Tomas Tatar, one of the best available free agents, is off the market

This just in, the New Jersey Devils have signed free agent forward Tomas Tatar to a two year deal worth $4.5 million per season.

From the Devils' official press release annoucement:

Newark, NJ - The New Jersey Devils today signed unrestricted free-agent forward Tomas Tatar to a two-year contract worth $9,000,000 with an average annual value of $4,500,000. The breakdown is as follows: 2021-22, $3,750,000 and 2022-23, $5,250,000. The announcement was made by New Jersey Devils Executive Vice President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.

Tatar, 30, spent the last three season, 2018-19 to 2020-21, with the Montreal Canadiens. Last year, he scored 30 points (10g-20a) in 50 games, ranking third amongst the club's forwards. The two previous seasons he finished first (2019-20, 22g-39a-61pts) and second (2018-19, 25g-33a-58pts) in scoring for the Canadiens. In 625 career NHL regular-season games over 10 seasons with Detroit, Vegas and Montreal, Tatar has recorded 176 goals and 201 assists for 377 points (.60 ppg) and 224 penalty minutes. Coming into the abbreviated 2020-21 season, Tatar had seven straight years of 19 or more goals (the last six of which were 20-plus). He's finished top four amongst forwards on his team in points scored in six of the last seven campaigns and top three in five of those years. Tatar has posted eight-plus power-play points in each of the last seven seasons with a career high of 19 in 2014-15. He's added six goals and six assists in 40 Stanley Cup Playoff contests.

Born on December 1, 1990, the native of Ilava, Slovakia was Detroit's second-round selection, 60th overall, in the 2009 NHL Draft. Tomas spent four seasons with Grand Rapids (AHL) in the Red Wings system before becoming a full-time NHLer. In 2012-13, the Griffins won the Calder Cup and Tatar earned the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL Playoffs MVP with a league-leading 16 goals. Before coming to North America, the 30-year old spent time in the HK Dukla Trencin and HK Dubnica programs in Slovakia.

Tatar has represented his home country in international play, participating at the U-20 World Junior Championship (WJC) in 2009 & 2010, the IIHF World Championship in 2010, 2012 (silver medal), 2014, 2015 and 2019 (alternate captain), the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and 2016 World Cup of Hockey (runner-up with Team Europe).