Pool Outlook for New Jersey

The last team on the Pool Outlook schedule for the blog is the New Jersey Devils, more because they are picking 30th in the Entry Draft on Friday, then anything else.  It isn't because they had an excellent season or anything like that.

No, the Devils would have used the 11th pick overall this season, because of their finish in the regular season, but thanks to the salary cap circumvention case in signing Ilya Kovalchuk some time ago, the Devils were punished by having to relinquish one of their 1st round picks between 2011 and 2014.  The team held out, poised to give it up in 2014, but since Kovalchuk retired and jetted for home, the league softened their stance and ended up giving them the 30th overall pick as their punishment.

Yes, most of that should have been covered the draft section below, but this is my last Outlook, so why not?

The season for the Devils was mired in some very inconsistent play.  The goaltending was supposed to be shored up with the acquisition of Cory Schneider from Vancouver at the Entry Draft last Summer, but it only confused things in the swamp, as neither goalie, Schneider or Martin Brodeur, seemed to be comfortable at any stretch in the season.  This problem snowballed throughout the line-up, as confidence was shaken early and tough to recover from.

At the end of the day, the Devils just didn't score enough goals in the regular season.  The goaltending eventually sorted itself out, but the offense couldn't quite make up the -11 goal difference that they had left in the regular season schedule and they only finished five points out of the final wild card spot.

Although he finished the year as a 42-year old, Jaromir Jagr still had a magnificent year, leading all Devils players in scoring, potting 24 goals and adding 43 assists in all 82 games played.  Jagr continues to climb the all-time scoring list, as he now sits in 6th place in career scoring with 1,755 points, only 16 points back of Marcel Dionne and he has the desire to play another season.  If Jagr does return to play in the 2015 season, it will be more a matter of where to pick him in the draft, rather then if anyone should pick him up at all.

The Devils had two more forwards in the top 100 of the position, as Patrik Elias finished 69th with 18 goals and 53 points in 65 games, while Travis Zajac had 18 goals and 48 points in 80 games to finish 80th.  Neither player really found the consistency that they are known for in 2014, so they should be due for a bounce back year next season.  Adam Henrique was the only other forward to finish with more than 40 points, scoring 25 goals and 18 assists in 77 games, coming away as the team's goal leader as well.  There were a few names on the team that really under-performed and their fantasy stock has been compromised because of it.

The Devils did have three blueliners on the top 100 of defenseman scoring, as Marek Zidlicky did well, finishing a top of the team's numbers, finishing 21st in the category with 12 goals and 30 assists in 81 games.  The 37-year old still carried the team on the power play and still has one more year on his deal to continue his stellar play.  Andy Greene and Eric Gelinas finished 44th and 56th, respectively, in blueline scoring, finishing with 32 and 29 points.  Greene has been fairly consistent in his years with the Devils, while Gelinas is really starting to make a name for himself.

Cory Schneider took more starts from Martin Brodeur, but the savvy veteran won more games in 2014, as Brodeur had 47 points to Schneider's 38.  Brodeur came on late to save his fantasy numbers, as he was good enough for 1.23 points for every 60 minutes he played, compared to his counterpart's 0.85.  It does sound like it is still Schneider's job to lose in 2015, as life without Brodeur looks to be an inevitability in New Jersey.

2015 Pool Outlook

In previous years, the Devils were a great team to pick up a top end goalie and some decent 2nd round and below talent up front, with the occasional look at some quality defenders.  Going into the 2015 hockey pool drafts, it's really hard to say what you're going to get out of the Devils.  Someone will eventually take Jagr or Schneider or Elias, possibly Zidlicky and Henrique and you may see someone take a flyer with Damien Brunner, but there isn't a lot of certainty as to where they will go or where you should take them.  There is some aging questions, some full-time minute questions in the crease and a lack of consistency through the youth of the team, which makes them a real wild card.  Buyer beware in New Jersey.

The cupboards for the New Jersey Devils are not exactly full, but I could see them banking on the form of Stefan Matteau, who showed some real potential at the World Juniors this past year.  The Devils are going to need an influx of young talent this year and if they can find some with some scoring talent, they could be back in the mix in the East, but that all remains to be seen.  It's hard to say about the team's goaltending as well, but Scott Wedgewood is the only other signed goalie behind Schneider and may get some long looks by default in 2015.

Free Agency and the Salary Cap

There is still a remote chance that Martin Brodeur finishes his career with the Devils, but as an unrestricted free agent this Summer, there may be some teams that would give him one more chance at a Cup.  Steve Bernier and Mark Fayne round out the other potential UFA's on the Devils list, that possibly have any bearing on anything.

There are plenty of questions abound on forwards Jacob Josefson and Mattias Tedenby and defenseman Adam Larsson, as the three are up for restricted free agency and haven't done much in their time to impress.  All three came in with some upside, but they haven't appeared to be good fits with the team.  They will provide some intrigue in the Devils' off-season.  Eric Gelinas is also up for a new deal, but he should be their number one priority, according to my list.

This week, the Devils will be one of a few teams that will have some of their bonuses calculated out of them and these player bonuses will be taken from their 2015 salary cap number.  If a team's bonuses put the team over the salary cap ceiling in the previous season, those numbers count against the 2015 cap.  The Devils' projected number is about $2.25 million, which will hurt quite a bit.  Right now, before bonus overages, I have the Devils with $14.6 million in cap space for seven more players, but that number will head down to $12.35 million, if the projections are correct.  That'll be tough to swallow.

The Devils used their pick last year to get Cory Schneider from the Canucks, 2012 saw Stefan Matteau picked up and 2011 had Adam Larsson taken, so they haven't seen great success with their picks lately.  The Devils could use a future franchise player, but choosing from the last pick of the 1st round may be a little more difficult or could use some more clever scouting.  With a bit more size, I like the look of Brett Pollock from the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL.  Skating seems to be the biggest issue with Pollock, but the Devils aren't necessarily known for their skating, but his hands seem to be the big selling point.  At 6'2", he is remarkably one of the bigger forwards among the top ranked players, which gives him the edge in a usefulness standpoint.

I'm beginning to wonder how much life Lou Lamoriello has left with the Devils in this new age of hockey.  He was an admirable manager/coach not so long ago, but the game has flown right past him and some of the decisions and signings he has made in recent memory haven't exactly panned out for him.  The team seems to be in disarray with some unhappy characters leaving the franchise and not exactly working with a solid foundation anymore.  With what the Devils are working with, in terms of salary cap penalties, it is an uphill climb for a little while now.

I get the feeling that the Devils have less to stand on in the upcoming 2015 season, compared to the 2014 season that just finished.  New Jersey made one hell of an effort to come back from a really slow start to the year, but didn't make it.  I can't see the Devils being as strong as they were in the later part of the year, since they are relying on a lot of aged players and some talent that may not have adequate help.  Their salary cap numbers are not going to make them competitive in the free agent market, which will set this team behind even further.  I can see the Hurricanes and Islanders move past the Devils in 2015 and New Jersey might be in the thick of the Connor McDavid sweepstakes next Summer.