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Devils Trade for Defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic from Montreal Canadiens

The Devils reel in another large-bodied, puck-moving defenseman on the cheap.

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Montreal Canadiens defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic, left, looks to pass against Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

The New Jersey Devils were active on the trade front during day two of the NHL Draft, and continue to make moves. After moving John Marino to Utah and acquiring Paul Cotter from the Vegas Golden Knights, New Jersey flipped a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick in exchange for Montreal Canadiens defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic in another Devils trade. The Canadiens will receive the highest of the three fourth-round picks that the Devils have.



The right-handed defenseman joins the Devils with one year remaining on his contract for $766,667. At 6-foot-5, 223 lbs, Fitzgerald continues to reel in large bodies for New Jersey.

According to Marc Dumont of Montreal Hockey Now, “Kovacevic is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. And I don’t say that as a generic comment, he’s legitimately a great person. He can absorb minutes on the third pair and do it very well. Don’t push him too much, he has his limits. But he can solidify your third pairing and sometimes pitch in on the second pairing. Kovacevic is not spectacular defensive or offensively, but at the end of the day, you check the stats, and he’s among the best defencemen most nights. He finished his first year with the Habs as far and away the best RHD, though his usage was sheltered. The second year was less encouraging, as he was often the odd-man out. Some stability should go a long way when it comes to his confidence and overall play.”

If that’s not enough for you, JFresh Analytics likes Kovacevic’s game as well.

Tom Fitzgerald continues to work on adding depth to the lineup, this time on the backend. Montreal claimed Kovacevic from Winnipeg back in 2022 and has appeared in 143 games. During that time he’s recorded 28 points in primarily a third-pairing, depth role.

On the eve of NHL free agency, the Devils continue to round out their roster. As it stands, Kovacevic joins Dougie Hamilton, Simon Nemec, and Nick DeSimone on the right side of the Devils defense.

The Devils are speculated to be in on free agent defenseman, Brett Pesce, to fill the role left by Marino, but in the meantime, Fitzgerald adds a big, mobile defender who can kill penalties. Adding the cheap, depth defender leaves them with just over $19 million to spend in free agency.

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