Pesce Wanted to be a Devil | FEATURE

TAKEAWAY

• Pesce wanted to play for the Devils
• The Devils' talent and location were major factors in his decision to sign
• Pesce is a defensively reliable veteran on the blue line
• Pesce is a consistent plus player that blocks a lot of shots
• Pesce lives 45 minutes from Prudential Center and played youth hockey in New Jersey

Defenseman Brett Pesce was entering his first summer as an unrestricted free agent having played the previous nine seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. But when the clock struck noon for the opening of free agency, it was an easy ride for Pesce and his new team, the New Jersey Devils.

“Thankfully, it went smooth to be honest,” he told the media Monday afternoon. “I wanted to be there. They wanted me. It was a pretty smooth interaction between my agent and (Devils general manager) Tom (Fitzgerald).

“Crazy day. At the end of the day, I always knew I wanted to end up here.”

Pesce, who signed a six-year deal with a $5.5 million average annual value with the Devils, spoke with the media from his home in Tarrytown, NY, a 45-minute drive from his new home facility at the Prudential Center.

It’s also a sort of homecoming for Pesce in more ways than mere proximity. He played youth hockey in New Jersey with the New Jersey Avalanche at the triple AAA level and New Jersey Hitmen at the junior level (EJHL).

“Playing close to home for me is something really important,” he said. “To be 45 minutes from the Prudential Center is a dream come true. I played my youth hockey in Hackensack. I can’t ask for anything more.

“The thought of being a New Jersey Devil is hard to describe and hard to put into words how special it is to me.”

Pesce, 29, is a defensively reliable blueliner. He boasts a career plus-92 in 627 games while averaging 21:05 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-3, 206-pound defenseman plays the game hard and with grit – he finished second on Carolina last year with 113 blocked shots and led the club with 4.77 blocks per 60 minutes.

“I’m a defensive-minded defenseman. I’ll join the rush when I can. But I know my role,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in playing against other team’s top lines and doing my best to shut them down. Provide reliable, steady play on the backend.”

Pesce, who had surgery three weeks ago for a fractured fibula, said that the Devils are a dream team for which to play. Not only is it a pseudo hometown team, but because of the Devils’ team potential.

“I wanted to go to a contender,” he said. “You look at the group that they have – Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier – it’s not fun playing against them to be honest. It’s tough seeing them flying up the wing and you defending them. Those guys are cream of the crop. That’s why I’m so excited to get going because I think the sky is the limit for this team.

“I wouldn’t sign anywhere that I didn’t think had a chance to win the Cup.”

Pesce is a veteran addition to a club that has a lot of youth at the blue line in Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. His experience, particularly his 57 games of playoff experience, will be a valuable asset to the neophyte blueliners.

“I’ve been through a lot, a lot with playoffs, a lot of ups and downs, my first three years (Carolina wasn’t) nvery good,” he said. “I know what it takes to be a good team and make the playoffs and be good in the playoffs.”

Pesce will train this summer as he has in the past 11 years, in Connecticut. He works with several other NHL players like Shayne Gostisbehere, Chris Kreider, Trevor Zegras, Kevin Shattenkirk and Jonathan Quick.

But as Devils players start making their way back to the Prudential Center this summer, Pesce will change his commute to a 45-minute drive to The Rock.

“Anxious and excited to get going. I know how good this team is,” he said. “I played them in the playoffs two years ago. They have high-end forwards. You can’t just teach their skill. They’re young. The future is bright with this team.

“I also know how passionate the fans are. The fanbase is awesome. It’s not fun being on the opposing side of it. I’m excited to get to Prudential Center and hearing that crowd roar.”