6 Free Agents Devils Can Target for Bottom 6
The New Jersey Devils' bottom 6 was not close to playoff-caliber in 2023-24, so expect changes there this offseason.
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We've looked at some individual unrestricted free agents (Viktor Arvidsson, Anthony Duclair) that the New Jersey Devils should target. But with free agency now less than three weeks away, it's time we start looking at certain position groups and who the Devils and general manager Tom Fitzgerald could target.
One area of focus for Fitzgerald will be the bottom six. I bet he wants to add at least one forward to that group, but I wouldn't be surprised if he adds two if he can afford it. Fortunately, there are plenty of cost-effective options he can target.
William Carrier
I've mentioned William Carrier a few times in recent posts, so I figured we start with him. He only played in 39 games this season, totaling six goals and eight points. But I'm sure that won't stop him from having multiple suitors on July 1.
Despite missing plenty of time with injuries the last few seasons, Carrier has been one of the best bottom-six wingers in the NHL. He's averaged 16 goals and 28 points per 82 games and has some excellent two-way impacts at even strength:
AFP Analytics has Carrier signing a two-year deal at a cap hit of $2.488 million, while Evolving Hockey has him signing for one year and $1.265 million. For context's sake, Evolving Hockey has Carrier at $1.740 million on a two-year deal.
I tend to think Carrier signs for something closer to AFP's projection. He's a great fit for the Devils, as he adds size (6-foot-2, 218 pounds), physicality and some occasional offense in the bottom six. His availability is a concern, as he's only appeared in 158 games over the last three seasons. I wonder if that gives the Devils pause about pursuing him, but there's no doubt he's a fit.
Teddy Blueger
It wouldn't surprise me if the Devils were comfortable having Curtis Lazar center the fourth line. But if they aren't, Teddy Blueger is someone they could target on July 1. Blueger had an excellent season with the Canucks, totaling six goals and 28 points in 68 games — a 34-point pace over 82 games.
Blueger has been one of the better fourth-line centers in the NHL since he broke into the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He's not much of a scorer, but he has some playmaking ability. Where he really stands out, though, is defensively. He's a high-end defensive forward who kills penalties and wins faceoffs at a clip well above 50 percent.
Is Blueger a potential Michael McLeod replacement? I wouldn't go that far, but he would strengthen the Devils' center depth quite a bit. Evolving Hockey has him signing for two years and a cap hit of $1.808 million, while AFP Analytics has him inking a two-year deal at a cap hit of $2.176 million. He could be some cheap center depth for the Devils, something I think they could use in the bottom six.
Kiefer Sherwood
Kiefer Sherwood is one of the lesser-known bottom-six UFAs this year, but he's a winger the Devils should target. He finished with 10 goals and 27 points in 68 games — a 33-point pace over 82 games. He was also one of the most physical players in the NHL this season, amassing an insane 234 hits.
Sherwood's counting totals aren't a mirage or empty calories, either. He posted some pretty solid underlying metrics with the Nashville Predators this season:
Sherwood is one of my favorite targets for the Devils' bottom six, and he should come at an affordable price. Evolving Hockey has him signing for two years at a cap hit of $1.753 million, while AFP Analytics has him signing for two years and a cap hit of $2.085 million. He looks like a significant upgrade over Nathan Bastian and will add some meanness to a Devils' bottom six that could use it.
Jordan Martinook
If he doesn't re-sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, Jordan Martinook will be one of the most sought-after UFAs this summer. You could argue he's the best bottom-six forward available in this year's free-agent class.
Martinook finished this past season with 14 goals and 32 points in 82 games while posting some of the best underlying metrics in the league for a bottom-six winger. His even-strength defense was worth a goals above replacement (GAR) of 5.1, a top-15 number among all forwards league-wide.
There's no doubt the Devils could use Martinook's excellent two-way presence in their bottom six, and they might be able to afford him. Evolving Hockey has him signing for three years at a cap hit of $2.644 million, while AFP Analytics has him at three years and $2.744 million. It probably depends on what else the Devils have planned for the offseason, but they should pursue him for that price.
Michael Amadio
Carrier's teammate with the Vegas Golden Knights, Michael Amadio should also be a viable option for the Devils' bottom six, at least stylistically. He finished this past season with 14 goals and 27 points in 73 games and posted some more than solid underlying metrics, ranking in the 74th percentile in GAR among his peers.
Amadio isn't the most physical bottom-six winger (he totaled just 48 hits this season), but he still adds good size at 6-foot-1, 204 pounds. He makes up for the lack of hitting with his forechecking ability, something the Devils could use in the bottom six, too.
While I like Amadio quite a bit, he might be more expensive than the Devils want to pay for a bottom-six forward. Evolving Hockey has him signing for four years and a cap hit of $3.255 million, while AFP Analytics has him landing a three-year contract at a cap hit of $3.180 million.
The Devils have $19.1 million in cap space, but that will run out quickly if they want to add a goalie, a couple of defensemen and a top-six winger. For those projections, I think they stay away from Amadio. But he is a good enough player that they should give him some thought.
Yakov Trenin
I've been a fan of Yakov Trenin for a while, and it wouldn't shock me if the Devils are, too. He finished with 12 goals and 17 points in 76 games between the Predators and Colorado Avalanche this season while continuing to post excellent defensive results.
Trenin is not a big-time scorer, but he's averaged 14 goals per 82 games over the last three seasons. You'll very much take that from a fourth-line winger, and his defensive impacts border on elite. He's also one of the best penalty killers in the league, something I'm sure the Devils would love to add in a bottom-six forward, too:
Trenin's contract projections are interesting. Evolving Hockey has him inking a four-year deal at a cap hit of $3.356 million. I'd probably stay away from him at that price and term, but AFP's projection of three years and a cap hit of $2.563 million is pretty reasonable and something I think the Devils would be comfortable with.
Combined with his occasional scoring, defensive and penalty-killing ability, and physicality (he totaled 207 hits this season), it wouldn't shock me if he's a Devil next season if he comes at an affordable price.
Aside from goaltending, strengthening the bottom six is the Devils' biggest need this offseason. It was not even close to playoff-caliber in 2023-24, and while I expect Nolan Foote and Brian Halonen to compete for spots in camp, it wouldn't shock me if Fitzgerald makes a couple of additions to the unit this offseason.
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Great article. Can't wait to see what the Devs do. I am starting to get that excitement back. Glad I joined up here.