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New Jersey Signs Ex-Devils Forward to One-Year Contract

Tomas Tatar scored nine goals and 24 points last season between the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken.

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New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils reeled their fish back in. On Tuesday afternoon, the Devils announced they’ve signed forward Tomas Tatar to a one-year contract worth $1.8 million.



Tatar returns to the Devils after spending two seasons with the club in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

Tatar opted for free agency in the summer of 2023 after he explained he turned down a one-year offer to remain with the club last season.

“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.”

In 158 games with the Devils, Tatar scored 35 goals and 43 assists for 78 points. 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.

After opting for free agency, Tatar signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche. After a slow start with just a goal and nine points in 27 games, the Avalanche traded Tatar to the Seattle Kraken for a 2024 fourth-round pick. Tatar’s time in Seattle went a bit better than it did in Colorado, scoring eight goals and 15 points in 43 games, a grand total of nine goals and 24 points last season.

It sounds like the Devils are banking on Tatar to return to his 20-goal, near 50-point self from the 2022-23 season.

General Manager Tom Fitzgerald could very well be trying to reunite the Tatar, Nico Hischier, and Dawson Mercer line that clicked quite well in the Devils’ 112-point season in 2022-23. Collectively, the trio accrued a collectively elite 56.35 CF%, 65.48 xGF%, 66.07 HDCF%, and 70.00 HDGF% in 267:18 of time on ice, per Natural Stat Trick.

With Tatar under contract for $1.8 million, the Devils have $4,976,103 remaining in cap space and are expected to iron out a new deal with Mercer this summer.

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