2019 Devils Offseason
A group for all posts related to the 2019 New Jersey Devils offseason.
Blake Coleman Pushing for More Ice Time
Sometimes preseason tells us very little about how much of an impact a specific player might make in the upcoming season. Other times, however, it is a great indicator for how someone has progressed or regressed. If that is the case here, Blake Coleman has progressed really well.
Will the Devils Have a 10 Goal Skater on the PP?
Last season, the New Jersey Devils had the 21st ranked power play unit in the league, not too effective in comparison with the other NHL teams. However, there are new names, and new potential offensive production that could boost this unit up. Could we see 10 goal scorers on the power play this year for NJ?
Will the Devils Have 5v5 20 Goal Scoring Potential?
The one with the biggest potential, of course, is #9.
No KHL Drama: Pavel Zacha Re-Signed for 3 Seasons & $6.75 Million
After rumors of going to Avangard Omsk of the KHL, Pavel Zacha has re-signed with the New Jersey Devils for $6.75 million over three seasons. This post goes over the new contract, whether it is reasonable, and gives an overall opinion about it.
Day News, Night Reaction: The Pavel Zacha Contract Drama
Today’s big story around the New Jersey Devils was about Pavel Zacha, who is reportably in talks with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. Perhaps as leverage to get a deal done with the Devils, although Ray Shero is not-plussed about the news. This post reviews and reacts to today’s Zacha drama.
Devils PK Defense: All About Greene
Today is my 2nd dive in to the special teams of the New Jersey Devils heading up to the season preview a little less than a month from now. While the forwards on the PK were so incredibly important to its success, the defense out there revolved around one man: Andy Greene.
Special Teams GF vs xGF : Devils enjoyed strong PK numbers, but no luck on the PP
Today, I take a small dive into special teams from last year. The Devils were excellent on the PK but quite poor on the PP, and their actual GF numbers as compared to their xGF numbers only exacerbate this.
Did the Devils Play in Close Games? Not Last Year
The Devils that were perennial playoff contenders were great at playing in close situations, backed by world class goaltending that kept them in games. Last year, however, they forgot all of that, and did not play many close minutes at all.
Like Boqvist, Ty Smith is Another Wild Card for NJ
Yesterday, Mike wrote that Jesper Boqvist is a wild card this upcoming season. If he proves he is ready, he is an upgrade. If not, no worries, as others can still provide quality minutes. Another player in the same position at this point is Ty Smith.
After Some Big Offseason Acquisitions, Jesper Boqvist Has Become a Wild Card for the Devils
A few months ago, Jesper Boqvist’s path to the opening night roster looked pretty clear. After a big offseason for the Devils, though, it looks like just one forward position in the opeining night lineup is really up for grabs. He’ll have a chance to make a potentially dynamic Devils lineup even more formidable if he can stick around, though.
Getting Out of the Gate Fast
With a re-energized fan base and roster heading into October 2019, that first month of the season could say a lot about the New Jersey Devils’ chances for the season. What does the schedule look like?
Jesper Bratt Took a Leap Forward in 2018-19. Can He Take Another This Season?
After a rough finish to his rookie season in 2017-18, it was fair to question if Jesper Bratt was a flash in the pan. After a strong sophomore season, some of those doubts have been significantly diminished. Can he cement his status as part of the core of this team in 2019-20?
Winning Streaks: Bad Year vs a Good One
For the New Jersey Devils to considerably improve over last year’s dud, they will need to string together more wins and points. Come look at the quality of win and point streaks the Devils put together in 2017-18 versus how anemic they were at it last season.
Looking Ahead: Assessing the Devils’ 2020 Cap Situation with Big Contracts Potentially on the Way
The Devils have been a team with an abundance of cap space over the past few years as they have tried to rebuild the roster. This summer, they made some long-awaited big splashes using that space. Now, as some big deals lurk on the horizon in summer 2020, the Devils appear to be headed toward the other side of the salary scale.
Will Butcher Reasonably Re-Signed by New Jersey Devils for 3 Seasons, $11.2 Million
This morning, the New Jersey Devils announced that they have re-signed defenseman Will Butcher to a three-season contract worth $11.2 million. This post goes over how well Butcher played last season, how the Devils will likely use Butcher next season, and discusses the contract itself.
New Jersey Devils Acquired Nikita Gusev for Picks & Signed Gusev for $9 Million Over 2 Seasons
The New Jersey Devils acquired left winger Nikita Gusev from Vegas for a 2020 third round pick and a 2021 second round pick. They also signed him to $9 million over two seasons. This post goes over how great Gusev is and how good the sign-and-trade was for NJ.
Faceoff Situation is Much Unchanged
In recent memory, almost no one has been better at faceoffs in the NHL than Travis Zajac. He is a pure stud in this department, one John Hynes can rely on in clutch situations. Everyone else? Not so good.
Lineups With Style— Analyzing the Devils Current Roster by Playing Style
Using a model that turns playing stats into playing styles, we’ll look at which Devils skaters excel in what areas, who should be paired with who, and how their lines might look this coming season.
Home vs Road Splits; Home Ice Advantage?
Every hockey team likes to think they have home ice advantage that is meaningful. Did the Devils play much better at home last season than on the road? Let’s take a quick look.
After the Collapse of the 2010s, the Devils Will Hope to Emerge from a Dark Decade this Season
The Devils are exiting a decade that went very poorly for the team and saw the entire structure of the franchise crumble. With the calendar about to turn on the 2010s, the Devils might be positioned for a 2020s that will be significantly kinder to them and their fans. Fingers crossed.
Devils Success Likely to Hinge on Rookie Performances This Season
The Devils have four rookies slated to potentially jump into significant roles for the team this season. While it carries with it some risk, it also echoes the team from two years ago, which succeeded thanks to some major rookie contributions.
2019 Offseason Metropolitan Division Snapshot: How it Stacks Up for New Jersey
It is clear that the New Jersey Devils will likely be a better team than they were last year. However, can they move up in the division and take a playoff spot? To answer that, this special offseason Metropolitan Division snapshot looks at the offseasons so far for all other 7 teams in the division.
Devils Still Looking Up in the Division?
With the draft and free agent frenzy having taken place, there is no doubt that the New Jersey Devils are in a better position to win than they were at the end of this past season. Have they done enough, however? One WAR projection says no.
Don’t Panic: Devils Defenders Will Butcher, Mirco Mueller, Connor Carrick Filed for Arbitration
Today was the deadline for eligible restricted free agents to file for arbitration and New Jersey Devils defensemen Will Butcher, Connor Carrick, and Mirco Mueller were among the 40 who filed today. This post is a quick reaction to the news and explains why you should not panic.
With the FA Frenzy Dust Settled, What Moves Can the Devils Still Make?
Ray Shero has been relatively quiet in the opening days of free agency, adding Wayne Simmonds and some AHL depth. Could there be more coming from the Devils GM? Where do opportunities to improve the roster still remain?
Simmonds and AHLers: A Fairly Quiet July 1 for Ray Shero & the New Jersey Devils
Free Agency Frenzy took place throughout the league on July 1, 2019. The New Jersey Devils only got a little bit involved as they signed a big one-year contract to Wayne Simmonds and three AHL players. That’s more than last year’s result for the Devils. This post reviews it all anyway.
New Jersey Devils Make Three Smaller Free Agency Signings
The New Jersey Devils continued their first day of the free agency period by signing three players to two-way contracts. This article takes a look at who each player is.
New Jersey Devils Make First Splash in Free Agency, Ink Wayne Simmonds to One-Year, $5M Contract
Wayne Simmonds is now a member of the New Jersey Devils...at least for the 2019-20 season. This post discusses the signing and the impact it may have on the team.
The 2019 Free Agency Frenzy Open Post for the New Jersey Devils
This is the annual open post for readers to discuss everything that will happen today, the first day for unrestricted free agents to sign new contracts. The Devils have over $20 million in cap space and needs to address. What will they do today? What will others do? Discuss it all here.
Buy, Buy Buy!: 2019 NHL Free Agency Frenzy Preview for the New Jersey Devils
After drafting Jack Hughes and trading for P.K. Subban, the New Jersey Devils head into the first day of free agency with loads of cap space and a desire to get more talent. Who is available? Who is set to hit the market from NJ? All this and more in this free agency preview for the Devils.
UFA Spotlight: Should the New Jersey Devils Go For Patrick Nemeth?
As unrestricted free agency will begin in the near future, Ray Shero is expected to add more talent to the New Jersey Devils. With an older Andy Greene still leading the penalty kill, the team may want to consider a new face to eat up shorthanded minutes. This post looks at a defenseman who can do just that: Patrick Nemeth.