2025-26 New Jersey Devils Report Cards: Johnathan Kovacevic – Hockey Writers – New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils’ 2025-26 season ended more abruptly than the team would have liked. They missed the postseason and had a final record of 42-37-3. After an amazing start to the season, the Devils suffered a concussion when they returned from the Olympic break, which resulted in them missing the playoffs. The Devils will look to have a strong offseason to add depth, scoring, and strength to the blue line.

Throughout the season, every player on the roster has contributed in some way, some making a bigger impact than others. This installment focuses on defender Johnathan Kovacevic, who has had an interesting season full of highs and lows.

Kovacevic’s 2025-26 performance

Kovacevic did not start the season on a high note. During the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes last season, he injured his knee in the third game and did not finish playing with the team. He underwent knee surgery during the offseason and had a long recovery leading into the regular season.

Kovacevic didn’t see any ice time until his first game of the 2025-26 season on Jan. 11. He played 18:14 over 22 shifts and recorded a shot. He played in the next game on Jan. 12, but the Devils rested him for about a week, playing his next game on Jan. 17. Head coach Sheldon Keefe was giving him time to adjust, especially after such a long absence from the ice.

At the end of the season, Kovacevic played 34 games and recorded eight assists. This was the lowest point of his NHL career, but he also played in the smallest number of games of his career due to his injuries.

Although he played 34 games and had only eight points, Kovacevic still had a neutral plus/minus, which is a good reflection of his defensive strength. The Devils had several strong defensemen in their lineup and often had to rotate players, another reason why Kovacevic didn’t get much ice time, but he was able to show his value to the Devils when he did.

Kovacevic’s impact on the Devils

This was Kovacevic’s second season with the Devils, after he was traded to New Jersey by the Montreal Canadiens on June 24, 2024. He recorded a career-high 17 points in his first season with the Devils and was a plus-10, which had a major impact on his contract extension.

This season hasn’t been great for Kovacevic, but that’s not his fault at all. There’s only so much he can do once he recovers from major surgery from last year’s postseason. He still ended up putting up a neutral/minus and shut down the opposing team’s scoring chances while on the ice. He adds much-needed physicality to the Devils’ blue line. His impact next season when he is healthy will be felt.

Kovacevic’s future with the Devils

This season was the first of Kovacevic’s five-year contract with the Devils. He signed a five-year contract with an average annual value (AAV) of $4 million. He has four more seasons remaining, making him an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at the end of the 2029-30 season when he turns 32.

Kovacevic is locked in with the Devils, and now that he’s healthy, he’ll be a great veteran on the blue line. In the final game of the season, he was paired with Topias Villen for his second NHL game. He has proven that he can help young players train to be in better shape for the future, so Kovacevic will be a great asset to the team this time around.

Kovacevic’s Perfect Grade

In the 2025-26 season, Kovacevic gets a B. This season didn’t go the way he wanted, after missing most of the first few months with an injury that left him in the 2025 Playoffs. When he’s on the ice, he does a great job of making his presence known. He was a solid defensive player on the blue line and proved he can still find his scoring edge with eight goals.

Kovacevic will look to return in the 2026-27 season stronger and better than ever for the Devils.