Examining UFA targets for the bottom-6

JP Gambatese takes a closer look at some depth forwards who could – or should – be of interest to the New Jersey Devils.

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By JP Gambatese (@JP_Gambatese)

Last week I looked into how the UFA market could provide the Devils with some solid options to bolster the top-6.

This week, I’ll delve into how the UFA market can – and probably will – help the team out on the bottom-6. 

It’s almost a certainty that Miles Wood will not be on the team next year. While this is a good thing for the team, it leaves a hole at left wing on the fourth line.

His straight-line speed will be missed but that’s about it in regards to what he brings to the team. 

In terms of the other bottom-6 wingers, a lack of progress on Jesper Boqvist’s contract negotiations could leave a spot on the third line, and radio silence in regards to Nate Bastian’s negotiations leads me to believe there’s at least a possibility he isn’t back, either. 

And then there are the centers. It sounds likely that Erik Haula will be back with the team. There’s probably no need to explore third-line center options.

Michael McLeod’s position is much more interesting. With the Hockey Canada investigation wrapping up this summer, it’s possible that he is no longer with the team come October, barring the investigation’s results. 

There are a few prospects in the Devils’ system that are probably capable of hopping right into the bottom-6. Graeme Clarke and Nolan Foote are the two that come to mind. 

Nolan Foote has the makings of a middle-6 contributor, especially if he can manage to up his skating ability to NHL average. 

Graeme Clarke, who I would prefer to slot in, absolutely lit up the AHL this season, scoring 25 goals and 58 points in 68 games with Utica. His defensive awareness and off-puck contributions leave a bit to be desired, but he is a good skater and has an NHL-ready shot. Oh, and he did this when he was 15.

With all that said, let’s explore some bottom-6 UFA options that should be of interest to New Jersey:

Pierre Engvall

Let me start out by saying that Engvall could be paid too much and likely for too long. With that said, he would be an excellent addition to the Devils’ bottom-6 if he comes at the right price. 

This past season, he posted a career high in goals with 17 and provided extremely sound two-way play for the Maple Leafs and Islanders averaging under 12 minutes per game at even-strength.

While he was on the ice, his teams had a lot of success, posting a 58.2% expected goals percentage. He was good for just about 3 expected goals per 60 minutes, and on the other side of the ice, stifled his opponents to only 2.5 xG/60, good for second on the Islanders among players with more than 16 games on Long Island.

One of Engvall’s most attractive qualities is his speed. Although he’s probably not as fast in a straight line as Miles Wood, he makes up for that gap in edgework.

He’s not elite at it, to be clear, but he is way more effective at quick turns and maneuvers than Wood, making him a viable alternative to the only aspect of Wood’s game that the Devils should miss. 

Where Engvall’s game truly excels is puck retrievals in the defensive zone. He quickly hounds loose pucks in his own end and is among the league’s best in defensive zone exits. His positional responsibility and high defensive IQ are why he’s so good at these aspects of his game. That translates on the penalty kill as well.

Lou Lamiorello has stated that he wants Engvall back with the Islanders for the foreseeable future. If that doesn’t pan out (and his contract is reasonable), I think he would be a strong candidate to slot in effectively on any of the wings in the bottom-6. 

Jesper Fast

On a similar token to Engvall lies Jesper Fast. He plays a similar game – his best attribute is his speed – but Fast also brings physicality and a more grinder-oriented approach to his play style. 

On the best forechecking team in the league, he was among the best forecheckers. Sure, this hyper-aggression in the offensive zone might have been partly due to the Hurricanes’ system, but if he can bring any element to that into the Devils lineup, it would be something that the team desperately needs. 

Of course, being that Carolina was the best defensive team in the league, and shot from anywhere and everywhere, practically everyone on that team held a positive expected goals share. Even still, Fast’s 55% xG% is an impressive feat, and his playoff metrics matched that regular season performance. 

Fast has boasted relatively impressive – and very consistent – counting stats throughout his career. He seems to float around 10 goals and 25 points on a yearly basis. For a bottom-6 player, these are perfectly adequate, if not slightly above average outputs. What it does mean, though, is that this contract should be a reasonable one. 

With his speed and physicality, Fast – like Engvall – would be a replacement for Miles Wood who has enough upside to slot in on the third line as well. He might not be as effective as Engvall. The caveat to that is that his contract will likely be less expensive. 

Sean Monahan