Veteran Defenseman Surprisingly Waived by the New Jersey Devils
Nick DeSimone has been a solid depth option for the New Jersey Devils, but now the team have surprisingly placed him on waivers on Saturday.
After some big moves in the off-season, the New Jersey Devils are flying high atop the Metropolitan Division as the calendar turns over to 2025, and with one of the deepest teams in the NHL, they'll be a genuine threat all season long.
However, they've now made a surprising move on Saturday, as top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman officially revealed that they have waived defenseman Nick DeSimone, whom they claimed on waivers a year ago from the Calgary Flames.
The 30-year old went undrafted in the NHL Draft, but has carved out a solid career for himself in the AHL, and in 34 games between Calgary and New Jersey a year ago, he posted a solid 2 goals and 7 points.
However, he's yet to play for New Jersey this season, as they have one of the deepest blue line groups in the NHL, but in 12 games for the Utica Comets he's been solid, posting three assists in that time.
While he's flashed solid play at the NHL level, it's well known that DeSimone is unlikely to be anything more than a seventh defenseman in the NHL, and with New Jersey's depth, this is a move to get him back to Utica where he's played well since arriving with the Devils.
Ultimately, there should be plenty of interest in DeSimone, as he has solid experience and plays a style of hockey that translates to any system, so while he might not be claimed, there will definitely be plenty of teams around the league considering the very talented defenseman.
