NHL training camps will open next week, and while there aren't many impactful free agents remaining on the market, there are still a few. That list of players includes Tomas Tatar, a former 20 goal scorer.
Tatar just finished a two year contract with the New Jersey Devils which carried a cap hit of $4.5M. The 32-year-old scored 20 goals and 28 assists while playing in all 82 games. However, the playoffs were a disappointment for Tatar. He only managed to score 1 goal in the 12 games.
Tatar is developing a reputation around the league for not showing up in the playoffs. In his last 4 playoff runs with the Devils, Canadiens and Golden Knights Tatar only scored 4 goals and 6 points in 35 playoff games.
Tatar's playoff troubles have certainly cost him a lot of money in free agency. Going off his season stats he should have been able to get a similar deal to the one he signed with the Devils in 2021 (two years, $4.5 million per season). Now, he'll likely sign a deal much closer to the $1M range. At 32 years old and 12 seasons in the league wherever Tatar signs he will be in another "show me" situation.
