After an absolutely disappointing season where the New Jersey Devils saw their head coach fired while the team missed the playoffs, it was well-known that changes needed to be made this off-season. The Devils allowed far too many goals to be competitive, an issue they first addressed by trading for star goaltender Jacob Markstrom after the goalie struggles derailed their season.
The Devils now have another star veteran defenseman in the back end as the team signed Brett Pesce from Carolina Hurricanes to a six-year contract with an annual value of $5.5 million per year.
The @NJDevils are bolstering their blue line!
Brett Pesce is reportedly heading to the Garden State on a six-year contract!#NJDevils | #NHLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/BHHwOLlDSF
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 1, 2024
The Devils had holes to fill on the backend after trading Kevin Bahl in the Markstrom deal while the team traded John Marino to Utah during the NHL Draft. Pesce is an instant upgrade over John Marino on both ends of the ice and should instantly bolster this defense core.
The team’s overall defense will be far superior to the effort they gave last season, especially with Markstrom in net. The Devils missed star defenseman Dougie Hamilton who missed most of the season with an injury but will be back this season. Last season was massive for the development of Luke Hughes and Simon Nemic, who should take a massive leap next year.
As the teams atop the Eastern Conference and the Metro continue to lose pieces in free agency, this Devils team looks more and more like a serious contender. The 2023-24 season was derailed by injuries and you have to think that the team’s luck will change this season.
There are still a few moves to be made but, the Devils should easily be one of the top three teams in the Metro Division and compete for the East next season if Sheldon Keefe can pull it all together.
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Publish date : 2024-07-01 19:33:42
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