The New Jersey Devils appear to be loading up ahead of next week's NHL Draft.
They've acquired a 2025 fourth-round pick and defenceman Jeremy Hanzel from the Nashville Predators in exchange for forward Erik Haula, the teams announced on Wednesday.
While the Devils do not own a first-round selection for the upcoming draft in Los Angeles, they now have seven picks between Rounds 2-7. New Jersey will now pick twice in Rounds 2, 4 and 6.
Meanwhile, Hanzel, 22, spent the 2024-25 season split between the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals and ECHL's Gwinnett Gladiators. He posted three goals and 19 assists with the Gladitors.
Hanzel was acquired by Nashville from Colorado last March with the Avalanche’s third-round pick in 2025 in exchange for forward Yakov Trenin and defenceman Graham Sward. Born in Coquitlam, B.C., and a native of Burnaby, he was initially drafted by Colorado in the sixth round (187th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft.
In 218 games through four WHL seasons, Hanzel logged 149 points (39 goals, 110 assists) and won the 2023 Memorial Cup with Seattle.
Haula, meanwhile, gets set for his second stint with the Predators after suiting up in 51 games for the team in the 2020-21 season. He was later acquired by the Devils from the Boston Bruins in 2022. Haula's scored 41 goals and 97 points in 227 games over three seasons with New Jersey, also adding four goals and three assists in 17 playoff games.
He's entering the final season of a three-year contract with an AAV of $3.15 million.
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