After a very busy week in the NHL, so much more will happen for today is Free Agency Frenzy. Unrestricted free agency in the NHL begins at noon. This is the annual open post for New Jersey Devils fans to discuss what happens today. Who will the Devils sign? Who will others sign? Fans can react to it all as it happens here.
In the last week alone we have seen Nick DeSimone re-signed, Linus Ullmark traded to Ottawa, the Florida Panthers win the Stanley Cup in a Game 7 whose existence alone was stunning, Alex Merulo bowing out of ownership of the Coyotes, Jake Walman and a pick traded for nothing in return, a Hockey Hall of Fame class announced without Alexander Mogilny or Patrik Elias, Matvei Michkov getting out of his contract with SKA St. Petersburg, the 2024 NHL Awards Show, the 2024 NHL Draft, and Devils Development Camp opened. A lot has happened in the NHL. More will happen as today is the first day of free agency. Yes, it is time for the Frenzy.
The Time: Noon ET. News will likely start in the morning – which is why this post is up at 8 AM – about deals that have been all but signed. No one can actually sign anything until noon today.
The Preview: Jared previewed free agency for the Devils yesterday. Check it out to get prepared.
The Cap: A team can go over the cap in the offseason by 10%, but it is advised to stay under the $88 million cap. Per PuckPedia as of June 26, the Devils have $15.273 million in projected space. This does include their dead cap hits of Ilya Kovalchuk (last season!) and bonus overages ($1.538 million)
Notable Roster Notes: Nico Hischier, John Marino, and Jonas Siegenthaler have modified no-trade clauses that start today.
Signing bonuses will be paid out today too. Timo Meier ($5.75 million), Jesper Bratt ($5 million), Ondrej Palat ($3.18 million), Dougie Hamilton ($2.6 million), Jakob Markstrom ($2 million), Erik Haula ($1 million), and Jake Allen ($1 million) all got paid quite a bit.
Notable New Jersey Moves Made Since that Preview: Well…
- The big one that was actually made was a fourth round pick in 2026 sent to Montreal for defenseman Jonathan Kovacevic. Kovacevic is basically Kevin Bahl’s quasi-replacement. He is large, further satisfying GM Tom Fitzgerald’s obsession with Size. He is physical, which will satisfy those who lamented that Bahl was not physical enough. Is he good? On a bad 5-on-5 Montreal team, he ended up better than most of his fellow defensemen per his on-ice rates at Natural Stat Trick. He also stayed in as a third-pairing defenseman. I would not expect much more than that. This may work out well, but was it necessary? After retaining Nick DeSimone, having Santeri Hatakka and Daniil Misyul in Utica, and an expected signing of both Brett Pesce and Brendon Dillon, maybe? If the team gets a rash of injuries, a lot of this is moot anyhow. But welcome to the team anyway.
- Qualifying offers went out to all RFA except for Michael McLeod, Cal Foote, and Michael Vukojevic. The first two are entirely understandable. They have court dates not game dates to worry about. Vukojevic is a little more of a surprise. He was basically a guy in Utica and not really progressing. If the team is expecting to keep him on an AHL deal, then that makes more sense.
- A Development Camp roster was announced. This may be its own post.
- A whole mess of rumors I am not going to entertain as it just gets peoples hopes unnecessarily up and brings them down if/when they do not happen.
The Songs for the Day: You know what? I liked the songs I chose in 2022 so here they are again! First, the Belke brothers’ side project Wheat Chiefs had a memorable single called “Joe Murphy.” You will realize upon a first listen that is wholly appropriate for this day. Second, the classic hip hop song about getting dollars also comes to mind, “Paid in Full” by Erik B & Rakim. Again, pretty obvious given how many will get paid in full. Third, for a 1990 song that sounds a lot like a 1970s rocker, AC/DC’s “Moneytalks” is even more on the nose for today.
The Purpose of this Open Post: This is where you should comment about all of the moves made today in free agency. The moves the Devils made. The moves you wish the Devils made. The moves other teams in the NHL made. This is an open post for all of free agency. Please react as you see fit.
The Plan: We will do our best to get posts up for major signings by the Devils. Minor signings may be lumped in together. It depends on how the day goes.
The Rules: As a reminder, comments will be clean, on topic, and respectful of each other.
Here is one that specifically important for today: Please, please, please do not share unconfirmed rumors and “news” from false sources like fake Twitter accounts, “insiderrs,” a “rumor breaker,” people who claim to have sources and not even have 100 followers on Twitter, etc. Such things will be deleted. Warnings and bans handed for repeat offenses. Please stick to people who may actually know things. People like Elliotte Friedman, Renaud Lavoie, Kevin Weekes, etc. There’s going to be a lot going on, especially once noon hits. There’s no need to introduce fake news to overtake actual news. It gets people riled up about something that is not likely to happen from someone who claimed they heard somebody. It brings people down when it does not happen. For the benefit of everyone, link to legit sources and don’t make things up. Being right is more important than being first.
That all said. Enjoy this year’s Free Agency Frenzy and hope that Tom Fitzgerald spends wisely. He has space but not exactly a ton of it.