First Offer Sheet of the offseason drops with a bang!

The NHL free agency window barely opened before the fireworks started, and New Jersey wasted no time making one of the boldest moves of the day.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the Devils have submitted an offer sheet to restricted free agent Barrett Hayton, currently under Utah's control. The deal is reportedly a one-year contract worth $4.775 million and Hayton has said yes.

The Mammoth have seven days to decide whether they'll match offer sheet tendered to Hayton or take the second-round pick as compensation.

The tricky part with this deal: If Mammoth do match...they cannot trade him for one calendar year. But, Hayton can become a UFA next July.

Offer sheets remain one of the rarest weapons in the NHL's offseason arsenal. Teams are generally reluctant to use them, partly because of the unwritten code among front offices and partly because the original team almost always has the financial flexibility to match. But New Jersey appears willing to test that dynamic here.

If Utah's Mammoth elect not to match the offer, they would receive a second-round draft pick as compensation. That is the price the Devils are willing to pay to add Hayton to their roster.

The move signals clear intent from New Jersey's front office. The Devils have been looking to bolster their forward group, and targeting Hayton suggests they see him as a player who can contribute immediately at that salary.

For Utah, the decision now becomes straightforward but potentially uncomfortable. Matching the offer sheet would lock Hayton in at a number the Mammoth may not have planned on paying. Letting him walk means losing a young forward in exchange for only a second-round pick, which is rarely considered adequate return for an NHL roster player.

Hayton, the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, has been working to establish himself as a consistent contributor at the NHL level. A change of scenery in New Jersey could provide a fresh opportunity if Utah decides the price is too steep.

Offer sheets have historically generated enormous attention around the league, even when they are ultimately matched. The last several years have seen a slight uptick in teams willing to deploy this tactic, but it still carries a degree of front office tension that most general managers prefer to avoid.