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Devils Need To Make Big Splash In Free Agency; Chris Shaleesh |
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“Cannonbaaaaaaaaaaalllllll” is what we need to hear from GM Tom Fitzgerald this summer, as the Devils need a Shamu style splash in the free agency and trade market to revamp and revitalize a roster that ended 2025 with a lot of dead weight. Below are a list of a few targets I’d like to see NJ explore once free agency opens on Tuesday.
(Disclaimer: I don’t think they’ll end up with any of them, but I’d like any one)
Brad Marchand
We already spoke about the fact that NJ would look into Brad Marchand on July 1st, and why wouldn’t they. Unless you’ve been living under a rock or got hit in the head with one, you know exactly what Marchand brings to any hockey club. Speed, hands, vision, grit, locker room guy, Elbo Room guy, etc, Marchy is the total package. He will have more suitors lined up for him on Tuesday than Sydney Sweeney had the morning after her divorce went public, and the Devils should be on that line. With their Sunday’s best on, Altoids in their pocket, and fistfuls of cash, GM Tom Fitzgerald should not by shy in his pitch. Another $8m plus contract here, but with the cap going up, and experienced playoff winners needed for this young core, the Devils should close their eyes, hold their nose, and jump into the deep end on this one.
Brock Boeser
The big right winger is exactly what NJ has been lacking since the departure of Tyler Toffoli. A heavy, net front finisher with an elite shot, Boeser would be an exceptional add in NJ’s middle six. It’s no secret that he’s one of Quinn Hughes’ best buds which will only add to the future Devils defenseman’s want to join the team sooner than later. The $8m AAV that Brock is expected to garner would be an investment well worth it. With the salary cap going up faster than my monthly living expenses, Boeser should fit better than OJ’s glove(before it was soaked in the blood of his victims and left to dry out).
Nikolaj Ehlers
Slightly undersized at six foot and just 172lbs, Ehlers plays a fast and ferocious game. His world class speed fits the Devils system nicely, but his lack of bulk may cause Jersey to look elsewhere. His durability is a cause or concern playing over 70 games just one time in his last five campaigns. Will the allure of his game breaking speed outweigh the cons of adding another smaller forward? At roughly $8m per, I’d expect NJ to look elsewhere.
With his goggles strapped and sunscreen on the nose, GMTF is ready to dive into
the deep end this summer. Whether it’s the cannonball I want to see, a can opener, or the funky chicken, it doesn’t matter. He knows what’s needed and he’s equipped to get it done. A lot of the fans need more trust in TF, Coach Keefe, and the process. You don’t want to be like the knee jerk, jerks across the Hudson who change their minds on players every few months. While that mentality might fill seats in that circus, it doesn’t win what’s most important…
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