New Jersey Devils
Report: Tomas Tatar Reveals he Turned Down Devils Offer
Tatar sought a multi-year contract when turning down offer from New Jersey
According to a report, former New Jersey Devils forward Tomas Tatar reveals he turned down an off from his former club.
“A one-year offer from New Jersey was on the table,” Tatar revealed on Boris a Brambor Podcast. “But, I refused since I wanted more term. I only realized later in free agency that it’s not possible (to get more than a one-year deal) this year. Then, Jersey acquired Toffoli and that was it.”
The Devils acquired Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames on June 27th, 2023 in exchange for Yegor Sharangovich and a third-round pick. That sealed the deal on Tatar not returning to the Devils and he sought a multi-year deal elsewhere.
However, well into the summer, Tatar remained unsigned. Still unsigned almost two weeks into September, Tatar switched agencies while in pursuit of a new deal. Tatar made the change from Ritchie Winter of Raze Sports Agency to new representation with Newport Sports Management.
A day after we learned that Tatar switched representation, Tatar signed a one-year deal with the Colorado Avalanche. The deal is worth $1.5 million. Tatar joins former Devil Miles Wood in Colorado.
In 158 games with the Devils, Tatar scored 35 goals and 43 assists for 78 points in 158 games. In 12 Stanley Cup Playoff games, Tatar had just one point, a goal against the New York Rangers when the Devils clinched Game 7 of the first round.
According to the episode description, “Before departure and before signing, Tatar wanted a multi-year contract, ideally until the end of his career, but the situation developed differently. ‘The fact that I didn’t have a contract was not the reason why I didn’t go to the (summer) world championships,’ Tatar explained in the interview.”