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Four potential UFA defense targets for the New Jersey Devils

June 19, 2020, 10:59 AM ET [54 Comments]
Todd Cordell
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The New Jersey Devils have a lot of areas that need to be addressed this off-season.

Among the top priorities – at least according to interim GM Tom Fitzgerald – is adding to the defense. In particular, players with size who can defend the net and provide some pushback.



You can debate how important that is relative to other needs, and what kind of resources the Devils should be willing to invest to patch things up, but it sure seems like an area of emphasis for Fitzgerald.

At this point predicting which players could be available on the trade market is difficult – playoff success (or lack thereof), breakout players, cap implications (if X re-signs, Y may become expendable), etc. all factor in greatly – so instead I’ll look at a few potential free agent targets that could fit the criteria of what Fitzgerald is looking for.

Again, this isn’t a ‘best of’ or list of my favorite UFA defenders – rather some names who could provide the size and toughness Fitzgerald referred to.

LHD - Brenden Dillon - Washington

I have *a lot* of time for Dillon. He is one of the physical, throwback types who actually lives up to his reputation as a plus-defender. His teams have given up shot attempts and scoring chances at a lesser rate with him on the ice than without in four consecutive seasons. He is an awesome penalty killer. He clears the net. He’s also one of the best hitters in the game. He throws his weight around whenever possible – only 16 defenders averaged more hits per minute this season – but at the same time isn’t the kind of guy who is going to pull himself out of position or take a dumb penalty in order to lay the body. I think he’ll come at a mid-tier cost in terms of dollars and term and would provide some much-needed stability on the left side.

RHD - Radko Gudas - Washington

Gudas is admittedly a bit of a wild card. He is even more contact prone than Dillon which, at times, does get him in trouble. He’ll chase the big hit and make it every time – even if it is borderline. There is definitely an unpredictability element, and not always a good one.

All that said, Gudas is not just an aggressive hitter. He can play a little. His teams generally control a larger share of the chances with him on the ice. He also has some puck transporting abilities and generates a lot of shots for his team, although that can come at the expense of quality. If he’s on the ice, it’s probably smart to continuously crash the net and hope for a rebound when he inevitably throws it on goal.

LHD - Derek Forbort - Calgary

This is more of a bargain option. Forbort isn’t going to provide the Devils with much of anything offensively. In fact, he’ll neuter their attack. He’ll help do the same of the opposition’s, though, and make them work around the net. The last time his teams gave up goals at a higher clip with Forbort on the ice was back in 2015-16; when he played just 14 games while breaking into the league.

He’d definitely be over his head playing in a consistent top-4 role. If the Devils are hoping for ~15 gritty minutes per game where nothing really happens for either side, then Forbort could be of service.

WILD CARD - RHD - Dustin Byfuglien - Winnipeg

We don’t know what kind of Byfuglien we’re going to get after a year off. It’s also tough to say where his priorities lie. Does he want to play for a contender? Does he want one last big pay day? Does he want to be out of the limelight and play for a less-crazed market than he did in Winnipeg? There are a lot of factors at play here.

All I know is the Devils need help on defense and they want some size and physicality. Byfuglien – known for throwing players around like footballs – would certainly provide that.

If Fitzgerald, and whoever the heck ends up coaching the team, can sell Byfuglien on the up-and-coming talent on the roster, perhaps he’d be willing to join the team on a short-term deal. The Devils definitely have the cap space to make him a generous offer.

numbers via NaturalStatTrick.com

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