Jersey Fan 12
Positive Vibes
- Nov 20, 2006
- 6,085
- 2,606
Probably won't be much desirable from the Devils. My best guess at our protection list:
F(7): Hischier-Zacha-Bratt-Sharangovich-Wood-Kuokkanen-McLeod
D(3): Severson-Subban-Siegenthaler?
G(1): Blackwood
Exempt: Hughes-Boqvist-Maltsev-Smith
UFA: Murray-Carrick-Dell-Wedgewood
Available: Bastian-Johnsson-Merkley-Butcher +other AHL fodder
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Nate Bastian - He's been a perfectly acceptable 4th line RW. Big body, throws his weight around, but not a ton of offense.
Andreas Johnsson - Scored 20 goals for Toronto a couple seasons ago but was a non-factor for us this season.
Nick Merkley - Cleared waivers, might be a AAAA player at this point. Productive in the AHL, but not quite skilled enough to hold down a permanent NHL gig.
Will Butcher - Found himself a healthy scratch most of this season, but has put up some offense (9 points in 19 games) with Subban sidelined. Put up 44 points a few seasons ago, but is a below average skater so he'd probably need to be in a particular 3rd pairing / PP specialist niche. One year left on his contract (3.733 mil cap hit, 4.1 mil salary), so could see Seattle passing on that.
Ryan Murray - Impending UFA, but perhaps Seattle would rather try to talk him into bypassing free agency than take anybody else from New Jersey. Murray played his junior hockey in Everett, so he'd have some loose ties to the area. Turns 28 in a few months, so he's still in his theoretical prime. Depending on his price tag, I wouldn't mind the Devils re-signing him but haven't heard any news on that front.
My list was similar but would replace Bratt with Bastian and Severson with Murray.
Devils would only lose one of the two.
Think there are plenty of candidates that could replace Bratt in the pipeline and for the salary he receives Severson is simply not consistent enough defensively.
A quintet of Murray, Subban, Bahl, Smith and Siegenthaler is a good start and a targeted addition or one of the other young prospects would be stronger than what the Devils had most of this season.