Forward changes should diversify the New Jersey Devils' offense

Stefan Noesen, Tomas Tatar, and Paul Cotter will bring some different – and needed – elements to the team's forward group.

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The New Jersey Devils are a highly skilled and dynamic offensive team that is most lethal off the rush.

At times they’ve been too reliant on their quick strike offense, though, and GM Tom Fitzgerald clearly made it a priority to rectify that this summer. The proof is in the pudding.

Fitzgerald signed wingers Stefan Noesen and Tomas Tatar in free agency. He also shipped former top-10 pick Alexander Holtz to Vegas in favor of a more north-south, crash-and-bang player in Paul Cotter.

These were all calculated additions to give the team more dimensions offensively. The three players brought in will help the Devils sustain more possessions down low in the offensive zone and cause more havoc around the net, be it from driving the puck to the front or getting in position to pounce on loose change that comes about.

This past season 402 forwards logged at least 400 minutes of ice during 5v5 play. Noesen ranked 29th in expected goals, and 80th in high-danger chances, per 60 minutes of play.

Tatar doesn’t have the sturdy, overpowering build that Noesen does but that didn’t stop him from getting to the hard areas of the ice.

Even in a down season split between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken, Tatar ranked just one slot below Noesen in high-danger chances per 60.