Miles Wood is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st, and he should have no shortage of suitors on the phone with his agent. The 27-year-old winger brings a rare mixture of speed, size, and tenacity to the table and instantly makes any team’s bottom six better.
Since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2013 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils, Wood has spent his entire pro career in New Jersey up to this point. However, it appears unlikely that he will return to the Devils, who have put their focus elsewhere this offseason. Insider Elliotte Friedman has reported that Wood has been granted permission to speak to other teams, meaning it’s almost certain he will be on the move.
Miles Wood may not be a star player, but he is a very effective bottom-six forward who can affect the game in multiple ways. At 6’2, 195lbs, he has the body of a power-forward, bringing the physicality to match. He’s never shy about getting under the opponent’s skin or throwing a big hit and will drop the gloves from time to time. Wood also has blazing speed that isn’t typically seen in a player of his size and enough skill offensively to chip in as a secondary scorer. This mixture will make him a highly sought-after depth signing this offseason.
Stats (All with NJD)
2022-23: 76GP 13G 14A 27PTS +1 76PIM
Career: 402GP 78G 70A 148PTS -63 427PIM
With Wood likely to hit the open market, here are five teams that I believe are realistic destinations this offseason.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche signing Miles Wood makes sense for both sides. Wood goes to a quality team where he can contend, and the Avalanche improve a bottom six that was a major problem last season.
The Avalanche need more out of their third and fourth lines, and Wood can help them get it in more ways than one. He can chip in offensively while also bringing a physical element that the Avalanche didn’t have last year. He’s fast enough to play within Colorado’s speed-driven system and brings some much-needed physicality to their forward group, especially come playoff time.
Colorado only has seven forwards signed as of right now, so there would be no problem fitting Wood into the lineup. They also have over $15 million in cap space, with Gabriel Landeskog headed to LTIR. The lineup spot is there, the money is there, and Miles Wood is precisely the type of player the Avalanche should look to add to their bottom six.
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a young, up-and-coming team in the Eastern Conference looking to make a pushback into the playoffs. They have a lot of young and talented players, but Miles Wood brings a play style that they don’t currently have a lot of and could really use.
Wood’s speed and skill would fit into the Red Wing’s bottom six nicely, but his physicality would have the biggest impact. Detroit does not have much in terms of gritty, physical players, and in a division with the likes of Tampa Bay, Boston, and Florida, they need to add that element to their game.
Signing Miles Wood would definitely help the Red Wings in multiple ways. He would improve their secondary scoring, which really lacked at times last year, and also bring a physical element to their forward group that they currently don’t have.
GM Steve Yzerman showed he wasn’t afraid to add veterans last offseason when he got Andrew Copp and Ben Chiarot. He can do it again and improve the lineup with Miles Wood this offseason.
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are in a very similar spot to the Detroit Red Wings. They’re a young, up-and-coming team trying to push themselves into the playoffs. Buffalo almost made the postseason last year and appears to be right on the brink of taking that next step. They have a lot of talent but are lacking in the gritty side of the game. Miles Wood could help change that.
The issue with Buffalo is the lack of roster spots available. The Sabres already have twelve forwards on the roster and just re-signed veterans Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons. Finding a lineup spot for Wood amidst all the young talent in Buffalo may be difficult. However, it could be doable with a trade or two, especially if Victor Olofsson is involved.
Stylistically though, Wood would be a great addition to the Sabres and bring a physical element that they should be looking to add.
Nashville Predators
Miles Wood would fit perfectly with the Nashville Predators. Nashville is consistently one of the most physical teams in the NHL and loves players like Wood, who can score but also play with an edge. It’s almost like Wood was made to be a Nashville Predator.
The Predators only have ten NHL forwards signed, so they have the roster space for Wood. They also have over $18 million in cap space to work with, so money is not an issue. Wood seems like the perfect fit stylistically, and the Predators have the money and spot for him. This would be a match made in heaven.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the more interesting options for Wood. They only have seven NHL forwards under contract for next season and only $9 million in cap space. The money might be too tight to make a Wood deal work, but if they can squeeze him in, he would be a great fit.
The Maple Leafs have shown over the last few seasons that they have started to value grit as a necessary ingredient to winning hockey. They do have a new general manager Brad Treliving taking over, but he showed in Calgary that he agrees with that philosophy. Wood fits the bill for the kind of players Toronto has liked to add. He’s good enough of a player to not be a liability, but he brings the physicality that Toronto was missing for so long.
It’s going to be tough to make the money work, but Miles Wood would be a good fit in the Maple Leaf’s bottom six.
Miles Wood is a quality depth forward who brings a highly sought-after skill set to the table. He has the speed and offensive ability to be a valuable secondary scorer and the size and attitude to impact the game physically every night. There will certainly be a lot of interest around the league when Wood hits free agency. We don’t know yet where he will end up, but I believe these five teams are all possible landing spots for Miles Wood.
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