The Devils reunite with Tomas Tatar after a relatively disappointing season in Colorado and Seattle. Does Tatar have enough left in the tank to rekindle some old magic with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer?
Tom Fitzgerald was busy on Day 1 of free agency, making the New Jersey Devils bigger, badder, and better. It wasn’t a perfect Day 1 of free agency though, as one of the things he was unable to do was land a big fish to play somewhere in their Top Nine.
With the options limited on the open market, Fitzgerald opted for some tuna instead.
Reeled back in our Tuna!
We’re pumped to have you back in Jerz, Tomas.
: https://t.co/F557EOVvQY pic.twitter.com/gB1L2TyatT
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 2, 2024
The Devils turn to an old friend, bringing back LW Tomas Tatar on a one-year, $1.8M AAV contract.
Tomas Tatar, signed 1x$1.8M by NJ, is a veteran bottom six scoring winger. Wasn’t really a fit with either of his teams this season after a return to form with the Devils in 2022-23. Notoriously not much of a playoff guy. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/Bx7mLehMtC
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 2, 2024
A veteran of 13 NHL seasons, Tatar played for Detroit, Vegas, and Montreal before signing a two-year deal with the Devils prior to the 2021-22 season. Tatar’s first year in New Jersey wasn’t great, but he was much better in Year 2 posting 20 goals and 28 assists, playing all 82 games, and even earning Selke votes along the way.
After his contract expired, the Devils decided to go in a different direction, leaving Tatar to sign a 1-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. Tatar never quite fit in in Colorado and was traded to the Seattle Kraken midseason in exchange for a 5th round pick. He fared better in Seattle with 15 points in 43 games, but overall, it was a disappointing campaign with 9 goals and 15 assists between the two teams.
It’s an interesting signing for several reasons.
To be clear, I’m 100% prepared for him to be benched in the playoffs. But we have to get there first. Clearly in the downside of his career but his last season in NJ was really solid and he’s an excellent floor-raiser that can really solidify your 3rd line and play up in a pinch. pic.twitter.com/jS3rwk7Jb8
— CJ Turtoro (@CJTDevil) July 2, 2024
In nearly 908 minutes together in his two seasons with the #NJDevils, Tomas Tatar and Nico Hischier had a 60.7 xG% as linemates.
If they can rekindle some of that chemistry, maybe Tatar can bounce back after a tough 2023-24
— Alex Chauvancy (@AlexC_NJD) July 2, 2024
Tatar has chemistry with Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer when the three were paired together. That trio combined for a CF% of 56.35 and a xGF% of 65.48 in 267:18 at 5v5 during the 2022-23 season. If that unit winds up being a line once again, it lengthens the Devils lineup without sacrificing much offensively….assuming Tatar is still capable of pulling his weight.
Obviously, there is some risk attached. Tatar is coming off a down year. He is entering his age 34 season. Most players don’t typically improve as they enter their mid 30s. Tatar also has a reputation for coming up small in playoff games, with 13 points in 52 career postseason games, although he did score a big goal in their Game 7 win over the Rangers last spring.
Knowing that, I think the risk is fairly minimal. Its a one-year deal. If it doesn’t work out, the Devils can turn around and trade Tatar or place him on waivers and bury him in Utica if needbe. They could move him down the lineup. The free agent market is mostly picked over at this point, but I can understand wanting to go with a familiar option with a recent track record of success here. The playoff struggles are what they are but you do have to get there first. If Tatar is closer to the 22-23 player we saw than last year’s version, he should have enough left in the tank to help the Devils navigate the ebbs and flows of an 82 game regular season.
Tatar isn’t going to add much in terms of physicality or size, but the Devils have done enough work in that area elsewhere where I think its ok taking a flier on Tatar potentially rekindling some magic. I would prefer that it didn’t cost $1.8M against the salary cap but I’m going to trust Tom Fitzgerald that there was enough of a market for Tatar’s services where he had to go to that number to get the player. Fitzgerald also didn’t compound the matter by offering a second year to potentially get the AAV to a more reasonable number. With the Devils $4.98M under the salary cap, it also more or less unofficially confirms that Dawson Mercer is likely heading for a bridge deal.
That said, Tatar does lengthen the lineup to where Ondrej Palat might be ticketed for the third line and the Devils might not need to play a relatively unproven Nolan Foote or an inefficient Nathan Bastian in the bottom six if they have other options. If it that far fetched to suggest they could run a lineup like this on Opening Night?
Timo Meier – Jack Hughes – Jesper Bratt
Tomas Tatar – Nico Hischier – Dawson Mercer
Ondrej Palat – Erik Haula – Stefan Noesen
Paul Cotter – Curtis Lazar – Nathan Bastian
Thats how I see things. Perhaps you see things differently. What do you think of the Devils bringing back Tomas Tatar? Please feel free to leave a comment below and thanks for reading.