A top forward is coming to Newark.
The Devils signed Tomas Tatar to a two-year, $9 million contract, general manager Tom Fitzgerald announced Thursday.
The 30-year-old joins defensemen Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Graves and veteran goalie Jonathan Bernier as key additions for New Jersey this offseason.
With 176 goals and 201 assists over his 10-year NHL career, Tatar immediately gives the Devils an offensive jolt.
In this past truncated season, the Slovakia native notched 10 goals and 20 assists while playing less than 15 minutes a night for the Canadiens. He led the team in scoring in the 2019-20 season with 22 goals, 39 assists and 61 points.
Tatar — a 2009 second round pick of the Red Wings — spent the first seven years of his career in Detroit before a trade to the Golden Knights in 2018.
After a disappointing 20-game stint in Vegas, Tatar was dealt to the Canadiens — along with prospect Nick Suzuki and a 2019 second-round pick — for star forward Max Pacioretty.
The Devils also announced another move Thursday, re-signing restricted free-agent forward Yegor Sharangovich to a two-year, $4 million deal.
The 23-year-old tallied 16 goals and 14 assists in 54 games played as a rookie. He scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 16 in overtime against the Bruins to give the Devils their first win of the year.
New Jersey finished seventh in the eight-team East with 45 points in the pandemic-shortened season.
