Throughout the New Jersey Devils’ offseason, many strategic moves were made; there was defenseman Brenden Dillon who came from the Winnipeg Jets as well as former Golden Knight center, Paul Cotter, but one previous Carolina Hurricanes defenseman has had the spotlight shined on him since the day he was signed and welcomed into New Jersey’s organization. This defenseman is Brett Pesce.
Before his journey to the Devils, Pesce played for the Carolina Hurricanes for nine years. He was drafted 66th overall in 2013, but he didn’t officially play in the National League until 2015. In Pesce’s last season as a Hurricane (the 2023-24 season), he had 3 goals and 10 assists, summing to 13 points. He also achieved a career high in the 2022-2023 season with 30 points.
Pesce expressed some sadness on having to leave the Hurricanes upon his departure, but mostly excitement that he would be closer to his hometown of Tarrytown, NY. “I loved my time as a Cane and sometimes it’s just the nature of the business that it doesn’t work out. But playing close to home, for me, is something really important,” he said when asked about the signing.
Starting his journey in New Jersey, Pesce signed a 6-year, $33 million contract with the Devils on July 1, 2024.
Even with missing the Devils home opener, Oct. 10, 2024, Pesce still displayed commitment by pushing to recover from his injury so he would be able to play as soon as possible. Pesce’s first game as a Devil was Oct. 24, against the Detroit Red Wings. Even with the loss taken by the team that night, Pesce still shined and showed promise in his plays by being attentive with the puck and minimizing scoring chances for Detroit. In the following games afterward, Pesce continued to show promise as he was able to play the part the Devils needed, which was a reliable defenseman who blocked pucks consistently, and could lock down the blueline.
Alongside being reliable, Pesce was able to adapt to New Jersey quickly, especially with his young defensive partner, Luke Hughes. The connection between the two defensemen has caused Pesce to act as almost a mentor towards Hughes, and since their debut as a pairing Hughes’s defensive play has soared positively, even while playing big minutes. Also, in Nov. 2024, Devils’ goalies averaged a .944 save percentage with these two on the ice.
Not only has Pesce made an impact on the ice, but also in the locker room, as he formed a tight-knit bond with Luke Hughes and Brenden Dillon. “Me, Brenden Dillon and Luke sit next to each other during games and we have our own group chat, us three and it’s always going off. We’re like the Three Amigos in that corner!” is what Pesce said about the newfound friendship.
It’s evident that Pesce has made a huge impact throughout the whole Devils organization. As of now, the 30-year-old has 1 goal and 6 assists, summing to 7 points in total. Seeing him achieve an increased amount of assists and goals is definitely something foreseeable in his future. It is also foreseeable that Pesce will only continue to make more impacts and improvements going forward.
