Devils Defensive Depth Much Improved Heading Into 2024-25
Aside from Brett Pesce & Brenden Dillon, the New Jersey Devils' depth defenders look improved heading into 2024-25
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Injuries are always a concern throughout an 82-game NHL season. Look no further than the New Jersey Devils, who had their fair share of injuries a season ago that cost them points in the standings.
While it looks like the team will be heading into training camp relatively healthy, they got a bit of a scare late last week when Šimon Nemec went into the boards hard and left the game in an Olympic qualifier with Slovakia. Nemec is flying to New Jersey for more tests this week, but hopefully, he avoided a serious injury.
Regardless, the Devils have improved their defensive depth this summer. Whether it's Nemec or someone like Jonas Siegenthaler or Brenden Dillon missing time this season, the organization should be able to withstand injuries on the blue line.
Johnathan Kovacevic
The exact reason the Devils acquired Johnathan Kovacevic from the Montreal Canadiens was to strengthen their depth. He may be the Devils' seventh defenseman, but he was a regular on a weaker Canadiens team that had playing time available for him.
Kovacevic's results with the Canadiens over the last two seasons were quite good. He's a solid rush defender, wins battles on puck retrievals, and moves the puck fairly efficiently. His goals above replacement (GAR), expected goals above replacement (xGAR) player card from Evolving Hockey shows he had a positive impact on the game:
Ideally, the Devils want Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, and Nemec healthy for most of the season. But in case one of them is unavailable, Kovacevic should be able to step in and not have too much trouble contributing.
Santeri Hatakka
There were plenty of moving pieces to the Timo Meier trade at the 2023 trade deadline. Most of them were throw-ins to help the San Jose Sharks move some contracts, but one player who has made an impression on the Devils is Santeri Hatakka, a sixth-round pick of the Sharks in the 2019 draft.
Hatakka spent most of his time with the Devils' AHL affiliate — the Utica Comets — last season, totaling 20 points in 48 games, a 30-point pace over a 72-game AHL schedule. However, he got some minutes with the Devils due to their injury woes and did not look out of place.
Though Hatakka only logged about 175 minutes with the Devils, his results were solid. His play was worth a total xGAR of 1.8, and he had an expected goals share (xG%) of 53.04 percent. He showed some puck-moving ability but also played with a bit of physicality.
Kovacevic may be the Devils' No. 7 defenseman, but Hatakka is probably No. 8, and he certainly may be the first man up on the left side. Say one of Siegenthaler, Dillon or Luke Hughes misses a bit of time and the Devils need a call-up, Hatakka will likely get the nod since he showed last season that he could hold his own in the NHL.
Seamus Casey
Most Devils fans are excited to see Seamus Casey, one of the organization's top prospects, in action. While he's likely lower on the depth chart than Hatakka and Kovacevic, given his lack of NHL experience, don't rule him getting a chance at playing games with the Devils.
The Devils were fortunate to select Casey when they did at the 2022 draft (46th overall). There were public scouting services that had a first-round grade on him, but he likely fell due to his size (5-foot-10, 181 pounds).
While Casey may be on the smaller side for a defenseman, I don't have as much concern for him as I would for someone like Ty Smith. Casey is an excellent skater, and his hockey sense is high-end. His edgework, in particular, is quite good, and his puck skills seem to be well above average. Those are the tools you look for with a smaller defenseman like Casey that can outweigh the negatives of being 5-foot-10, 181 pounds.
Even if Nemec misses some time to start the season, my guess is the Devils want Casey to get some reps with the Comets. However, don't rule him out winning a job if there's a spot available. He was highly productive in his two years with the Michigan Wolverines and could be ready to compete for NHL minutes.
The Rest of the Field
Kovacevic, Hatakka and Casey are not the only defensemen the Devils have in their system who could get NHL minutes this season. Topias Vilén had some ups and downs in the AHL in 2023-24, but he still totaled 29 points in 54 games. He's only 21, so he probably needs more time to develop, but he could be in the conversation for NHL minutes if he excels in the AHL.
You might not be familiar with Mikael Diotte, but he won the Kevin Lowe Trophy as the best defensive defenseman in the QMJHL last season. As Corey Pronman said in his pipeline ranking of the Devils, "[Diotte is] a big, mobile defenseman whose first pass may be good enough to allow him to play real minutes as a pro." He'll be someone to watch during preseason games in a few weeks.
Daniil Misyul spent all of 2023-24 with the Comets, but he looked like he had NHL potential in his preseason minutes with the Devils last year. He already has plenty of pro experience, having spent four years with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the KHL. At 23 years old, he might be ready for NHL minutes.
The Devils also have a couple of veteran defensemen in their system who could log NHL minutes. Nick DeSimone looked like an NHL-caliber defender in his limited sample last season, especially when paired with Luke Hughes.
Meanwhile, Colton White — a Devils draft pick in 2015 — returns for his second stint with the organization after spending a couple of years in the Anaheim Ducks' system. He's appeared in 84 NHL games, so he has some experience if the Devils need a call-up.
Strengthening Depth Seemed Like a Priority
None of these players have the upside of Nemec or may be able to play more difficult minutes like Hamilton or Pesce. But there's plenty of experience (Kovacevic, DeSimone, Hatakka and White) and some promise with prospects like Casey, Vilén, Misyul and Diotte.
Strengthening the organization's defensive depth seemed like a priority for general manager Tom Fitzgerald this offseason. That's not a surprise, given the time Hamilton and Siegenthaler missed last season, but they should be able to withstand injuries to the blue line better in 2024-25. And that's thanks to improved organizational depth.
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