The New Jersey Devils signed free-agent defenseman Brenden Dillon. Let's see how his career led him to Newark.
The New Jersey Devils signed free-agent defenseman Brenden Dillon. Let's see how his career led him to Newark.
On Monday afternoon, New Jersey Devils General Manager Tom Fitzgerald signed free agent defenseman Brenden Dillion to a three-year contract valued at $12 million.
The Devils acquired the 6-foot-4, 220-pound defenseman who played the last three seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, scoring 20 points in 77 games in 2023-24.
The native of New Westminster, B.C., is set to join his fifth NHL team after debuting with the Dallas Stars in 2011-12 as an undrafted free agent.
In 13 seasons, Dillon has skated in 892 games, scored 37 goals, and 196 points.
Dillon Has Spent Most of His Career in the West
Before lacing up with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the Western Hockey League, he skated in the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
Undrafted in the WHL, he signed as a free agent with the Thunderbirds, scoring 85 points in 271 games over three seasons, serving as captain in his final campaign in 2010-11.
As an undrafted NHL free agent, Dillon signed with the Stars, joining their AHL Texas Stars team at 21.
Despite missing only four games throughout his first three full-time seasons with the Stars, he had only 26 points and was dealt to the San Jose Sharks, where he would play for the next six seasons.
While in California, he was a member of the 2016 Sharks team that lost in the Stanley Cup Final.
In 2020, Dillon was dealt to his first East Coast team, the Washington Capitals, where he played 66 games over two seasons before another trade sent him to the Jets in July 2021.
Over the past three seasons, Dillon has had his most productive campaigns, reaching 20 points in each campaign, with a career-high 23 points in 2022-23.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsdgymUzBeg[/embed]
For the first time, the 33-year-old defenseman pursued a free-agent deal and relocated to Newark to join a Devils lineup that includes Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, and newly acquired Brett Pesce.
As a physical defenseman, Dillon is unafraid to block shots and lay out an opponent with a hit. He'll be a welcome addition to the lineup as Fitzgerald continues to build a more challenging team to play against.