On Wednesday, the Devils traded Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a fourth-round pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft.
The 34-year-old forward will enter the final season of a three-year, $9.45 million contract ($3.15 million average annual value) he signed with the Devils on June 23, 2023. This came a year after he was a part of a one-for-one trade with the Boston Bruins for Devils draft mistake Pavel Zacha. He returns to Nashville, where he had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 51 games in the 2020-21 season.
But despite no longer being on the Devils' roster, let's take some time to remember Haula's contributions to New Jersey.
For the moments and memories that made us Haula at ya boy. pic.twitter.com/1GJa8ktVGC
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 18, 2025
Haula's contributions to New Jersey
The winger had 97 points (41 goals, 56 assists) in 225 regular-season games for the Devils and seven points (four goals, three assists) in 17 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He averaged 10:17 of ice time in three games for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
In his first season with New Jersey, 2022-23, Haula posted 41 points in 80 games — including a personal best of 27 assists. That same year he closed the regular season with six goals and eight points over the final seven games. Haula was really good in the playoffs that season, scoring four goals in the seven-game spat with the New York Rangers in the first round. That will be the most positive memory of Haula, helping the Devils put down their biggest rival in the playoffs.
At 34-years-old, this most recent NHL season he tallied 11 goals and 21 points in 69 games with the Devils. Haula also added an assist in five playoff games before the Devils were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.
Haula has fallen firmly into the rut of depth scorer late in his career, but his depth scoring was exactly what New Jersey needed behind stars Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier. Unfortunately, he struggled in his most recent season, famously going months between goals during a freezing cold streak.
His worth was also proven as a mentor figure in the locker room — most notable to star center Jack Hughes.
"I'm a huge Erik Haula fan," Hughes previously said. "He came in and did a great job for us, providing that leadership and experience. There's a difference between being in the locker room, being a voice, and then not backing it up. He's been a gamer for us, played every game all year. He's fighting, scoring, penalty killing, on the power play - he's just a character guy and he fits really well in our locker room."
In short — while the trade needed to be done to create cap space — New Jersey fans should forever haula about Erik Haula and what he brought to the ice during his time as a Devil.