The New Jersey Devils trade on Friday accomplished a simple goal. After Luke Hughes put pen to paper, they were short on ca space and needed to find a solution. Well, on Friday, they got one, and brought in a player of similar stature, but with, perhaps, more of an offensive touch. More on that in the links.
Also in the links, the Devils could be without a key defenseman already, the “unique” fourth line, and more.
Let’s do that hockey.
Devils Trade Rumors & News
New Jersey Hockey Now: The big news of the day came via Devils trade, when New Jersey sent Kurtis MacDermid to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Zack MacEwen. It was a cap-clearing move, however, the Devils are getting a player in MacEwen who can actually contribute on the scoresheet.
More NJHN: The trade was the good news. However, there was bad news on Friday, too. Brett Pesce was missing from practice after he left Thursday night’s game with an injury. It sounds like his status for the season opener in North Carolina is in jeopardy.
Even More: The Devils wanted to improve their depth in 2025-26. Paul Cotter, Luke Glendening, and Arseny Gritsyuk are making an impact. Here’s why it’s a “unique” mix, and why they’re so effective.
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NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
Florida Hockey Now: The popular Prime Video docuseries Faceoff: Inside the NHL returns today on the streaming platform and Episode 6 goes deep into the Florida Panthers run to the Stanley Cup championship by focusing on Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand.
Montreal Hockey Now: Now that Luke Hughes’ contract is figured out, the newest blueliner everyone is speculating about is Montreal Canadiens defenseman, Lane Hutson. Could he make more than the Devils blueliner?
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Pittsburgh Penguins have many doors open coming into the 2025-26 season. That includes letting the kids prove themselves to begin injecting the youth. So, does Sergei Murashev steal a spot on the opening night roster?
The Athletic ($): The final holdout is over. Luke Evangelista has come to terms with the Nashville Predators on a new contract, sources tell those at The Athletic.
