It's getting closer and closer to the beginning of the season and Tomas Tatar, the free agent formerly with the New Jersey Devils, finds himself in search of a new team. It's increasingly unlikely that he'll return to New Jersey, as the Devils' management, led by General Manager Tom Fitzgerald, is banking on their young talents to step up and fill the gaps left by summer departures. Consequently, Tatar remains unsigned on the market.
In the latest twist, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has reported that Tatar has changed his representation and is now exploring the possibility of securing a contract in the Eastern Conference. Tatar had been previously represented by Ritchie Winter of Raze Sports but has now opted for Newport Sports Management.
"Tomas Tatar has switched agents" Friedman explained to Jeff Marek on the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast.
"He is now represented by Newport. That's a relatively recent development. Someone said to me they wouldn't be surprised to see him sign soon. We'll see. I know Pittsburgh was a team that was interested, but I believe the Penguins were not the only one."
"I thought it might be Pittsburgh," Friedman stated in a later update. "Now, I'm not convinced it's gonna be Pittsburgh. I've heard East, but I'm not so sure it's Pittsburgh."
This development presents an intriguing situation for Tatar. He's a valuable player capable of slotting into a top-six role for many teams. What adds another layer of intrigue is the recent revelation from New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello, who confirmed that Zach Parise won't be starting the season with the Islanders; he's currently at his home in Minnesota. It seems plausible for the Islanders to replace one 20-goal scorer with another, and Tatar could fit that bill perfectly. Notably, a number of Islanders players are already represented by Newport:
Tomas Tatar is now represented by Newport Sports Management who also represent Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas, Matt Martin, Bo Horvat, J.G. Pageau, Zach Parise.
