Devils Linked to Recently Terminated Free Agent Forward Brandon Saad

According to a report, the New Jersey Devils are one of four contending teams who have been linked to free agent forward, Brandon Saad.

Saad and the St. Louis Blues mutually agreed on Wednesday to a contract termination after he went unclaimed on waivers the day prior.

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The 32-year-old forward has given up more than $5 million in salary by agreeing to the termination.

Insider Frank Seravalli via X posted that the Devils, as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and Tampa Bay Lightning are the four teams to watch as landing destinations for the free agent forward.

Via Sports on Prime Canada, Seravalli explained Saad’s circumstances, and the potential suitors’ though process.

“Brandon Saad believes he has a lot left in the tank. And you look at [he was a] 26 goalscorer last year, he was off to a really tough start. This year, the Blues had tried to trade him. Hadn’t found a taker to this point. And when you’re looking at some of these teams that are looking for some secondary scoring help, a team like the Toronto Maple Leafs, for instance, their first goal is to get a third line center and help down the middle. However, if the ability to add some secondary scoring punch, they’re going to be interested in doing something like that, so long as it doesn’t squeeze them out from tackling that first goal on their list.

“So it will come down to cap space and a point where these teams find themselves in a spot where they don’t feel like adding Saad on Friday, potentially that quickly will cross the out from doing anything else when it comes to the deadline.”

Copy Seravalli’s justification for the Maple Leafs to sign Saad, and paste it in the same sentence for the Devils. Tom Fitzgerald‘s search for depth scoring has been well documented, and the veteran forward wouldn’t cost the Devils any assets.

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Saad very well could better than any of the Devils’ current bottom-six forwards, and would bring that secondary scoring the Devils have been looking for. He also has the ability to play up in the lineup with the likes of Jack Hughes & Jesper Bratt if injuries persist.

Through 43 games this season, Saad scored just seven goals and 16 points. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native is a two-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Chicago Blackhawks.

There’s reason to believe that Saad could bounce back under different circumstances. The Blues are a team on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. They’re only six points from reach, however, they’re on the outside looking in and trending in the wrong direction.

It seems the outlier in Saad’s season this year is his shooting percentage. Saad shot at 15% or more in each of his last three seasons, reaching an 18% shooting percentage in 2023-24. This season, he’s shooting just 9.3%, which could explain his dip in goal production. It’s certainly below his career average shooting percentage of 12.7%.

This is certainly one to keep an eye on, and it could come to a head sooner than later.

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