Devils' Foote Will Have To Earn NHL Roster Spot
The New Jersey Devils re-signed Nolan Foote to a one-year deal yesterday, but he has plenty to prove to secure his NHL roster spot.
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The New Jersey Devils are almost done with their offseason housekeeping. Yesterday morning, they announced they had re-signed restricted free agent Nolan Foote to a one-year, two-way contract worth $825,000 in the NHL.
Foote has struggled to stay in the NHL, partly because of injuries (especially in 2023-24), and this could be his last chance to stick with the Devils. He now requires waivers to be sent to the AHL, meaning training camp will be important for him. Fortunately, there should be a spot or two open for him to earn an NHL roster gig.
Can Foote Overcome Obstacles?
It's wild to say this, but it’s already been four-plus years since Foote came to the Devils in the trade that sent Blake Coleman to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Since then, he's been a productive AHLer, averaging 46 points per 72 games.
Unfortunately for him, Foote has never been able to earn a spot in the NHL, whether it be underperforming during the preseason or getting injured, as he did in 2023-24.
Foote's lost season in 2023-24 was particularly disappointing in there was a clear spot for him to be a bottom-six contributor after the Devils let Miles Wood walk in free agency. I'm sure that was what the organization had planned for him, too.
Foote did return at the very end of the season and did appear in four games, totaling one goal. His five-on-five numbers weren't great, as he totaled an expected goals share (xG%) of 30.33 percent, but it's hard to take much away from a sample of four games.
I say that because Foote's numbers in 2022-23 looked quite good. He only played in six games, but his xG% of 66.9 percent was the best among all Devils skaters if you include his 43-minute sample. You can get some extremes either way with samples that small, so it's difficult to say his results for 2022-23 and last season tell us what kind of player he is.
However, Foote is not without his flaws. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, he'll never be a great skater. It has improved a bit since the Devils acquired him from the Lightning, but still, don't expect him to be better than average. That likely limits his offensive upside in today's NHL, but he can still be a bottom-six contributor.
In his time with the Comets, the Devils worked with Foote to help him develop his game to become more of a power forward. The shot was always there and still is his strength, but getting to high-danger areas and scoring greasy goals would help him establish himself as an NHLer. That's how he'll have to make an impact when the preseason gets going in a month or so.
Because he's waivers-eligible, I'm sure the Devils will give Foote a chance to make his case for an NHL spot. And there should be an opening for him.
Paul Cotter and Curtis Lazar are locks for the fourth line, but I wouldn't pencil in Nathan Bastian yet. He's only played in 97 combined games over the last two seasons, and his $1.35 million cap hit could go on waivers instead if Foote proves himself during the preseason (Brian Halonen will have something to say about that, too).
Even if Bastian makes the team, Foote could lock himself into an NHL gig as the 13th forward if he plays well enough to show he shouldn't go on waivers. If he does go on waivers, a team will probably claim him.
And most importantly, he has to stay healthy. Foote stated in his exit interview a few months ago that a disk issue in his lower back kept him out for most of 2023-24. Back injuries are always concerning and can linger, so hopefully, that's behind him and he can stay on the ice when camp starts.
Cap-wise, the Devils have about $4.9 million in cap space after signing Foote, assuming he remains in the NHL. There's still Dawson Mercer to sign, but cap space shouldn't be an issue, so getting Mercer locked up shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Foote has something to prove to the Devils. It appears they still believe in him and will give him a chance to earn an NHL roster spot in September, but time is running out. He has to show he belongs during preseason games. Otherwise, he'll either return to the AHL or, more likely, be playing for another team after getting claimed on waivers.
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