6 Forwards Devils Could Target to Upgrade Bottom 6
Even in a weak year for free agents, there are some potential upgrades for the New Jersey Devils' bottom 6.
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How many times did I write about the New Jersey Devils' bottom-six struggles this season? Probably too many to count, but that should change this offseason. Tomáš Tatar has already signed in Switzerland, and I'm sure most of this season's regular bottom-six forwards will be playing elsewhere in 2025-26.
As I've talked about here and in most of my posts for The Hockey Writers, it's a shallow UFA class. There are some potential value buys in free agency who would be good additions to the Devils' bottom six. We won't mention them again here, but there are other options worth reviewing.
Brandon Saad
The Devils were reportedly one of the teams interested in Brandon Saad when the St. Louis Blues and Saad mutually terminated his contract, but he ended up signing with the Vegas Golden Knights. It would not shock me if the Devils have some interest in free agency if he makes it to the open market on July 1.
Saad is not the player he once was, but he still appears to be a capable third-liner/bottom-six winger. He finished with 13 goals and 30 points in 72 games between the Blues and Golden Knights and produced at nearly a 40-point pace with the Golden Knights.
Saad still does some things pretty well. He's a volume shot and chance creator, and generates plenty of high-danger chances. His playmaking ability has fallen off, but he was never a high-end playmaker to begin with. He also ranked in the 70th percentile in forecheck involvement, which the Devils could use more of in the bottom of their lineup.
Evolving Hockey has Saad signing a three-year deal at a cap hit of $3.917 million, while AFP Analytics has him signing for two years and $2.588 million annually. He's still a solid bottom-six forward and could even move up the lineup if needed.
Eric Robinson
The Carolina Hurricanes have a ton of cap space, so they probably wouldn't have trouble re-signing Eric Robinson if that's something they're intent on doing. But if not, perhaps the Devils will have interest in the New Jersey native.
Robinson had a solid season for the Hurricanes, finishing with 14 goals and 32 points in 82 games. He's a good shot and chance creator and a decent playmaker. He's also one of the best forecheckers in the NHL and will throw the body around. Additionally, he skates well, as his top skating speed ranked in the 65th percentile this season (via NHL EDGE).
Evolving Hockey has Robinson signing for three years at a cap hit of $2.146 million, while AFP Analytics has him at $2.476 million annually for three years. He should be an affordable upgrade for the Devils, especially compared to what they iced this season.
Connor Brown
The Edmonton Oilers' cap situation may force them to part ways with Connor Brown, especially since they have to re-sign Evan Bouchard. If so, he'll be one of the better bottom-six forwards available in free agency.
After a disappointing 2023-24 that saw him finish with just four goals and 12 points, Brown rebounded this season and totaled 13 goals and 30 points. It's clear that he wasn't all the way back last season after recovering from a torn ACL that forced him to miss almost all of the 2022-23 campaign.
Most notably, Brown's speed seemed to return, as his top skating speed ranked in the 66th percentile in the regular season and the 89th during the playoffs. His two-way game was sound, he created shots and chances, and he was one of the better penalty-killers in the NHL.
Brown should be in the Devils' price range, as Evolving Hockey has him signing for three years and a cap hit of $2.082 million, while AFP Analytics has him signing for a cap hit of $2.920 million for three years. His playoff experience over the last two seasons will also likely appeal to the Devils' front office.
Cole Koepke
Offense was tough to come by for the Boston Bruins this past season, but they did have some solid bottom-six forwards. Cole Koepke was one of them, as he finished with ten goals and 17 points in 73 games.
Goals above replacement (GAR) isn't a perfect metric, but Koepke was one of the Bruins' more valuable players, finishing with a GAR of 4.9, ranking sixth among all Bruins skaters. Furthermore, he averaged 0.72 goals per 60 minutes, which was just about equal to Brad Marchand's goal-scoring rate at five-on-five.
Of course, that doesn't mean Koepke is better than Marchand, but he looks like a capable bottom-six winger. He can chip in some offense, and his defensive metrics were excellent; he was one of the Bruins' best shot suppressors.
Koepke should cost peanuts to sign, as Evolving Hockey and AFP Analytics have him signing a contract for a cap hit of less than $1.5 million annually.
Pius Suter
Pius Suter had a breakout season with the Vancouver Canucks, finishing with 25 goals and 46 points — both career-highs — in 81 games, and he’s about to cash in during free agency.
While I wouldn't expect Suter to produce at those levels again, he's always been a solid bottom-six forward. He's generally totaled around 15-20 goals and 30-35 points for most of his career, and he's always had good two-way impacts.
I could see Suter being of interest to the Devils, but he's a bit of an odd player. He's undersized but does not skate well, and he struggles in the faceoff dot. He can play the wing if needed, but I imagine the Devils envision him more as a center than a winger.
Oh, and that payday? Evolving Hockey has Suter signing for four years and a cap hit of $4.651 million, while AFP Analytics has him signing for $4.983 million annually over four years.
My guess is the Devils acquire a third-line center via a trade, so Suter as a free-agent target may be moot unless they view him as a winger. But if they get to July 1 without acquiring a 3C, don't be shocked if they pursue Suter.
Victor Olofsson
A couple of years ago, I would have called you crazy for wanting Victor Olofsson on the Devils. But the times, they are a changing, and there seems to be something about getting away from the Buffalo Sabres that helps players.
Olofsson had a solid season for the Golden Knights, finishing with 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games — a 22-goal, 42-point pace over 82 games. He's a shoot-first winger with a plus shot, something the Devils could use more of in the middle of their lineup. But more importantly, his underlying metrics were sneaky good:
The one downside with Olofsson is that he's not a great skater; his top skating speed ranked below the 50th percentile this season. The Devils do need to get faster, but they could also use more shooting talent, so they’d have to weigh which is more important if Olofsson is a target.
Despite producing at a 22-goal pace and having a history of potting 20 goals, Olofsson should be affordable for the Devils. Evolving Hockey has him signing for two years at a cap hit of $2.265 million, while AFP Analytics has him at three years and $3.410 million annually.
Olofsson would certainly be better than what the Devils iced on their third line this season and would help push Paul Cotter down into a more suitable fourth-line role.
Devils Need to Strengthen Their Depth
Improving their bottom six should be a priority for the Devils. It may not be as important as acquiring a top-six winger and third-line center, but strengthening their depth would go a long way in helping avoid the five-on-five scoring struggles they had this past season.
Advanced stats from Evolving Hockey, Advanced Hockey Stats, and Natural Stat Trick