Devils add Markstrom, Pesce, Dillon to improve goaltending, defense

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2024-25 regular season, which starts Oct. 4. Today, the New Jersey Devils:
 
2023-24 season: 38-39-5, seventh in Metropolitan Division; missed Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Jacob Markstrom, G: Acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames on June 19 for defenseman Kevin Bahl and a first-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 34-year-old went 23-23-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and two shutouts in 48 games last season. Markstrom is fourth in the NHL since 2019-20 in games (256), tied with Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins for fourth in shutouts (17), sixth in saves and shots against (6,594/7,256), and sixth in wins (128). ... Brett Pesce, D: The 29-year-old signed a six-year contract July 1. Pesce had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 70 regular-season games for the Carolina Hurricanes last season, and one assist in two playoff games. ... Brenden Dillon, D: Signed a three-year contract July 1. The 33-year-old had 20 points (eight goals, 12 assists) in 77 games for the Winnipeg Jets last season. ... Stefan Noesen, F: Signed a three-year contract July 1. The 31-year-old had an NHL career-high 37 points (14 goals, 23 assists) and was an NHL career-best plus-13 in 81 games with the Hurricanes last season. He played 145 games for the Devils from 2017-19. ... Tomas Tatar, F: Returned to New Jersey, where he played from 2021-23, on a one-year contract signed July 2. The 33-year-old had 24 points (nine goals, 15 assists) in 70 games with the Colorado Avalanche and Seattle Kraken last season, including 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 43 games with Seattle after being acquired in a trade Dec. 15. ... Paul Cotter, F: Acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on June 29 along with a third-round pick in the 2025 draft for forward Alexander Holtz and goalie Akira Schmid. The 24-year-old had 25 points (seven goals, 18 assists) in 76 games last season and played for Vegas' 2023 Stanley Cup championship team. … Johnathan Kovacevic, D: Acquired in  a trade from the Montreal Canadiens on June 30 for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The 27-year-old had 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 62 games last season and was a team-high plus-11. ... Sheldon Keefe, coach: Replaced Travis Green on May 23. Keefe had been fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 9 after going 212-97-40 in five seasons and 16-21 in the playoffs.

Key departures

Alexander Holtz, F: Had 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists) in 82 games in playing his first full season in the NHL. ... Brendan Smith, D: Signed a one-year contract with the Dallas Stars on July 1. Smith had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 63 games last season. ... John Marino, D: Traded to the Utah Hockey Club on June 29 for a second-round pick in the 2024 and 2025 draft. Marino had 25 points (four goals, 21 assists) in 75 games last season. ... Tomas Nosek, F: Signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1. He had six points (two goals, four assists) in 36 games last season. ... Kevin Bahl, D: Had 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in 82 games last season. ... Travis Green, interim coach: Started last season as an associate and went 8-12-1 after Lindy Ruff was fired March 4. Green was hired as coach of the Ottawa Senators on May 7.

On the cusp

Nolan Foote, F: The 23-year-old missed most of last season because of a back injury. Foote was activated off non-roster injured reserve March 11 after he had four points (three goals, one assist) during a four-game conditioning stint with Utica of the American Hockey League. He scored one goal in four games with the Devils, and has eight points (six goals, two assists) in 23 NHL games. He had 37 points (20 goals, 17 assists) in 55 AHL games in 2022-23. ... Seamus Casey, D: The 20-year-old signed a three-year, entry-level contract May 6 and likely will start this season in Utica. Casey was third among NCAA defensemen with 45 points (seven goals, 38 assists) in 39 games as a sophomore at the University of Michigan. ... Santeri Hatakka, D: The 23-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract as a restricted free agent July 22. Hatakka is projected to play in the AHL this season following the arrivals of Pesce and Dillon and the emergence of Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. He had two assists and averaged 14:38 of ice time in 12 NHL games and 20 points (five goals, 15 assists) in 48 AHL games last season. Hatakka was acquired in the trade with the San Jose Sharks that brought Timo Meier to New Jersey on Feb. 26, 2023.

What they still need

Another goal-scorer for the top six, a spot vacated when Tyler Toffoli (26 goals in 61 games) was traded to the Jets on March 8. Cohesion will be challenging during training camp and a 13-game October that has three back-to-back sets, including the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal against the Buffalo Sabres in Prague on Oct. 4-5. Markstrom is 34 and backup goalie Jake Allen turns 34 on Aug. 7. They'll need help after the Devils allowed 3.43 goals per game last season, tied with the Canadiens and Ottawa Senators for the fifth most in the NHL last season.

They said it

"We had a punch list we wanted to go through at the end of the year the last time I spoke, and you probably knew I was adamant on what kind of changes I wanted to make. I believe we did that." -- general manager Tom Fitzgerald

Fantasy focus

Per NHL EDGE stats, Markstrom had the best high-danger save percentage (.857) in the League last season, and moves from the Flames to a potential bounce-back team in the Devils. New Jersey has a strong defense in front of Markstrom with top defenseman Dougie Hamilton expected back healthy, young players Hughes and Nemec already having a season under their belts and the addition of Pesce in free agency. Markstrom, a workhorse in past seasons who led the NHL in shutouts (nine) with Calgary in 2021-22, should be considered a fringe top-10 fantasy goalie for this season. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Timo Meier -- Nico Hischier -- Jesper Bratt

Ondrej Palat -- Jack Hughes -- Dawson Mercer

Stefan Noesen -- Erik Haula -- Tomas Tatar

Paul Cotter -- Curtis Lazar -- Nathan Bastian

Jonas Siegenthaler -- Dougie Hamilton

Luke Hughes -- Brett Pesce

Brenden Dillion -- Simon Nemec

Jacob Markstrom

Jake Allen