Devils sign Brett Pesce to six-year, $33 million contract
The New Jersey Devils signed one of the best-available names in free agency, adding defenseman Brett Pesce on a six-year contract worth $33 million, with an annual average value of $5.5 million.
Sources say #njdevils have agreed to terms with defenseman Brett Pesce: 6 years x $5.5 million.@DailyFaceoff
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 1, 2024
Pesce joins a talented, youthful defensive core in New Jersey, led by Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, 2022 No. 2 overall pick Simon Nemec and 2024 Calder Trophy-finalist Luke Hughes.
Last season, Pesce had three goals and 10 assists for 13 points, averaging 20:17 of ice time, 113 blocked shots and 25 hits with the Carolina Hurricanes. However, injuries caused him to only play two games for the Hurricanes during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The 29-year-old defender has spent his entire nine-year NHL career with the Hurricanes, scoring 39 goals and 159 assists for 198 points, averaging 21:05 of ice time in 627 career games. In 57 post-season games, Pesce has five goals and 16 assists for 21 points, averaging a whopping 23:25 of ice time.
Drafted by the Hurricanes in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the Tarrytown, N.Y., native spent three seasons at the University of New Hampshire.
It’s been a busy offseason for the Devils. On Saturday, New Jersey traded defender John Marino and a 2025 fifth-round pick to Utah Hockey Club in exchange for a second-round pick in this year’s draft, which they used to take goaltender Mikhail Yegorov at No. 49, and a 2025 second-round pick which originally belonged to the Edmonton Oilers.
On May 23, the club named Sheldon Keefe the 22nd head coach in franchise history. The 43-year-old spent five seasons coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs, leading them to a 212-97-40 record and posting three 100-point seasons and one division title.
“To have the chance to lead this young, dynamic team and to see the potential that can still be unlocked is all very attractive for me,” Keefe said in a statement. “I know this organization has a great history of winning and I look forward to getting started to work on leading them back to that level.”