Keys to the offseason for the New Jersey Devils
Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton: The New Jersey Devils dispatched the New York Rangers in round one, to then go through some shakey goaltending and lose if five games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
2023 draft picks: 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th
Timo Meier is a pending RFA and is owed a $9 million qualifying offer. Will the Devils be able to sign him to a long-term deal?
Another RFA that the Devils will have contract talks with is Jesper Bratt.
On the unrestricted free agent side of things, they’ll have decisions on Miles Wood, Damon Severson and Ryan Graves.
2023 UFAs – Tomas Tatar, Erik Haula, Miles Wood, Damon Severson, Ryan Graves, Jonathan Bernier, Robby Russo, Mason Geertsen, Brian Pinho, Jayce Hawryluk, and Joseph Gambardella.
2023 RFAs – Timo Meier, Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, Jesper Bratt, Jesper Boqvist, Yegor Sharangovich, Kevin Bahl, MacKenzie Blackwood, Reilly Walsh, Gilles Senn, Aarne Talvitie. Zachary Emond, Jeremy Groleau, Timur Ibragimov and Zack Hayes.
2024 UFAs – Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, Brendan Smith, MacKenzie Blackwood and Tyler Wotherspoon.
2024 RFAs – Dawson Mercer, Akira Schmid, Brian Halonen, Nolan Foote, Graeme Clarke, Michael Vukojevic, Santeri Hatakka, Nicolas Daws, and Tyce Thompson.
Can the Devils re-sign Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt? Will more ELC be needed?
Shayna Goldman of The Athletic: The New Jersey Devils offseason will consist of trying to get Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt signed to long-term contract extensions. If they can’t get a deal done for one them, they’ll need to find their replacement. The Devils need high-end skill that both have.
Will the Devils lose one or both of pending UFAs Damon Severson and Ryan Graves?
Given the contracts that Meier, Bratt, and maybe Graves may get, the Devils may need to fill out their roster with some entry-level contracts. Luke Hughes should get a permanent spot and 2022 second-overall pick Simon Nemec could get a spot.
There are question marks in net for next season with MacKenzie Blackwood (RFA), Vitek Vanecek, and Akira Schmid.