The New Jersey Devils‘ blue line continued to change this summer, and since their 2023 playoff appearance, only three defensemen remain: Dougie Hamilton, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Luke Hughes.
Homegrown talent, free-agent signings, and trade acquisitions are among the players expected to make up the other half of the Devils’ defense in 2024-25.
Rookie Simon Nemec made his NHL debut in Dec. 2023 and stayed in New Jersey for the remainder of the season, appearing in 60 games. Many expect the 2022 second-overall pick to continue his play in the NHL this season as part of the third pair.
This past summer, general manager Tom Fitzgerald added experience and grit in the forms of Brett Pesce, 29, and Brenden Dillon, 33.
Before the start of training camp, NHL.com predicted the following defensive pairs.
Siegenthaler – Hamilton
Hughes – Pesce
Dillon – Nemec
Additionally, in June, Fitzgerald acquired Johnathan Kovacevic from the Montreal Canadiens and, over the summer, referenced him as his seventh defenseman.
It appeared New Jersey would enter the season with a much improved blue line and depth that would get the team off to the strong start it needed, but of course, not everything goes according to plan.
Injuries Lead to Opportunities
Ahead of training camp, the Devils announced Hughes would be sidelined with a shoulder injury and listed Pesce as week-to-week as he continues to recover from an injury he sustained last season.
#NEWS: The New Jersey Devils announced today that defenseman Luke Hughes suffered a left shoulder injury earlier this month during off-season training. Upon examination by New Jersey’s medical staff, it was determined that he will not require surgery.
Hughes’ recovery time is… pic.twitter.com/i5OJlnxG2Q
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) September 12, 2024
It created an opening for the Devils’ depth defensemen, who spent the past week trying to take advantage of the opportunities that accompany injuries.
“I think anytime you see guys go down or you’re at camp, you want to make an impression,” Colton White said. “Every year, there are guys looking to fight for jobs, and I’m one of those guys. All you need is an opportunity, and make the best of that.”
White joins Kovacevic, Nick DeSimone, and Seamus Caey as the blueliners looking to punch their ticket onto the team plane to Prague, Czechia, to kick off the 2024-25 season.
Santeri Hatakka would be in this mix but is currently being evaluated for an injury.
Defensemen Making an Impression on Keefe
After the club’s third preseason game on Sept. 25, The Hockey News asked head coach Sheldon Keefe if he felt his depth defensemen were making the most of their opportunities. In his response, he referenced a few players, including Casey, White, Hatakka, and Kovacevic.
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“Casey (is) an example of a guy who this is his first go around here, and he is getting better and better,” Keefe said. “Obviously, I knew he was coming in and knew his abilities and what he had accomplished in college, but it is a whole different beast when you get out here. As a coach, you watch, and you’re learning. You are looking for guys to jump out at you and looking for guys to continue to make progress and improve. He has done that.
“I look at Colton White. He has done a good job as well from the beginning of camp,” Keefe continued. “Obviously, Hatakka was right there in the mix.”
Kovacevic has been paired with Siegenthaler throughout camp. When discussing the pair, Keefe said, “With Pesce being out of the mix, it was an easy decision to give Kovacevic that opportunity.”
Balancing Being a Good Teammate and Fighting For Their Spot
Training camp is an interesting time for the players. With the intensity that accompanies camp, players must balance being a good teammate and being competitive and fighting for a spot in the lineup.
“For me, if I am focused on what other guys are doing, I am not going play well,” Kovacevic said. “I have found the best way to do it is to focus on yourself and be a good teammate to everyone. Be a good guy and cheer them on. Their success does not mean that you’re going to fail. I think that is a bit of a misconception.”
DeSimone signed his contract with New Jersey on June 24. Days later, he sat back and watched his team acquire Kovacevic and, of course, sign Jakub Zboril to a professional tryout in September.
“It happens everywhere,” DeSimone said. “Every team is trying to get depth, especially a team like this. Obviously, we have a very high goal to go far (this season). It is not something that you have any control over, so it is not really worth even overthinking or thinking about.”
Mar 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New Jersey Devils goaltender Jake Allen (34) celebrates the win with defenseman Nick DeSimone (57) against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Despite competing for the same spots on the blue line, the guys get along off the ice.
“Kovacevic comes here, and you meet him and hang out a couple of days, and he is the best guy. (We’ve) gotten along great so far,” DeSimone said. “When you like your teammates, it makes life a lot better. Coming to the rink, it is fun and it makes everybody better competition-wise and makes the team better.”
Keefe Provides Insight Into Decision-Making
On Sunday, the Devils will board a plane to Europe, and Keefe will need to decide which defensemen will make the trip. On Friday, The Hockey News asked the head coach if his decision is based on the players who best matches a specific role or if he was looking for the best of that particular player.
“It’s an interesting time of year for those kind of things. There was a time where you sort of look for the best player that is going to fit in for what you’re looking for, and what the role is and what the line is,” Keefe said. “It is more complicated than that these days. A lot of it is because of the salary cap. There are things that we have talked about and said, ‘Well that has implications for the lineup and the roster, and that is not really possible for us to start the season.’
“It is complicated a little bit with Pesce and Luke Hughes’ situation and how that impacts our salary cap,” Keefe continued. “Anything that we decide (about) the group that we bring to Prague and the group that we play in game one, there are going to be adjustments. We are going to need more than that, so we are not making final decisions, just making decisions for that day. I’m looking to learn as much as I can about our entire group, and when opportunities come and the salary cap allows, we will make the appropriate decisions.”
The Devils will play their final preseason game before decisions are made on which players will participate in the NHL Global Series on Friday night against the New York Islanders. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 P.M.
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