One of the New Jersey Devils’ more pressing needs this offseason is a defenseman. As it stands, their projected defensive core looks solid on paper. However, there appears to be one glaring hole.

Left-Handed	Right-Handed
Ryan Graves	Dougie Hamilton
Jonas Siegenthaler	Damon Severson
Ty Smith	TBD

As you can see, unless Reilly Walsh is able to win a spot out of camp, it would be wise for New Jersey to add a third-pair, right-handed defenseman. Specifically, one that favors the defensive-end of the ice. Especially if Ty Smith is going to get the first stab on the bottom-pair on the left-side.

Of course, this all contingent on the fact the Devils do not bring back P.K. Subban. Subban was not remotely as bad as Devils’ fans made him out to be. He actually had his best season in a Devils’ uniform. This evident by his Goals Above Replacement (GAR) rating of 7.0 this past year. For perspective, Subban’s GAR ratings in 2019-20 and 2020-21 were -10.1 then -1.3. This before posting a very strong 7.0 rating this past season.

He is a perfectly capable third-pairing defenseman. One that is being projected, by Evolving-Hockey, to receive a three-year, $3,800,000 per season deal. In his role, this may be a bit too rich for a third-pair defenseman.

So, if the Devils do not go the Subban route, which appears unlikely at this point, there are some solid options on the market. And ones that should not cost too much of that roughly projected $25,000,000 in cap space the Devils currently own. So, what does the right-handed defensive free agent market have to offer?

Note, this below list is in order of preference.

The Targets

Ilya Lyubushkin

One of the more underrated defensive-defenseman in the league is Russian defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin. The six-foot-two, 28-year-old began his NHL career with the Arizona Coyotes before being traded to Toronto last season. He appeared in 77 games last season.

In his career he only has 25 points in 211 games played, he is your textbook defensive-defenseman. He tallied 187 hits and 92 blocks last season. For comparisons sake, the hit total would have led Devils’ defenseman and the block total would have been third-best on the team. Further evidence of the defensive-defenseman description.

His underlying numbers are what describe just how good defensively Lyubushkin is. Over the past three seasons, he ranks in the league’s 89th percentile defensively (per the above chart). His five-on-five defensive impact has just been superb since he entered the league (per “EV Defense” part of the chart above).

Evolving Hockey is only projecting Lyubushkin will sign a one-year deal worth $800,000. This appears to be a very low figure. A two-year deal worth anywhere up to $2,250,000 would be ideal for the strong defensive player. Adding him would not only be a terrific move to round out the Devils’ defensive core, but also give Ty Smith the much needed support.

Mark Pysyk

The 30-year-old Canadien has played for three different teams over his 10-year career. Over his past three seasons, he has spent time with Florida, Dallas, and was re-united in Buffalo, where he began his career, last season. Like Lyubushkin, Pysyk is a very strong defensive-defenseman, as his numbers over his career indicate. His highest point total in his career was 17 in 82 games back in 2016-17.

The best describer of Pysyk’s defensive abilities is his underlying defensive metrics. Over the past three seasons, he ranks in the league’s 73rd percentile defensively per Evolving Hockey. This includes good work on the penalty kill when given the opportunity to chip in there as well. An overall, very solid bottom-pair defensive-defenseman.

Pysyk is nowhere near a flashy name, and probably an individual that will not be sought out after early in free agency. For this reason, expect an extremely favorable deal for the 10-year veteran. A figure that most likely will not eclipse the $1,500,000 mark. He will provide tremendous value to whichever team brings him in.

Colin Miller

Colin Miller battled injuries last year but was able to appear in 38 games for the Sabres. The 29-year-old is listed at six-foot-one and 199 pounds. His best season came in 2017-18 when he played in all 82 games for the Vegas Golden Knights and tallied 10 goals and 31 assists. Since then, Miller has only been able to play more than 51 games once largely due to injury.

However, when healthy, Miller has been a very underrated positive-impact, bottom-four defenseman. Specifically, over his career, he has profiled as more as a defensive-defenseman with a decent offensive impact. Since 2020, Miller has an above league-average defensive impact with a slightly below league-average offensive one. Quietly, a quality depth-player.

At his price, which will be relatively cheap. Miller can provide a nice presence to New Jersey’s bottom defensive pair. If the Devils were to opt to go a more defensive-reliable defenseman in Kevin Bahl or Nikita Okhotiuk on the left-side, Miller would compliment them nicely. Even if they decided to roll with Ty Smith, Miller’s defensive impact would help Smith as well.

Jan Rutta

Jan Rutta is currently serving on the top-pair, alongside Victor Hedman, in the Stanley Cup Finals. The fact many may not know this tells you just how underrated of an asset he can be. The two-time Stanley Cup winning defenseman has five NHL seasons under his belt. After spending just a shade over a one-and-a-half seasons with Chicago, Rutta found a home in Tampa Bay where he has excelled the past few seasons.

Over this three-year period, Rutta has ranked above the league’s 50th percentile in both offensive and defensive on-ice impacts per Evolving-Hockey. Despite playing for the best team in the league the past few seasons, it says a lot for Rutta that whenever he is on the ice the two-time Cup-winning Lightning are better off for it. Worth mentioning, he has not always been paired with Hedman.

Rutta, like the rest on this list, would also most likely come as a bargain. The 31-year-old also has the capabilities to play both the left and right sides, this despite being right-handed. Regardless, this two-way defenseman would not only provide an immediate boost to New Jersey’s bottom-pair, but also bring a ton of playoff experience.

Matt Benning

Benning is the third true defensive-only defenseman on this list. The six-foot-one, Alberta native has six years of NHL experience under his belt. Over a full season, he is good for around 100 hits and 60-plus blocked shots. Both areas defensive-defenseman usually excel in. Another telling sign Banning is a defensive-first player, his highest point total was 21 back in 2017-18 over 73 games.

Over the past three seasons, Benning’s one-ice defensive impacts are extremely strong. As the above Regularized Adjusted Plus-Minus (RAPM) chart points outs, his five-on-five defensive impacts have been well above league-average. However, as mentioned above, his impacts offensively are poor. As his eighth percentile ranking in telling offensive-metrics demonstrate.

Benning is a perfect compliment to whichever younger New Jersey Devils’ defenseman will be stepping in to the third-pair this season. Especially if it is to be Ty Smith. Like most on this list, he will also come cheap. A two-year deal around $1,750,000 per season would most likely do, and that is being conservative. Nonetheless, it will be a contract that the Devils would be wise to investigate.

Troy Stecher

Troy Stecher has carved out a NHL career of 359 games over six seasons. The 28-year-old is only listed as five-foot-10 and 186 pounds. However, he has had positive on-ice impacts where ever he has played. Stecher only played 29 games between Detroit and Los Angeles last season. When he has played a full season, he has usually been good for about 15-20 points. However, like the others on this list, and despite his size, Stecher profiles more as a defensive-defenseman.

As the above RAPM chart points out, Stecher has had a positive defensive impact the past three season. When given the opportunity he is a solid bottom-pair defenseman who will surely come at a price in the vicinity of $1,000,000 this offseason. Certainly not the flashiest option on this list, but one that would most likely, once again, have a positive on-ice impact. Especially defensively.

Other Options:

As for the rest of the right-handed defensemen market, two big names line the field. Both John Klingberg and Kris Letang are free agents as well. However, Klingberg profiles as a big-price, offensive-defenseman. Something the Devils do not need. Letang, on the other hand, given his age is most likely not going to be an option for New Jersey.

Josh Manson is likely the ‘third-best’ name on the market. Although having a nice playoff-run with Colorado, his on-ice impacts the past few seasons, albeit in tough minutes, are not strong. Certainly he will not be worth what he is going to get paid.

Justin Braun has a history of strong defensive metrics and would fit in relatively nicely in a third-pair role. However, given his age, it would be a bit surprising if New Jersey pursued.

Anton Stralman and Justin Schultz are also both available. However, each profile as offensive-defenseman and both are on the wrong side of 30 years old, especially Stralman, who is 35. New Jersey would be better suited to look for more defensive-minded players. And given Stralman’s age, and Schultz’s on-ice impacts in recent years, they should not be an option.

Other names that litter the market are Erik Gudbranson, Michael Stone, Andrej Sustr, and Joshau Brown. Each of which have subpar on-ice impacts over the past few seasons and are players New Jersey should steer clear from.

Note, percentile rankings and advanced metrics courtesy of Evolving Hockey.