New Jersey Devils’ 2025-26 Report Cards: Brett Pesce

The 2025-26 season did not go as planned for the New Jersey Devils. Instead of heading to the postseason for the second year in a row, the team faced numerous injuries and inconsistencies, resulting in a seventh-place finish in the Metropolitan Division. After going 42-37-3, the Devils need to give themselves a fighting chance for next season by acquiring depth scoring, extending the right players, and making choices that maximize their cap space.

All season long, every player on the roster contributed one way or another, with some making a greater impact than others. Let’s take a look at Brett Pesce, who stabilized the Devils’ defense despite being hindered by numerous injuries. 

2025-26 Performance

Pesce played just 37 games this season, and the Devils struggled without the veteran defenseman in the lineup. In October, his impact could not be understated, serving as a difference-maker in a wide variety of scenarios. He excelled at suppressing opposing scoring chances at 5-on-5, with the lowest rate of unblocked shot attempts, scoring chances, and high-danger goals against among the club’s defensemen. Within that same time frame, he even allowed zero goals against on the penalty kill and an average of less than three shots against per game.

Unfortunately, Pesce suffered a hand injury at the end of the month, after blocking a shot against the Colorado Avalanche. As a result, he was sidelined for 24 games and was not activated from injured reserve (IR) until mid-December. But even after his return, the Devils were struggling to stay above water, with four-game losing streaks across December, January, and February.

But through it all, Pesce was the team’s defensive backbone, alongside his partner, Luke Hughes. Together, the two had an expected goals percentage of 54.29 and were on the ice for 398 shot attempts and 200 scoring chances for, per Natural Stat Trick.

Just as the Devils were rediscovering their stability, Pesce was injured again, missing the remainder of the season after sustaining a lower-body injury on March 3 against the Florida Panthers. All in all, he was a solid contributor when healthy, but his injuries limited his impact this season.

Impact for the Devils

In July 2024, the Devils acquired Pesce as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) after spending the previous nine seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. Agreeing to a six-year, $33 million deal, he immediately provided stability as a top defenseman. Likewise, the Hughes-Pesce combination has become an elite duo, offering solid defensive coverage while also having an offensive flair.

Much like his teammate Brenden Dillon, Pesce is a seasoned player whose veteran status has given the Devils more confidence on the back end. Averaging 20:18 ice time per game, he’s become a foundation for their defense, blocking shots and being physical, while the team tries to achieve consistency.

BRETT. PESCE.

Guy's everywhere all the time. pic.twitter.com/cQjTDHzz0y

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— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) April 22, 2025

So long as he can stay healthy next season, Pesce should be an invaluable member of the Devils’ roster. Similar to Dougie Hamilton, he joined the team and embraced a winning mindset, believing that New Jersey could become a serious playoff contender. And now, he’s become a top-pairing defenseman, strengthening their current group by being an all-situations blueliner.

Nonetheless, there are still some concerns about his recent performance, namely his minus-16 goal differential, which matched his total from last season, despite playing 35 fewer games. Pesce was also on the ice for a higher rate of shots, goals, and high-danger scoring chances against than in 2024-25. But regardless, he’s been an instrumental factor in the Devils’ success.

Future With the Devils

With four years left on his current contract, Pesce’s future with the Devils is a certainty. He’s improved the team over the last two seasons, helping shift their identity so that making the postseason has become an expectation. While some may argue that his $5.5 million cap hit is disproportionate to the amount of time he’s missed due to injury, the expectation is that he will come back strong for 2026-27.

Pesce has a no-trade clause for next season, which will transition to a modified clause in 2027-28, featuring a 15-team no-trade list. Meaning, he will be a cornerstone of the Devils’ defense for the near future.

It’s clear that Pesce’s contributions have made the Devils a better team — tougher to play against, more confident in each other, and wanting to raise the bar even higher next season. Between his stellar penalty killing, physicality, and strength at 5-on-5, fans should be relieved that he’s become a permanent fixture in the Devils’ lineup.

Overall Grade

Following an injury-riddled season, Pesce’s overall grade is a B-, mainly because he was unable to fully show what he’s capable of. When fully healthy, he was an elite shutdown defenseman, but he struggled at times when returning to the lineup. Like the rest of the team, Pesce had a difficult 2025-26, but made a significant impact at his best.

Looking ahead to next season, he is expected to log high minutes, shutting down opponents’ top lines and being aggressive in the defensive zone. If he can manage a fully healthy 2026-27 campaign, the Devils’ blue line will be in excellent hands.