The New Jersey Devils are on the verge of falling out of a playoff spot. Along with the rest of the Eastern Conference, New Jersey has seemingly found themselves stuck in a mediocre purgatory. They’ve managed to overcome adversity with the numerous injuries they have faced, for the most part. Life without Jack Hughes has been tough, as the offensive has spurted. However, an underrated loss the Devils have experienced is defenseman Brett Pesce.
Brett Pesce Impact Shouldn’t Go Unnoticed
Pesce is the perfect top four defenseman and for this current constructed roster. Pesce is a player that plays the game the right way, is positionally aware defensively, and can play in multiple situations. He was a staple for the Carolina Hurricanes and a reliable player for head coach Rod Brind’Amour. For Devils bench boss Sheldon Keefe, it’s been the same way.
The sample size for Pesce is small this season, as he has only suited up in nine games. He did have three assists with two being primary. Although, Pesce isn’t known for his offense, he brings balance to the Devils defensive group. His shutdown presence is the biggest asset.
The Devils Without Pesce
Shot suppression is the biggest element to his game. Pesce puts himself in position to suppress the oppositions chances and is one of the best shot blockers on the team (averaging 2.7 per game). In the small sample, Pesce has a Corsi-for percentage (CF%) of 55.73 and an expected goals-for percentage (xGF%) of 53.85. Each figures are well above the Devils’ current team averages.
His deployment is evident of the trust Keefe has in the player with most of his starts beginning in the defensive zone. This makes the previously mentioned strong on-ice impacts even more impressive.
Examining the Defensive Pairs
The top pair remains a constant, as Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler are back together at last. Their impacts have been good together, having positive metrics across the board. However, after that it gets dicey and the pairings keep on changing.
One thing is for certain and it’s that both Simon Nemec and Luke Hughes need more stabilizing defensive partners. Head coach Sheldon Keefe has often put them out on the ice together and the results have been not desirable. The offensive upside is evident with the pair, but defensively it’s been a black hole. Together they have an xGF% of 41.05 and are getting scored on more than their expected rate. It sounds good when you think about it, but Nemec is perfectly stable alongside Brenden Dillon and Hughes alongside Pesce.
Pesce being paired alongside Hughes allows Hughes to be his dynamic offensive self and Pesce responsible enough to cover for him. The sample size was small this season, together they had a 60.2 xGF% and were on the ice for four goals scored and two against. The pair was able to control possession and make a lasting impact. Not to mention, it slotted everyone else into their proper place. The pair was good together during the 2024-25 season as well and Pesce being out leaves a hole that’s hard to fill.
Final Thoughts
When the Devils seemingly swapped out Pesce for John Marino and gave Pesce a larger contract than Marino had, questions were rightfully raised. However, it appears that has certainly been the right move as Pesce has been a defensive force for the Devils since joining the team.
His return will allow the Devils to properly space out their defensive core. Not to mention, despite Colton White stepping in admirably in Pesce’s absence, replacing a defender who is more known for his AHL play, for an elite shot suppressor will help immensely itself.
In the latest update, head coach Sheldon Keefe has said that Pesce is skating, but is still not ready to play. Hopefully it isn’t too much longer, because this back end needs him back sooner than later.