Inside look at New Jersey Devils

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, the New Jersey Devils.

The New Jersey Devils were among the most aggressive teams upgrading their roster this offseason with an emphasis on depth, size and experience, including the addition of two-time Stanley Cup champion Ondrej Palat.
The Devils signed the forward (6 feet, 195 pounds) to a five-year contract July 14 after he had 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists) in 77 regular-season games last season and 21 points (11 goals, 10 assists) in 23 Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He had 124 hits, ranking third among Lightning forwards. The 31-year-old, who won the Cup in 2020 and 2021 with Tampa Bay, should be a nice fit alongside either center Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes.
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New Jersey had plenty of other needs after missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season and ninth time in 10 seasons. It acquired goalie Vitek Vanecek in a trade with the Washington Capitals on July 8 and veteran forward Erik Haula in a trade with the Boston Bruins on July 13, the same day it signed veteran unrestricted free agent defenseman Brendan Smith to a two-year contract.
"[Palat] could have gone to a lot of places but he chose us because of the upside," general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. "He chose us because of what we could offer him and what he felt he could help us with. Brendan Smith, he chose us because of what he saw and how he could come in and help us become a harder, tougher team to play against."
Smith (6-2, 200) had eight points (four goals, four assists) and 73 hits in 45 regular-season games, then had four points (one goal, three assists) and 26 hits in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season.
Haula (5-11, 191) could contribute as a third-line center after having 129 hits in 78 games with the Bruins last season, which would have ranked third on the Devils behind Nathan Bastian (194) and Michael McLeod (145). Haula had 44 points (18 goals, 26 assists) in the regular season and three points (one goal, two assists) in seven playoff games.
The Devils acquired defenseman John Marino (6-1, 181) in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 16. He ranked third among Penguins defensemen with 25 points (one goal, 24 assists) and 88 blocked shots in 81 regular-season games.
"[Marino] takes pride in his game away from the puck, and his puck management and ability to transition play will fit in nicely with our style and the strengths of our forward group," Fitzgerald said.

The Devils continued their rebuild on defense at the 2022 NHL Draft with the selection of defenseman Simon Nemec of Nitra in Tipos Extraliga. The right-handed shot (6-foot-1, 190 pounds), chosen No. 2, represented Slovakia at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and the 2022 IIHF World Championship. He'll join the Devils for training camp and is expected to spend this season with Utica of the American Hockey League.
The Devils needed to address their goaltending after using a team-record seven goalies last season, so they acquired Vanecek to compete with incumbent starter Mackenzie Blackwood for playing time. Blackwood was limited to 25 games (24 starts) last season because of a recurring left heel injury and was 9-10-4 with a 3.39 goals-against average and .892 save percentage. Jonathan Bernier played 10 games before his season ended when he was placed on injured reserve Dec. 10 because of a hip injury. The Devils allowed 302 goals, fourth most in the NHL.
"It's the same thing as in Washington (when he competed with Ilya Samsonov), it will be a battle every single day," Vanecek said of vying with Blackwood for the job. "It's a little pressure on us because we have to play a good game every game. It's good, whoever will take the No. 1 will take the No. 1 and that guy will play the games."
Vanecek was 20-12-6 with a 2.67 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and four shutouts in 42 regular-season games (39 starts) for the Capitals last season, and 1-1 with a 4.21 GAA and .863 save percentage in two Stanley Cup Playoff games (two starts).
"They have a future, they have a lot of young guys," Vanecek said. "There is an opportunity for me to play lots of games. I hope we get far and get to the Stanley Cup with New Jersey."