The New Jersey Devils have been rolling in 2024/25, and now they've made the surprise move to waive 30-year old defenseman Nick DeSimone after claiming him a season ago and getting solid play for him.
A year ago, the New Jersey Devils claimed defenseman Nick DeSimone on waivers from the Calgary Flames, and he would turn out to be a very solid player, posting a +7 differential in 11 games played with the team in 2023/24.
This season however, he's played 12 games with the AHL's Utica Comets, but has yet to play a game for the Devils, and now, the 30-year old has now been officially placed on waivers by the team, according to top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.
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In 38 games at the NHL level, the formerly undrafted defenseman has tallied just 2 goals and 7 points, and while he's a solid depth piece, at this point in time there's clearly no future for him as a full-time NHLer.
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While the Devils have one of the most high-powered offense's in the NHL, they've been very solid on the defensive end as well, with a third pairing of Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes showing that they've got an immense blue line.
As for DeSimone, there's a genuine possibility that he could be claimed, as he's been a solid seventh defenseman over the past few years for Calgary and New Jersey, and with injuries all over the NHL, it's a huge possibility.
Ultimately though, he's unlikely to turn into much more than that, which isn't a problem as he's a versatile player that brings solid energy to any team he's on, so keep a close eye on him tomorrow as plenty of teams will take a look at him.
