NEWARK, N.J. -- On Sunday evening, New Jersey Devils President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald announced he acquired 26-year-old defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
Per the press release , "New Jersey will transfer the best of any of the 2026 three fourth-round picks New Jersey currently owns (Dallas' 4th in 2026, Winnipeg's 4th in 2026 or New Jersey's own 4th in 2026) to Montreal, once the final draft order has been established for the 2026 NHL Draft."
Kovacevic concluded his second full season in the NHL after being drafted by the Winnipeg Jets 74th overall in 2017. Montreal claimed him off waivers from Winnipeg on Oct. 8, 2022.
In the 2023-24 season, he appeared in 62 games for the Canadiens and scored a career-high six goals while averaging 16 minutes of ice time. The 6-foot-5, 223-pound defenseman was credited with 83 blocked shots and 75 hits.
Kovacevic is in the final year of his contract, which carries an average annual value of $766,667.
The acquisition confirms the Devils remain committed to retooling their blue line. Since the 2023-24 regular season concluded, Fitzgerald has dealt Kevin Bahl and John Marino to the Western Conference, and on Monday, Brendan Smith will become an unrestricted free agent.
Free agent frenzy will begin July 1st at noon. Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
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