"We are happy to have Damon under contract through the 2022-23 season," said Shero. "Damon brings an important dimension to our hockey club and he is a young defenseman that we are excited to work with. This deal shows our ownership's commitment in what we continue to build here. We look forward to helping Damon continue to grow and develop as a player."
Severson, 23, completed his third-full professional season in 2016-17 and spent the entire campaign at the NHL level with New Jersey. The right-shooting blueliner set new career-highs with 28 assists, 31 points and 125 shots in 80 regular-season games played. He led all New Jersey defensemen in assists and points. Severson skated in the 200th game of his NHL career/with the Devils on April 1 at Philadelphia. He logged a career high 28:05 minutes of playing time on January 7 vs. Edmonton. The 6-2, 205lb., defender also scored the first game-winning goal of his NHL career on October 29 vs. Tampa Bay.
The Melville, Saskatoon, native has skated in 203 regular-season games with New Jersey since the 2013-14 season, scoring nine goals and 60 assists for 69 points with 112 penalty minutes. He is the first Devils' defenseman to total more than 25 assists in a single season since Marek Zidlicky had 30 in 2013-14. During the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs, he led Albany (AHL) with eight assists in 11 contests. Before starting his professional career, he spent four-plus seasons, 2009-14, with Kelowna (WHL) and played in the 2011 CHL Top Prospects Game. Born on August 7, 1994, Severson was New Jersey's second choice, 60th overall, in the 2012 NHL Draft.
