New Jersey Devils add depth, versatility with Tomas Tatar signing

Tom Fitzgerald has brought a familiar face back into the mix.

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Tom Fitzgerald is doing a lot of things this summer. Sitting idly certainly isn’t one of them.

He made yet another addition to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday afternoon, signing 33-year-old winger Tomas Tatar to a one-year contract worth $1.8 million.

Tatar’s two-year tenure with the Devils was largely positive and productive. It didn’t end on the highest of notes, though, as he produced just one point over 12 playoff games and really struggled to make a mark against either the New York Rangers or Carolina Hurricanes.

Overall, it’s pretty easy to get on board with bringing Tatar back into the mix. Playoffs included, he’s played more than 900 games in his NHL career. He brings a boatload of experience to the table and he’s very well liked in the locker room.

He’s also simply an effective, hardworking player. He forechecks well, he can help sustain possessions in the cycle game, he will go to the front of the net, he wins a lot of battles, and he can play up and down the lineup.

The plan is likely for Tatar to be penciled into the bottom-6 and play on the left side of either Erik Haula and Stefan Noesen or Curtis Lazar and Nathan Bastian. More so the former, I would think.

Paul Cotter’s physical style seems a better fit for the Lazar/Bastian duo. Not to mention, Tatar played extremely well on Haula’s wing in the past as they managed a 59.82 xGF% over 223 minutes of ice time.

That being said, the Devils have four cornerstone top-6ers in Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Timo Meier as well as another player who will spend the bulk of his time up there in Dawson Mercer.

There is one spot that will be filled by committee and Tatar will have his name thrown in that hat. As he should.

Tatar played meaningful minutes with both Hughes and Hischier in 2022-23 and the results he garnered by their side were quite encouraging. Take a look.