Johnathan Kovacevic’s 2024–25 season ended sooner than expected. During the second period of Game 2 in the playoffs, on his first shift, Kovacevic took a hit and immediately noticed something was wrong with his knee. Although he managed to finish the period, team doctors ruled him out during intermission. He didn’t return for the rest of the series, and now we know why.
The New Jersey Devils defenseman has confirmed that he will undergo knee surgery, but not right away. According to Kovacevic, the doctors advised him to wait a few weeks so the swelling in his knee could go down before they proceed with the operation. This delay means he won’t be ready for training camp next season, and he’s likely to miss the start of the 2025–26 regular season.
The injury was a tough blow, especially after the year Kovacevic had. Traded to New Jersey by the Montreal Canadiens on June 30, 2024, in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, Kovacevic arrived without much fanfare. However, he quickly became an essential part of the Devils’ defensive group.
Kovacevic played 81 of the Devils’ 82 regular-season games and recorded 17 points with one goal and 16 assists. He also posted 72 penalty minutes and a plus-10 rating—both career highs. His physical presence and reliability on the ice helped the Devils finish the season with the fifth-best defense in the league, allowing only 2.68 goals per game.
Most of that success came from his partnership with Jonas Siegenthaler. Together, they formed one of the league’s most effective shutdown pairings. The Devils’ defensive stability was crucial, especially as they fought for playoff position in a competitive Eastern Conference.
Kovacevic’s impact was recognized on March 7, 2025, when he signed a five-year, $20 million contract extension with New Jersey. The deal carries a $4 million annual cap hit and represents the first long-term, one-way contract of his career. It also means that for the first time in his NHL journey, Kovacevic doesn’t need to rush back from an injury to secure his place in the lineup.
Instead of heading home like many of his teammates, he’s staying in New Jersey throughout May to continue meeting with team doctors and preparing for surgery. He has made it clear that his focus now is on doing everything right in recovery, not speeding up the timeline.
Before joining the Devils, Kovacevic’s NHL career had been uncertain. Drafted 74th overall in the third round by the Winnipeg Jets in 2017, he spent four seasons with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. There, he totaled 58 points in 137 games. He made his NHL debut with Winnipeg on January 27, 2022. After limited opportunities, he was placed on waivers and claimed by Montreal on October 8, 2022. In 62 games with the Canadiens that season, he scored six goals and added seven assists with a plus-11 rating.
Despite flashes of strong play, Kovacevic became a healthy scratch in 20 games during the 2023–24 season in Montreal. Consequently, it made him expendable and led to the trade to New Jersey. Once with the Devils, he made the most of his chance. Starting the year as a potential seventh defenseman behind prospects like Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey, Kovacevic earned a full-time role through consistent defensive play.
His injury forced the Devils to make adjustments during the playoffs. With Brenden Dillon and Luke Hughes also dealing with injuries, the blue line was stretched thin. Brian Dumoulin was forced to play extended minutes, once nearly reaching 40 minutes in a single game. Simon Nemec and Dennis Cholowski were pressed into bigger roles, while Siegenthaler returned earlier than planned from his injury to help fill the gaps.
Although his postseason was cut short, Kovacevic’s season stands out as a major step forward in his career. Now, with surgery ahead and rehab to follow, the focus is on returning stronger. He has said he wants to use this time to improve as an athlete and avoid any shortcuts in recovery.
At 27 years old, standing 6-foot-5 and weighing 223 pounds, Kovacevic brings size and defensive awareness to the Devils’ blue line. He was born on July 12, 1997, in Hamilton, Ontario, and played college hockey at Merrimack, where he collected 54 points in 101 games and served as an assistant captain.
The timing of the injury is unfortunate, but the long-term outlook remains positive. The Devils have invested in Kovacevic for the next five years, and he now has the space to recover properly. Though he’ll miss the start of next season, both the team and the player are planning for a full return when his knee is ready.
