The New Jersey Devils have re-signed Nick Lappin to a one-year two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level. Lappin was eligible for arbitration this summer but decided not to file prior to the deadline. Instead, he’ll be back on a deal that gives him a nice $250K guarantee and will try to force his way back onto the NHL club.
Lappin, 25, didn’t qualify for Group VI unrestricted free agency this year because he’s only had two seasons under a professional contract. That will change next summer if he doesn’t play in 31 games for the Devils, something that isn’t by any means guaranteed at this point. Suiting up for just six contests in 2017-18 thanks to a deeper and more productive Devils lineup, Lappin instead played nearly the entire year with the Binghamton Devils where he was a dominant offensive performer. Leading the AHL team with 31 goals in 65 games, the former Brown University standout was among the league leaders as well, trailing Valentin Zykov by just two goals for the overall title.
He’ll try to bring that same level of offensive production to Binghamton again this season, and drag the team back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013-14 when they were still the minor league affiliate of the Ottawa Senators. Lappin will also represent solid depth for New Jersey, though he doesn’t quite fit into a bottom-six role making it difficult for him to really carve out a spot with the team.