The New Jersey Devils have filled the hole that the Adam Larsson trade left. They’ve signed right-shot defenseman Ben Lovejoy to a three-year deal with a reported cap hit of $2.67 million.
Lovejoy, 32, just won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins. He doesn’t provide much in the way of offense, but he was respected in Pittsburgh for his leadership and rugged play.
New Jersey traded Larsson to Edmonton on Wednesday for Taylor Hall.
“Adam is a heavy player, he’s hard down low,” Devils GM Ray Shero told ESPN.com. “He’s an unbelievable pro at his age. He’s an easy guy to coach and play with. Maybe people don’t know him, but he’s a good guy to build a defense around. We’re going to have a hole there with him gone, for sure.”
The Devils also signed veteran forward Vern Fiddler to a one-year deal. The 36-year-old gets a one-year commitment with a cap hit of $1.25 million. He had 12 goals and 10 assists for the Stars last season.