The New Jersey Devils traded longtime defenseman Damon Severson to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a 3rd round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft on Friday.
The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Servalli first reported the news.
Severson is also signing an 8-year contract worth $6.25 million a year. The right-shot defenseman will remain in the division for a long time. He was the longest-tenured member of the Devils, playing for them since the 2014-15 season. That honor now belongs to Miles Wood, for now, since he’s an unrestricted free agent on July 1st.
Severson was also an impending unrestricted free agent. He was one of the more coveted players in an otherwise underwhelming class. Columbus is making a push at the playoffs this coming season despite finishing 3rd in the draft lottery. Severson is the second defenseman they’ve acquired this week, they also traded for Ivan Provorov from the Philadelphia Flyers.
Given that Simon Nemec is projected to be a really good defenseman and is right-handed, Severson was already on his way out if he demanded long-term money. Nemec was probably the main reason why Severson wasn’t part of the team’s plans. The 2022 2nd overall pick had a strong first year in the AHL with the Utica Comets. Nemec had 34 points in 65 regular season games and 4 points in 6 playoff games at just 19 years old.
The main reason why the Devils traded Damon Severson was so they could make room for Nemec. Another reason is that Dawson Mercer is due for his extension after the 2023-24 season. The Devils have been very stringent with their cap space, not wanting it to become an issue.
Severson was a bit of a bright spot during some very dark times for the Devils. For a lot of fans, it’s bittersweet to see him go. He was a polarizing figure because of his knack for making some game-losing mistakes. Overall, he found a role and was a solid player for nearly a decade. It’s unfortunate that he had to be let go the moment the team became good, but that’s the business of sports.
Stay tuned for more New Jersey Devils and NHL content, including trades, signings, and various updates.
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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