Bahl Re-Signs with Devils, Inks Two-Year Contract | RELEASE

The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team re-signed defenseman Kevin Bahl to a two-year contract worth $2,100,000 with an annual average value of $1,050,000. The contract breakdown is as follows: 2023-24: $900,000 and 2024-25: $1,200,000. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald.

Bahl, 23, appeared in his third NHL season with New Jersey and played in a career-high 42 games in 2022-23. The 6-foot-6, 230lbs. blueliner posted a career-high eight points (2g-6a) and 35 penalty minutes last season. Bahl also recorded his first career fighting major, after he squared up with Boston forward Trent Frederic on Dec. 28, 2022. He earned the second of his two career point streaks when he logged two assists from Feb. 23 to Feb. 25. Bahl's 6.52 hits per 60 minutes ranked second for all New Jersey defensemen who played in more than 10 games during the 2022-23 regular season.

The left-handed shot made his postseason debut in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and was one of 10 Devils skaters who earned their first career postseason point. Bahl played in 11 of the team's 12 playoff contests and averaged 13:31 time-on-ice. The blueliner also recorded his first career postseason fighting major in Game 5 against the New York Rangers, squaring off with forward Barclay Goodrow.

Born on June 27, 2000, the native of New Westminster, British Columbia, was Arizona's second-round selection, 55th overall, in the 2018 NHL Draft. He was acquired by New Jersey from the Coyotes in the Taylor Hall trade on Dec. 16, 2019. He made his NHL debut with New Jersey on April 29, 2021, vs. Philadelphia, and has played in 66 career games, totaling 14 points (3g-11a). Before his NHL experience, Bahl totaled 84 regular-season contests with New Jersey's American Hockey League affiliate (Binghamton/Utica) from 2020-21 to 2022-23. He also played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with Ottawa from 2016-17 to 2019-20 and was named to the OHL Second All-Star Team in 2020.

Bahl represented his home country in international play at the International Ice Hockey Federation's (IIHF) 2018 U18 World Junior Championship and helped Canada win a Gold Medal at the 2020 WJC.