One dream, one realistic, and one bargain player for the New Jersey Devils in NHL free agency
Bargain Free Agent: Brett Pesce, D
Once a potential trade chip in what could have transformed into a blockbuster deal, Alexander MacLean of Dobber Hockey has Brett Pesce listed with a projected cap hit of just $1.82 million. But don’t let that number fool you, as Pesce is still every bit as effective of a blueliner. It’s also a more than manageable number for a blueliner who, like Sean Walker, could factor in as a better fit than John Marino or Jonas Siegenthaler.
Pesce once again proved he could play top-four minutes; he blocked triple-digit shots for the second year running, and also, like Walker, Pesce dealt with an unstable situation at goaltender for much of the year, with the Hurricanes starting four goaltenders and playing five.
If Tom Fitzgerald rolls with Pesce or someone cheaper than what Sean Walker could go for - cap hit of $4.56 million, per MacLean’s projections, the Devils would get a good puck mover, and one who often found himself in the offensive zone at even strength when the Hurricanes were taking shots.
His Corsi For sat at 58.1, bettering the career-high he set the previous season of 58.0, and it was even slightly higher at 5-on-5. Pesce was once again one of the Hurricanes top blueliners on the penalty kill, and he saw five short-handed goals scored while on the ice while he was also in the game for just 12 goals against.
Hurricanes goaltenders also had a collective 88.3 save percentage when he was on the PK unit. So, despite the cheaper price, we can’t mistake it for Pesce struggling through a subpar season, even if most of his basic stats imply otherwise.
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(Statistics powered by Hockey-Reference)