The New Jersey Devils are in a position where they could lose a player via an offer sheet this summer. Offer sheets are not common, but they can create tension. The Devils have three players eligible for offer sheets as of July 1st.
Simon Nemec is among those eligible. The others are Arseny Gritsyuk and Paul Cotter.
Nemec’s Potential and Contract Projections
Nemec still has top-four puck-moving defenseman potential with an outside chance he develops into a top-pair blueliner.
Nemec’s next contract won’t net him Luke Hughes money, but certainly his agent will at least start the negotiations there.
He scored 11 goals and 26 points this season and it still ripe as a 22-year-old.
Offer Sheet Compensation
If a player is signing an offer sheet, it’s typically for a number that the team who owns the rights are uncomfortable with. A long-term deal in the $7.2 million range but below the $9.55 million range would only net the Devils a first, second, and third round pick.
With the 31 opposing GM’s ability to reach the $9 million-plus range on a long-term offer for just a first, second, and third round pick, betting on a young talent like Nemec who showed strides in
Yet, the analytics suggest he struggles defensively and is bound to make a costly mistake here and there.
Other Devils at Risk
Gritsyuk, the 25-year-old rookie winger, made an instant impact in his rookie season. Cotter doesn’t miss one-on-one with a goaltender.
Cotter might not be as attractive to other general managers as Gritsyuk and Nemec. However, the threat of an offer sheet this summer is more realistic than ever.
Gritsyuk showed real promise in his first full North American season despite his season ending early because of injury. In fact, his 13 goals and 31 points in limited third-line minutes paired with his elite analytics in all three zones of the ice give him top-six upside with reason to believe he could pop as soon as next season, turning into a 20-plus goal scorer.
A team looking for a young scorer with top-six upside might test the waters here. A bridge deal in the $5 million range, which would perhaps force the Devils to ink Gritsyuk to a deal they’re not comfortable with, or accept first and third round compensation.
The Devils do, in fact, face the scary realistic situation of being offer sheeted this summer.