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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
The New Jersey Devils finished the 2022-23 campaign as the No. 3 team in the overall NHL standings — but then ran into the No. 2 team in the second round of the playoffs, losing in five games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
In an effort to bolster their next playoff run, the Devils added veteran winger Tyler Toffoli via a trade with the Calgary Flames on Tuesday, sending the rights to restricted free agent Yegor Sharangovich and the No. 80 overall pick in this week’s draft to Calgary.
Here’s how we see the players fitting in to their new homes, along with grades for both GMs:
The Devils finished fifth in the NHL in goals per game last regular season (3.52). But their playoff run revealed that their offense did need some improvement, as they averaged 2.50 goals per game. At issue: Finishing on their chances.
Enter Tyler Toffoli. The 31-year winger scored 34 goals in 82 games last season with the Flames, the highest total of his career. He’s a finisher. And he’s an ideal fit for the Devils.
Imagine Toffoli on the wing with Timo Meier and Jack Hughes. Or imagine Toffoli being on the wing with Jesper Bratt and Nico Hischier. Picture Toffoli on the Devils’ power play, which clicked at 21.9% in the regular season and just 16.7% in the playoffs last season. He scored 10 power-play goals with the Flames in 2022-23.
Toffoli is in the last year of a four-year deal he signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 2020, which carries a $4.25 million average annual value — again, for a 34-goal scorer. The fact that he has an expiring contract makes this a no-fuss acquisition. If it doesn’t work, everybody moves on.
Yegor Sharangovich is a 25-year-old winger with a 24-goal season on his ledger. He doesn’t offer much in the way of defense. He’s a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. It’s entirely possible that he ends up with a contract with a cap hit in the neighborhood of Toffoli’s.
So it’s a forward the Devils could afford to move on from, and a draft pick they acquired for the negotiating rights to an unrestricted free agent (Damon Severson, dealt to Columbus) for a 30-goal scorer.
That’s a win.
After stressing about all the players that didn’t want to be in Calgary because of Darryl Sutter, is it possible Toffoli was the guy who wanted out because Sutter was no longer there?
Toffoli was acquired in 2022 and seen as a foot soldier for Sutter, who won a Stanley Cup with him in Los Angeles. Sutter was fired after the season, as was GM Brad Treliving. Suddenly Toffoli was one of a few Flames players that were looking for a change in scenery.
Sharangovich is a middling return for a player that, again, notched over 30 goals last season. A depth forward at the moment and a well-traveled third-round pick, for Tyler Toffoli? Not the strongest opening statement for GM Craig Conroy.
At some point “at least they got something for him” isn’t a counter-argument for not getting enough for him.