On Sunday, the Devils made a trade with the Montreal Canadiens to acquire defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic. The deal was announced by the team. In exchange for the third-year player drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in 2017, New Jersey is sending Montreal a 2026 fourth-round draft pick. This pick will be the best of the three fourth-round picks the Devils currently own from the Dallas Stars, the Jets, and their own.
Kovacevic is a 26-year-old defenseman who has played in 143 career games and has recorded nine goals and 19 assists. Last season, he scored 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 62 games with the Canadiens. Standing at 6 feet 5 inches and weighing 225 pounds, Kovacevic has one year remaining on his three-year, $3.2 million contract that he signed in 2022. His current cap hit for this season is $766,667.
