Devils News
Devils Re-Sign Former First-Round Pick to Two-Way Contract
Nolan Foote suffered a back injury restricting him to just one goal in four games during the 2023-24 season.
The New Jersey Devils announced on Monday morning that they have re-signed forward Nolan Foote to a one-year, two-way contract. Foote’s deal is worth $825,000 at the NHL level and $150,000 ($200,000 guaranteed) at the American Hockey League (AHL) level.
The 23-year-old forward missed the majority of the season in 2023-24 due to a lower-back injury he suffered in the pre-season.
Foote explained that the injury was a re-aggravated one that he’s been dealing with for more than just last season.
“It has kind of been lingering for four years; it happened a while ago. A low back injury disc issue,” Foote explained. “It sucks that it has been going on for that long, and I might have it for a long time. It might linger, but I feel good right now, so just continue to maintain that.”
The former first-round pick by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2019 NHL Draft didn’t play his first game of the 2023-24 season until April 9th against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Foote skated in four games to close out 2023-24, scoring one goal on six shots, averaging 10:06 of time on ice.
The Devils forward trained the majority last season with fellow injured Devil, Dougie Hamilton.
Foote has skated in 23 career NHL games — all with the Devils despite being drafted by the Lightning.
The native of Denver, Colorado explained that despite struggling to stay healthy last season and his now former status as a restricted free agent, he wanted to remain with the Devils.
“I definitely want to stick around here and be with this organization,” Foote said at locker clean out day.
The Devils acquired Foote and a 2020 first-round pick in February 2020 in exchange for Blake Coleman. The first-round selection turned into Shakir Mukhamadullin who the Devils eventually flipped to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Timo Meier.
Foote’s two-way contract means he could very well begin the 2024-25 season in the AHL. The Devils forward has 90 career points (44g-46a) in 138 career regular-season games at the AHL level. His five game-winning goals is tied for first on Utica with Graeme Clarke in 2022-23.
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