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The salary cap was expected to rise fairly significantly – ~$2.5 million – for the 2020-21 season. That’s no longer happening.
Simply put, COVID-19 erased any chance of a big spike in available dollars. There is a good chance plenty of games are lost entirely. Even if that’s not the case, and the season plus playoffs somehow take place in full, the losses in ticket revenue will be substantial.
As a result we’re likely looking at a flat cap. That’s really bad news for a lot of teams. The New Jersey Devils are not one of them.
They currently have ~$26.25 million to spend this summer (that’ll rise to ~$30.25M if Cory Schneider is bought out). Mackenzie Blackwood and Jesper Bratt will eat into that, of course, but Mirco Mueller is the biggest ‘notable’ beyond those two. They’re going to have a lot of flexibility even after taking care of their own.
That’s not to say they should go on a spending spree and bring in any player they can get their hands on. But, if the right player is available, they’re in a better position to pounce than almost every other team.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Arizona Coyotes and Vegas Golden Knights (hello, again!) seem like prime targets.
They’re not going to be parting with core players, however, useful pieces could certainly be pried. Personally, I think the Devils would be best trying to land the ones – even if a little less notable – that fit in with their developing young care.
I have an extremely hard time believing Tampa would part with Mikhail Sergachev, or (especially) Anthony Cirelli, but 22-year-old Erik Cernak might be someone the Devils can get their hands on.
His on-ice numbers – 51.17 CF%, 52.89 xGF%, plus-22 – have been strong at 5v5 over the last couple of years despite starting fewer shifts in the offensive zone than most other Lightning defenders.
He is legitimately good and would bring size (6’3’, 230 pounds) and physicality the Devils simply don’t have. He has averaged 9.5 hits/60 over the last two seasons; the Devils’ leading blueliner (Mirco Mueller) landed 4.68 hits/60 during that time.
Young cost controlled wingers in Toronto – namely Kasperi Kapanen (23, $3.2M through 2021-22) and Andreas Johnsson (25, $3.4M through 2022-23) – would also be enticing, although the Devils would have to be cautious with the asking price.
I think they’re more middle-6ers than game-breaking types and the return would have to match that for me to be comfortable. A late 1st? That *might* be doable but anything more would be tough to stomach, especially if we’re talking Johnsson rather than Kapanen.
At any rate, it’s clear the Devils are in a prime spot to take advantage of somebody else’s problems.
It’s up to Tom Fitzgerald, or anybody else put in that position of power, to find a way to do so.
numbers via CapFriendly.com
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