Devils' GM Confirms 3 Players Will Head To Free Agency

The New Jersey Devils' general manager Tom Fitzgerald has been extremely busy signing players and making moves to restructure the team to be a serious competitor once again next season. While they have brought in some key pieces, the Devils will also be seeing some key players depart.

Amanda Stein revealed that Fitzgerald said Ryan Graves, Tomas Tatar, and Miles Wood will all test free agency on July 1. None of these names should come as a huge shock to anyone who follows the Devils, but Graves might be the most missed.

The Devils' forward prospect pool has nearly been depleted with a few recent deals, but with the departure of Tatar and Wood, Alexander Holtz will most certainly get an opportunity to stick with the team for the entire season. He played just 19 games this season and has played 28 total in the NHL. The team now has one of the most dangerous looking top-six and cap space is going to start tightening , so Tatar and what he's likely asking for becomes too rich to play in the bottom-six.

The Devils are confident in Luke Hughes right off the bat and that's why the team is willing to let Graves hit free agency. Despite the stellar defensive play throughout his career and on the Devils specifically this season, his price would likely be fairly high with limited solid defensive options in free agency. The Devils also have Hughes, Jonas Siegenthaler, and either Kevin Bahl or Brendan Smith to fill the left side.

I don't think anyone is going to argue that the players the Devils brought in and kept around are worth losing Graves, Tatar, and Wood.