It’s no secret that last season’s disaster for the New Jersey Devils was largely in part to a myriad of injuries. Well, camp has only been underway for a handful of days, and it appears that the injury gods are still furious with Jersey’s team.
Especially on the back end, they’re already hurting significantly. Luke Hughes will be out for five to seven more weeks with a shoulder injury. Brett Pesce is labeled “week-to-week” as he’s still recovering from offseason surgery on his fractured fibula. With that, a few guys who were initially touted as depth pieces will have the opportunity to make the flight to Prague, Czechia for opening night.
Santeri Hatakka (23 Years Old, 6-Foot-1, 192 Pounds)
The Devils’ fanbase’s slogan for Santeri Hatakka has famously been “Hakuna Hatakka”, modeled after The Lion King phrase “Hakuna Matata”, meaning “no worries.” He is a living embodiment of the phrase, telling James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now that he is “pretty confident” that he’ll be a full-time NHL player this season.
The Finnish Hatakka was initially a throw-in piece in the Timo Meier deal, but he quickly rose to become an intriguing prospect in the Devils’ system. In a short stint with the big club, the 23-year-old notched two assists in 12 games and a plus-5 rating, which was the fifth-highest mark on the entire team. He played most games (10) alongside Simon Nemec, where the duo had an impressive expected-goals percentage (xGF%) of 60% (via MoneyPuck). The opposition scored just one even-strength goal across those ten contests.
In fact, three of the Devils’ top eight pairings (min. 10 minutes ice time) based on xGF% last season featured Hatakka, as he also briefly excelled with departed Devils Brendan Smith and Colin Miller. He showed a slight offensive touch with the Utica Comets (American Hockey League – AHL) as well, with 20 points in 48 games. He certainly boasts some leadership qualities too, as his AHL teammate and fellow Finn Topias Vilen said that Hatakka helped take him under his wing when he came to North America. Vilen told The Hockey Writers, “There’s a lot of good things about his game. His skating and defensive ability (stand out).”
Johnathan Kovacevic (27 Years Old, 6-Foot-5, 218 Pounds)
The Devils acquired Jonathan Kovacevic on June 30 in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Immediately, many Montreal Canadiens fans flooded social media with frustration at their fan favorite being dealt. It’s easy to see why, he stands at an intimidating 6-foot-5, he plays above-average defense, and he’s not afraid to drop the gloves if need be.
His plus-11 rating led the entire Canadiens roster last season, and he blocked 83 shots while dishing out 75 hits in 62 games. Like Hatakka, he doesn’t typically impact the offensive side of things too much, but he did chip in on occasion with six goals and 13 total points in 2023-24.
Ryan Szporer, who covers the Canadiens for The Hockey Writers, said, “Kovacevic is no-flash, all-substance. He’s a stable, all-around defenseman who may not pick up a lot of points, but he’s definitely got puck-movement ability. His strength probably lies in his defensive awareness. Despite his size, he’s kind of hard to notice simply because he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, which is kind of what you need in a depth defenseman.” In six seasons between the AHL and NHL, he’s never finished as a minus. He’s a combined plus-60 in those 280 career games.
Related: 3 New Jersey Devils Position Battles to Watch in Training Camp
General manager Tom Fitzgerald made it very clear that the Devils needed to be bigger and tougher this season. With the addition of Kovacevic (among others), his actions are backing that up.
Nick DeSimone (29 Years Old, 6-Foot-2, 194 Pounds)
Nick DeSimone progressed from a waiver pickup to a sneaky good piece for the Devils’ defense after they suffered so many injuries down the stretch. Despite being mostly a career AHLer, he found a niche playing alongside Luke Hughes, where the duo was one of the best pairings in hockey in a small sample size.
In 113 minutes (11 games), they outscored opponents 7-1. DeSimone’s total rating of plus-7 finished third on the Devils, behind Colin Miller and Curtis Lazar. It was enough to earn him another two-way contract within the Devils’ organization, although he would have to go through waivers if he doesn’t make the initial roster.
He shrugged off taking any credit when asked about his success with the youngest Hughes, laughing and saying, “Well, Luke’s pretty good,” but Hughes’ numbers – both advanced and standard – were at his best when playing alongside DeSimone. Unfortunately, since Hughes is among the currently injured, that may come to the detriment of DeSimone as there might not be enough time for him to prove himself alongside someone else, and his career track record (besides the 11 games with New Jersey) isn’t exactly eye-popping.
But DeSimone is used to being patient for his opportunities, at one point waiting a month to get into game action after being acquired by New Jersey. He told The Hockey Writers, “It’s my job to be ready. You never know when you’re going to be called on. It could be two months, it could be never…you never know. The onus is on me to be ready.”
Current Pairings
Head coach Sheldon Keefe already seems to be sticking to a specific set of defensive pairings in the early days of camp. Here’s what has appeared to stick in the absence of Pesce and Hughes:
- Dillon – Hamilton
- Siegenthaler – Kovacevic
- Hatakka – Nemec
DeSimone has been mostly grouped with guys on AHL and professional tryout contracts. With the flight to Prague happening in just a little over a week (Sept. 29), decisions will have to be made quickly. Unlike past years, the first few preseason games will feature a roster that’s very close to what opening night will look like. Time is of the essence, and one bad practice or skate could be the difference. But regardless, if any of these guys do garner an extended NHL look, they’ll aim to become a vital part of keeping the Devils afloat and avoiding a 2023-24-esque type of disaster.
