largely rode its defense to the Cup last season. Building a corps of big, strong, veteran defenders who also could move the puck and skate was the key to protecting young goaltenders in the postseason. This season, the Golden Knights acquired and then extended defenseman Noah Hanifan. With the acquisition of Hanifan and Tomas Hertl and the return of Mark Stone, the Golden Knights are currently projected to head into the summer with only $1.6 million in cap space to retain and sign free agents. They are also bereft of draft picks this season.
Vegas does have a trio of sub-$3 million defensemen who could help solidify the Devils’ backend. Fans should keep an eye on Nicholas Hague, Zach Whitecloud, and Brayden McNabb, as any of the three could help upgrade the Devils’ defense and probably be acquired without trading substantial assets. Another player to watch is defenseman Alec Martinez, who will be an unrestricted free agent (UFA). A veteran with three Cups, he could also add experience on a value contract.
Nashville Predators
Watching the Nashville Predators this season has been painful for Devils fans, who were upset the team let Andrew Brunette leave New Jersey to become Nashville’s head coach. Fitzgerald’s relationship with general manager Barry Trotz goes back decades. After the touching moment at the end of last season’s draft, it is clear both managers have deep affection for each other. They also have valuable assets that each other desires when building their teams. Trotz showed that with a good coach, strong veteran additions in free agency and excellent goaltending, a team can be turned around quickly. Fitzgerald hopes to borrow from that formula this offseason and should look to Nashville to solve his goaltending issue.
The prize of the potential goaltender market is Nashville’s Juuse Saros. He is one of the top five goalies in hockey over the last five years. In the last two years, he has finished in the top four for the Vezina Trophy; he has led the league in saves two years and goalie point shares two years in a row. He is entering his contract’s final year and will seek a massive extension come July. With a highly-touted rookie goalie waiting in the wings in Yaroslav Askarov, Trotz may invest that money in other places rather than commit long-term to Saros and place his faith in Askarov. Saros would be a massive upgrade for New Jersey, but questions will persist about making a long-term commitment to a goalie smaller than the ideal size for a franchise goaltender. He has led the league in starts each of the last three years, which could give Fitzgerald pause about cashing in his valuable assets for a goalie with as much mileage as Saros. The answer to that may determine the Devils’ future success.
Florida Panthers
Unfortunately for New Jersey, it does not appear that Paul Maurice will be available after the playoffs to take over as head coach. Still, several players on the Florida Panthers are set to hit free agency that could fit Fitzgerald’s team well. If the Devils decide they don’t want to pay the steep price to acquire elite-level goaltending, then New Jersey native Anthony Stolarz should be on their radar. He played 27 games and led the NHL in SV% (.925) and GAA (2.03). While not a huge sample size, his career numbers point to a goalie who has been better than most realize, including last season, where his counting numbers suffered playing behind the abysmal Anaheim Ducks defense while still maintaining a positive GSAx. Stolarz possesses the prototypical size the Devils prefer and just turned 30. With the acquisition of Jake Allen, the Devils have less need for a player like Saros, who can play over 60 games and could sign Stolarz expecting him to play 45 or so and spend their major assets improving their skaters.
Florida has players beyond Stolarz who should be of interest to the Devils. Forward Vladimir Tarasenko could fit the role formerly held by Tyler Toffoli without costing any assets. Tarasenko has already won a Cup and provides size and scoring ability. If the Devils are looking for someone difficult to play against, Ryan Lomberg is the agitator that all teams clamor for. The player his teammates call the Lomberghini may not factor on the scoreboard but he brings effort and would be an excellent addition to the Devils’ fourth line. On defense, pending UFA Oliver Ekman-Larsson could help solidify the blue line and has played well on a fast-paced team. Another option may be Nikko Mikkola, who is signed to a team-friendly deal and would be an ideal third-pair defenseman for the Devils.
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are an unlikely trade partner for New Jersey, but they are a good place to look as an example of what a new coach can bring and for their next head coach. When the Capitals hired Spencer Carberry to fill their head coaching position, they followed a trend of successful teams bringing in coaches who had not previously been an NHL head coach. Two of the last three Cup winners were helmed by coaches in their first NHL stop as head coach. Of note is Capitals assistant Mitch Love. He is in his first season with the Capitals, having been hired away from the Calgary Flames organization, where he won the American Hockey League (AHL) Coach of the Year Award in his first two seasons as head coach, leading his teams to a 96-33-11 record. Last season, his team led the AHL in fewest goals against and penalty kill percentage while being fourth in goals for. Love is responsible for the Capitals’ defenders this season, and how he organizes his pairs and deploys his coverages should be of interest to Devils fans.
Other players to keep an eye on in the playoffs are Tampa Bay Lightning’s Anthony Duclair, Edmonton Oilers’ Adam Henrique and Warren Foegele, Dallas Stars’ Matt Duchene, Toronto Maple Leafs’ Max Domi, and Winnipeg Jets’ Sean Monahan. All are pending UFAs and could find a place in the Devils’ lineup within New Jersey’s cap space. Devils’ fans would rather be watching Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, and Jesper Bratt, but keeping an eye on the teams and players here may ensure that this is the last season the Devils’ young core sits out the postseason.
Advanced stats via Moneypuck.com and Naturalstattrick.com