During this past off-season, the New Jersey Devils signed Stefan Noesen to a three-year, $8.25 million contract. The Devils had already known Noesen well before then, as he previously played for them from 2016-17 to 2018-19.
The decision to bring back Noesen was understandable, as the Devils' top nine needed a boost and he just had back-to-back strong seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. Overall, signing Noesen proved to benefit the Devils this past campaign, as the 32-year-old forward responded by putting together the best season of his NHL career thus far.
In 79 games last season with the Devils, Noesen set new career highs with 22 goals, 41 points, and 152 hits. Overall, he certainly provided New Jersey with strong secondary scoring to go along with grit. As a result, it is fair to argue that he played a bit of a role in the Devils getting back into the playoffs this spring.
Now, Noesen's goal will be to build off his strong 2024-25 season this upcoming campaign. He undoubtedly has the potential to, as he has only been seeming to get better over the last few years. Furthermore, with Noesen expected to have a spot in the Devils' middle six and power play, he should be put in a position to succeed.
It will be fascinating to see what kind of year Noesen puts together for the Devils from here. If he replicates what he did this past campaign, it would be great for the Metropolitan Division club.
Devils Young Forward Is Prime Breakout Candidate
Back in May, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils">New Jersey Devils</a> signed forward Arseni Gritsyuk to a one-year, entry-level contract. This was certainly a much-anticipated move, as Gritsyuk is considered one of the team's most promising prospects.