Devils Should Buy Early, Sell Late at the Deadline

In ten short days, the players of recent speculation will finally know their fate. The race for the third seed in the Metropolitan Division is a morass of four teams, all within seven points or less of the third-place Philadelphia Flyers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The New Jersey Devils are firmly ensconced in the group of four chasers, five points behind the Flyers with a valuable game in hand as of Feb. 27. The time to act is right now; general manager Tom Fitzgerald has the opportunity, and the necessary cap space, to ensure that the team that flies home from Los Angeles on Sunday night is an improved version of the one that skated off the ice to boos after a lackluster effort against the Tampa Bay Lightning last Sunday.

Devils Must Strike Fast as Buyers

The time to add pieces for the long term has passed. Now, the Devils should be in scramble mode, trying to add pieces on expiring contracts to help get them past Philadelphia and outlast challenges from the Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Several pending unrestricted free agents would not cost significant assets but could immediately bolster and stabilize the team. The time to decide whether to part with major assets is about to expire. Instead, the Devils should weaponize their cap space and load up on depth without a long-term commitment. The goal should be adding firepower to sweep the California trip and reevaluate. Here are a few options for management to consider.

Tomas Tatar

A major concern with adding a player at this point in the season is how long it will take them to acclimate. With Tomas Tatar, that is not an issue. Both sides desired an extension last summer, but Tatar admittedly overplayed his hand, expecting to get term in a market where a flat cap would not allow it. Instead, he ended up signing a one-year deal in Colorado. Early on, the Colorado Avalanche figured out he was not a fit there and shipped him to Seattle, where he has played well in streaks for the Seattle Kraken. Considering the Devils’ rash of injuries and his versatility, Tatar should have been on the Devils’ radar when the Avalanche moved him earlier. Now, he should be at the top of their list.

Tatar can play both wings; he can contribute in all three zones and on both special teams, which is, in essence, the perfect depth forward to add at this time of the season. He had tremendous chemistry…