It was a busy offseason for Tom Fitzgerald and the New Jersey Devils. As The DevilsNation.com has documented, Fitzgerald improved and checked off all of his punch list items. It started with the coach, then the goaltender, then it moved to the defense and went on to the forwards.
The New Jersey Devils are much improved over last season, especially between the pipes and on defense. There is no reason why they can’t compete for a playoff spot this season. While Tom Fitzgerald is confident in the roster improvements, the games are still played on ice and not on paper. But that does not mean Fitzgerald and the Devils can’t be graded on paper.
Tom Fitzgerald Still Has Holes to Fill on the New Jersey Devils Roster
As we continue with the offseason in New Jersey, Devils Nation will be grading Tom Fitzgerald on his offseason and whether those areas were truly improved. In Part 1 of the Series, we looked at Goaltending. In Part 2, we graded the defense. Here, in Part 3, we will grade the offensive improvements.
Grading the New Jersey Devils Offseason
Top-Six Grade: B
While Tom Fitzgerald does not believe the Devils will have a problem scoring goals, having another scorer on the team never hurts. Tyler Toffoli is no longer with the club; he was the Devils’ leading scorer last season. Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, and Dawson Mercer can score over 20 goals and, in the case of Hughes and Meier, even more. Having another top-six scorer would have helped this club.
New Jersey Devils Bring Back Tomas Tatar
The Devils tried to negotiate with Tyler Toffoli last season before they traded him to Winnipeg at the trade deadline. However, the two parties could not reach a deal, mainly over the length of the contract and the type of trade protection he wanted. This was a similar reason why Jonathan Marchessault did not sign with the Devils. Fitzgerald did not want to go past three years with an aging player.
While Tomas Tatar is a nice addition to the club, the Devils probably could have used a more prominent name. But again, it comes down to what makes the most sense. With the Devils only having a little over $6 million in salary cap space at the time, Tatar at one-year, $1.8 million made the most sense. Plus, Tatar has a history with the Devils, especially Hischier. New Jersey is hoping the magic is still there.
However, having that pure goal scorer complement the team’s playmakers would have made the Devils even more explosive.
Tom Fitzgerald is still working on signing Mercer, who needs a new deal. He expects Mercer to play in the top six and improve his stats next season.
Bottom-Six Grade: A –
Tom Fitzgerald added size on the backend and in his bottom six. First, he traded for Paul Cotter on Day 2 of the NHL Draft. If you recall that was the Akira Schmid and Alexander Holtz trade with Vegas to get Cotter. Then, he signed Stefan Noesen, a familiar name to the Devils. This is his second stint with the club after being in Carolina last season. He is a hard-nosed player and knows how to win puck battles. He also has a knack for the net. New Jersey needed depth in the bottom six after letting Miles Wood walk to free agency last offseason. Not to mention, Michael McLeod has some off-issues that have jeopardized his playing career.
New Jersey Devils Trade Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid to Vegas For Paul Cotter
Cotter and Noesen give the Devils versatility on the bottom size. The Devils have an identity again. All good teams have depth and an identity line. Tom Fitzgerald hopes he has that again. Many Devils fans know that from the days of the Crash Line in 1995 to Ryan Carter, Brian Gionta, and Steve Bernier in 2012. Not to mention the BMW Line of Nathan Bastian, McLeod, and Wood. Depth is essential to any organization that wants to win a Stanley Cup. Two great adds for Fitzgerald.
The offense for Tom Fitzgerald and the New Jersey Devils will receive a split grade of B+.
Stay Tuned for Part 4 of the New Jersey Devils Offseason Grades.
