One free agent every NHL team should sign this offseason

By C.L. Kohuss | May 22, 2018

NEWARK, NJ - APRIL 18: Patrick Maroon #17 of the New Jersey Devils heads out to play against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game Four of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Prudential Center on April 18, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

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SAN JOSE, CA – APRIL 30: Evander Kane #9 of the San Jose Sharks skates with the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at SAP Center on April 30, 2018 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Evander Kane /

New Jersey Devils: Evander Kane, Left Wing

With $25 million in cap space, the New Jersey Devils have a few free agents on their own team they should think about resigning. We’ve given both Michael Grabner and Patrick Maroon to other clubs in this article, but the Devils would be smart to keep them both for scoring depth.

If they do, the price isn’t likely to be steep for either one. So even with a lot of other free agents and restricted free agents still to consider, the Devils could potentially go after Kane to pair him with Taylor Hall. They do need scoring help and they need to get younger, even with Hall and Nico Hischier on the club.

Theoretically, New Jersey could go after Tavares. That might be in a dream world, though. Kane probably isn’t going to command $10 million a season the way Tavares will, he simply doesn’t have the same numbers. But the Devils would be getting better and could still add pieces to their defense while having another young toy to build around on offense. And after Hall, the group gets pretty thin anyway.

Hall had 93 points and then it drops off to 53 from Hischier to 44 each for Kyle Palmieri and Will Butcher. And Butcher is a defenseman. So adding Kane would relieve some scoring pressure at the very top while also filling a wing if both Grabner and Maroon walk for other teams. And if the Devils are careful, it won’t hurt them financially. The tough part will be convincing Kane to take less than Hall. He’s making the most on the roster (along with goalie Cory Schneider) at $6 million a season. Hall will get a gigantic contract two summers from now though, so we wonder if it would matter to him anyway.

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