After a strong training camp with the New Jersey Devils on a professional tryout contract (PTO), veteran forward Luke Glendening signed a one-year, one-way standard NHL contract for the 2025-26 season.
A source confirmed the expected signing to New Jersey Hockey Now on Tuesday.
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Glendening’s deal is worth the league minimum at $775K.
On Monday morning, Glendening remained at Devils practice, skating with the game roster expected to be on the ice for the home opener on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sheldon Keefe has iced Glendening in a fourth line role, and has been happy with the veteran forward, complimenting his training camp and preseason. He all but confirmed that Glendening is sticking around to the Devils media after practice.
“Yeah, we think he’s had a good camp,” Keefe explained. “They’re still kind of working on the whole [contract] situation. This time of year, there are a lot of details that go into different things. Some of it is less about decision-making, and it’s more of a math equation.”
In five preseason games with the Devils, Glendening scored two points, netting a goal and dishing one assist, contributing seven shots. However, Glendening is likely earning a contract for his above average defensive contributions, and winning 70.91% of his face-offs (39/55).
“I feel good about it, [Glendening] brings lots of value,” Keefe said. “I think in terms of the things that he brings, face-off utility, penalty killing, leadership and experience, all that sort of stuff. So I’ve liked his camp. Obviously, we’ve got other guys here that have been competing with him, but at this point, I’ve been happy with the camp and what he’s shown our group and what he’s brought in the locker room and off the ice.”
On the fourth line, Glendening is centering wingers Paul Cotter and Arseny Gritsyuk, and the trio has formed a unique mix of skill and checking ability. It’s an opportunity coach Keefe finds can help win him matchups.
“I do [feel it’s a unique opportunity],” Keefe explained. “Obviously, we’re trying to up our skill set, or we tried this off season to up our skill set in our bottom six. Gritsyuk’s addition helps with that. Cotter found ways to produce from the fourth line last season with the way that he played and his skill set. Then you add another guy like Gritsyuk that, again, I liked his game. In the first period, especially, I thought Gritsyuk was really good. He’s on the puck. He created some turnovers. He had some shots himself. We talked about the play on the goal. So yeah, it gives us some, some good options. Those guys are going to get a lot of really good matchups, favorable matchups, with the type of speed and skill set they have to score in different ways.”
Glendening, 36, is a 12-year NHL veteran, who has scored 82 goals and 166 points in 864 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars, and 50 games of playoff experience.
