Devils' Forward Depth Gets Needed Versatility With Dadonov

The New Jersey Devils were missing an Evgenii Dadonov-type forward in their lineup in 2024-25.

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The New Jersey Devils haven't made the big move yet, but that could come later this summer as the trade market opens up. For now, general manager Tom Fitzgerald has improved the team's depth with two free-agent signings.

We'll get into Connor Brown's impact this coming week, but let's focus on Evgenii Dadonov, who the Devils signed to a one-year, $1 million deal heavy on performance bonuses. He quietly had a productive season for the Dallas Stars and should add some versatility to the middle of the Devils' lineup.

The Devils Didn't Have a Dadonov in 2024-25

The Devils may need more scoring pop in their top six, but their depth scoring should look much better with Dadonov. He finished this past season with 20 goals and 40 points in 80 games, a stark contrast compared to last season's Devils bottom-six players.

Paul Cotter, Nathan Bastian, Curtis Lazar, Tomáš Tatar, Justin Dowling and Erik Haula had 43 goals combined, and it was a struggle to score at five-on-five. As Dimitri Filipovic stated on a few Hockey PDOcasts episodes this season, the Devils averaged around 1.5 goals per 60 in non-Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier minutes.

Dadonov should help remedy that, as he averaged 0.8 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five this past season. That would have tied Timo Meier for the fourth-best rate on the Devils in 2024-25.

Goal-scoring isn't the only area where Dadonov should help, though. He's not a high-volume shooter, but he does generate quality scoring chances. He can also create offense off the rush, as he ranked in the 78th percentile in rush shots and 61st percentile in rush offense this past season.

Aside from Cotter, there weren't many Devils who could create offense off the rush in the bottom six. Even Dawson Mercer struggled to create rush offense when he was playing in a bottom-six role.

While Dadonov isn't an elite playmaker or passer, he ranked in the 93rd percentile in high-danger passes during the 2024-25 season. He's decent enough in transition, though I wouldn't ask him to be the driver on a line at this point in his career.