PuckSleuth
22Cap hit
$5.5M
5.3% of $104M cap
Term
4 yrs
Through 2029-30, then UFA
Clause
NTC
Surplus value
−$1.709M
vs. $3.791M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
19:12
PP 0:02 · PK 2:06
Plus/minus
+1
Hits
1
Blocks 0
PIM
0
Game Score
+0.18
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 @ NYI · L 6-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18:52 | 0:03 | 3:28 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.00 |
| Oct 1 vs PHI · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:32 | 0:00 | 0:43 | — | 67 | 2 | 1 | +2 | +0.36 |
| Mar 3 vs FLA · W 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 22:04 | 0:00 | 2:44 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.28 |
| Feb 28 @ STL · W 3-1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 18:21 | 0:00 | 2:17 | — | 60 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1.29 |
| Feb 26 @ PIT · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19:53 | 0:07 | 3:24 | — | 60 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.03 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 608 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
57th percentile
65th percentile
22nd percentile
75th percentile
72nd percentile
77th percentile
6th percentile
85th percentile
50th percentile
52nd percentile
20th percentile
89th percentile
5th percentile
79th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleAggressive puck-moving defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Pesce is a elite transition player who controls the puck and creates rush chances at an elite level, but he prioritizes zone entries over defensive responsibility and struggles to keep up with today's faster game.
- Shooting volume
- 43
- Playmaking
- 49
- Zone entries(est.)
- 94
- Forechecking
- 66
- Physicality
- 54
- Defensive impact
- 36
- Puck management
- 99
- Speed
- 21
Where he shoots from
Slot 14% · Mid-range 15% · Perimeter 71%(65 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 99th percentile puck management, controlling play through transitions
- 94th percentile rush chances, pushing tempo offensively
- Elite perimeter shooting range, 71% of unblocked shots from distance
Watch-outs
- Only 21st percentile speed limits his ability to recover on defense
- 36th percentile defensive impact suggests positioning gaps or effort concerns
- 43rd percentile shooting volume, selective with attempts despite volume opportunities
Similar style: Rasmus Ristolainen (PHI), Johnathan Kovacevic
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09 | AYBHL | North Jersey Avalanche Bntm Mjr | 26 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 26 |
| 2009-10 | AYHL 16U | North Jersey Avalanche 16U | 32 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 6 |
| 2010-11 | AYHL 16U | North Jersey Avalanche 16U | 20 | 9 | 18 | 27 | 0 | 8 |
| 2011-12 | EJHL | Jersey | 17 | 1 | 5 | 6 | — | 18 |
| 2011-12 | U-18 | USNTDP | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 |
| 2012-13 | H-East | New Hampshire | 38 | 1 | 5 | 6 | — | 10 |
| 2013-14 | H-East | New Hampshire | 41 | 7 | 14 | 21 | — | 6 |
| 2014-15 | H-East | New Hampshire | 31 | 3 | 13 | 16 | — | 32 |
| 2014-15 | AHL | Charlotte | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +2 | 6 |
| 2015-16 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 69 | 4 | 12 | 16 | -7 | 16 |
| 2015-16 | AHL | Charlotte | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -3 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 82 | 2 | 18 | 20 | +23 | 20 |
| 2017-18 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 65 | 3 | 16 | 19 | -6 | 18 |
| 2018-19 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 73 | 7 | 22 | 29 | +35 | 24 |
| 2018-19 (playoffs) | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 15 | 0 | 6 | 6 | +4 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 61 | 4 | 14 | 18 | +7 | 27 |
| 2020-21 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 55 | 4 | 21 | 25 | +14 | 20 |
| 2020-21 (playoffs) | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | +1 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 70 | 7 | 21 | 28 | +5 | 39 |
| 2021-22 (playoffs) | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 82 | 5 | 25 | 30 | +11 | 43 |
| 2022-23 (playoffs) | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | -4 | 12 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 70 | 3 | 10 | 13 | +10 | 20 |
| 2023-24 (playoffs) | NHL | Carolina Hurricanes | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 72 | 3 | 14 | 17 | -5 | 29 |
| 2024-25 (playoffs) | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +4 | 2 |
| 2025-26 | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 37 | 1 | 6 | 7 | -11 | 6 |
| 2026-27 | NHL | New Jersey Devils | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 |
Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
No news about him in the last 30 days.
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.23 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.28 per game
2025-26 · 37 GP
Season total +10.4, or +0.28 per game.
- Scoring
- +4.8
- Shooting
- +3.4
- 5-on-5 goals
- -1.9
- Defense
- -0.4
- Penalty kill
- +0.1
- Physical play
- +4.2
- Puck battles
- -0.3
- Penalties
- +0.6
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 5
- Top speed
- 19.9 mph
- 32nd pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 77.1 mph
- 35th pct
- Distance
- 5.6 mi
- OZ time
- 43.7%
- 65th pct
- DZ time
- 37.0%
Usage
Last 2 games this season
Pair 2 with Luke Hughes (13:42 together per game at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.
Age curve
At 31: 86% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 31, defensemen typically produce 86% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 34, when the typical level is 71%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
4 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | NJD | $5.5M | 5.3% |
| 2027-28 | NJD | $5.5M | 4.8% |
| 2028-29 | NJD | $5.5M | — |
| 2029-30 | NJD | $5.5M | — |
UFA after 2029-30. NTC. $22M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).