Brett Pesce
- 3rd Round (66th overall) in 2013
- Games Played: 289
- Goals-Assists-Points: 16-68-84
Moving into current players, we start with a big one. Since breaking in with the Hurricanes in the 2015-16 season, Brett Pesce has established himself as one of the top defensemen on a deep blueline. In four seasons, Pesce has made his mark as a reliable and defensively sound player while also improving his offensive output.
Using his size and mobility, Pesce plays a positionally sound game. He’s caught out of position so rarely that when his game is off, it’s all the more noticeable. Thankfully, that hasn’t happened a lot so far in his young career. This past season, Pesce led the Carolina Hurricanes with a career-best +35, managing 53 hits, 131 blocks, and winning 100% (1-for-1) of his faceoffs while averaging 20:29 minutes per game.
On the offensive end, he set career-highs in goals (7), assists (22), and points (29). On a blueline that includes Justin Faulk and Dougie Hamilton, Pesce’s offensive output is a bonus. The fact that he’s signed to a very palatable deal through the 2023-24 season ensures that Hurricanes fans will get to witness Pesce’s continued growth as one of the most underrated defensemen in the NHL.
Speaking of which…