Photo: Flames Nation
The New Jersey Devils acquired right-wing Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night for pending restricted free agent left-wing Yegor Sharangovich and the 80th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft on Thursday. Toffoli can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2023-24 season and carries a $4.5 million salary cap hit for the final year of his contract.
The 31-year-old was one of numerous Flames (defenseman Noah Hanifin, center Elias Lindholm, center Mikael Backlund) who’s contract expires on July 1, 2024 and been reluctant to re-sign with the club. United States native left-wings Johnny Gaudreau (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Matthew Tkachuk (Florida Panthers) both left Calgary last July to sign long-term deals with American teams.
Toffoli set career-highs in goals (34), assists (39), and points (73) in 82 games during his lone full season in Calgary, who acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens on February 14, 2022. He also recorded a 59.33% expected goals-for percentage at five-on-five this past season.
In 733 career regular-season games with Calgary, Montreal, the Los Angeles Kings, and Vancouver Canucks, Toffoli has earned 227 goals and 466 points. He hit the 30-goal mark once prior to the 2022-23 campaign (31 in 82 games with Los Angeles during 2015-16 season).
In 88 career postseason outings, Toffoli has earned 18 goals and 44 points. He won the Stanley Cup in 2014 with Los Angeles and helped Montreal get to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021.
Toffoli should boost a New Jersey offense that just averaged 3.52 goals-per-game (tied for fourth in the NHL with the Seattle Kraken) and converted on 21.9% of their power plays (13th) last season. He averaged 2:54 on the power play, just one second behind center Nazem Kadri for the Calgary lead among forwards, and 36 seconds on the penalty kill (seventh). New Jersey tied Calgary and the Nashville Predators for the fourth-best penalty-killing efficiency (82.6%).
While New Jersey was among the most prolific scoring teams during the regular season, they were held to five goals in four games during their second-round series loss to the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs excluding an 8-4 win in Game 3. Toffoli’s scoring ability should provide a big boost offensively.
Sharangovich, 25, tallied 13 goals, 30 points, and a 57.55% five-on-five expected goals-for percentage in 75 regular-season games but played just three of his team’s 12 postseason outings, getting held off of the scoresheet. In 205 career regular-season games, he has 53 goals and 106 points, including 24 goals and 46 points in 76 games during the 2021-22 campaign.
Yegor Sharangovich, acquired by CGY, is a shoot-first middle six winger whose game revolves around the rush. #Flames pic.twitter.com/kPjP2FkupE
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 28, 2023
By Harrison Brown
