It should be obvious to any New Jersey Devils player with eyes that defenseman Brett Pesce has already been worth the money.
Pesce signed a six-year, $33 million contract with the New Jersey Devils in July of 2024, including $14.5 million signing bonus, $33 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $55 million. In 2024-25, Pesce will earn a base salary of $2 million and a signing bonus of $5 million while carrying a cap hit of $5.5 million
“It's just a crazy day," Pesce said at the time of his signing. "At the end of the day, I did always know I wanted to end up here. I loved my time as a Cane and sometimes it’s just the nature of the business, it doesn't work out. But playing close to home for me is something really important. To be 45 minutes from the Prudential Center is a dream come true. I played my youth hockey at the Ice House in Hackensack, so I can't really ask for anything more.”
Pesce's signed his contract at the same time as now-teammate Brenden Dillon. Dillon's contract was worth around $21 million less than Pesce's and for three years fewer.
On Thursday, Pesce scored his first goal as a New Jersey squad member with a shorthanded goal against the Los Angeles Kings in an eventual 3-1 victory.
Flashing forward to the present, the New Jersey Devils took down Chicago (4-1) on Saturday. This game reaffirmed even more that Pesce is worth the money. He was on the ice for all four goals this game (+4). He's been everything the Devils hoped for and so much more this season.
This is further emphasized by the game's stat card, in which Pesce led New jersey in virtually all aspects.
For the 2024-25 campaign so far, Pesce has played in 24 games and tallied four points (+2).
No matter what many thought about Brett Pesce's contract when it was signed, Brett Pesce has been well worth the money
“Location aside, just you look at the group that they have, Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, all these guys," Pesce also said at the time of his signing. "It's not fun playing against them, to be honest. God, it's tough seeing them flying up the wing and you defending them. You don't see that often … I’m used to playing against top guys my whole career, and those guys are cream of the crop, and that's why I'm so excited to just get going because I think the sky's the limit for this team.”
And clearly, the sky is the limit for the New Jersey Devils. They currently sit at first in the Metropolitan division with 43 points.
But let's not get it twisted, Pesce is a big part of the reason why the Devils are there.