Brett Pesce on why he chose to sign with the Devils on Free Agency Day

Brett Pesce on why he chose to sign with the Devils on Free Agency Day

right we’re excited to have him join us here in New Jersey as a reminder to Media send me a note in the chat and I’ll add your question to the queue we’ll lead off with Ryan novinski and j.com hey bre congratulations man thank you appreciate it so I mean you know you talked about it a little bit obviously chaotic day but can you kind of walk us through what what it was like for you and maybe SC at the moment where okay pen is to paper and and you know finally figure this out yeah um like I said it’s just a crazy day um the end of the day I did always know I wanted to end up here um you know I love my time as a cane and um sometimes you know just the nature the business it doesn’t work out but um yeah uh playing close to home for me is is is something you know really important to me to be 45 minutes from the credential Center is um it’s a dream come true you know I played my uh my youth hockey and um hack sack so um it I can’t really ask for anything more what what can you tell us about you know just your excitement level to rejoin some of your former teammates too obviously douge being there and uh Eric Holla and and now naon is joining too yeah uh got a got a great FaceTime from nce um probably few hours ago now um telling me he’s signing too so that’s awesome um real close with him but uh you know all know the the caliber player douge is um super gifted all is the same way um those are guys that really annoying to play against and um it’s nice to be on their side again and and with you know the the team with everything going the way that it did last year for for this Devil’s team especially you know in the on the defensive end I mean just how how motivated are you to uh step in this unit and and I guess you know really turn things around there yeah just just anxious and and excited to get going to be honest um I know how good this team is uh played them in the playoffs two years ago um they have some high highend forwards um things you know guys you you can’t just teach their skill um it’s just uh they’re they’re young and and it’s just they’re the you know the future is bright with this team and um honestly I don’t really know obviously I try to focus on the canes last year I don’t really know what happened the Devils but I’m very surprised they didn’t make the playoffs so um obviously I wouldn’t I would have sign anywhere that I didn’t think had a chance to win a cup last one for me I mean you’re you’re from Terrytown New York are did you grow up a Rangers Fan and and obviously you’ve put all that way in the past now huh yeah that I did that that changed drastically um over the years thanks BR appreciate it man yeah thanks Ryan our next question is go to Mike moral nhl.com thanks Pete welcome Brett welcome to Jersey um hey Brett did you did you play at the Ice House you played the ice house right I did yep I uh I played at the ice house for for a long time so yeah um so I know you touched on it a little bit there with Ryan but but how difficult the decision was this red after nine Seasons with the Hurricanes yeah it was tough um very tough decision for for my family and my wife and I um but ultimately you know I I had a great run there um so many good memories but you know the thought of being a New Jersey Devil just it’s um it’s hard to describe and hard to put into words how special it is to me and did you did you play alongside douge Hamilton on occasion in Carolina I think we played a little bit not too much um we’re both righties he usually played with SL Jacob slaven um but we would we would have shifts here and there and uh what were some of the things or I guess what are some of the things that you appreciated most about Coach rod brymore and maybe things that he taught you both on and off the ice yeah uh so much respect for that guy that’s for sure um you know it was a tough tough conversation calling him yesterday and tell him telling him I’m going to go to free agency and explore options but uh you know have a lot to than for him kind of changed that whole culture around in the canes and uh you know taught me you know how to be a better person and and uh a nice hockey player so he’s uh he’s a lifelong friend for sure and uh I’m curious Brett if if you were paying attention to what Carolina was doing today and how different the team kind of looks now do you still think uh Rod can can rally that team despite their losses um to be honest I haven’t really thought much about it um I’ve just been thinking about being a devil so that’s where my mind’s at to be honest and what and one more for me like uh when when Fitzy Tom Fitzgerald’s been making a lot of moves obviously um this offseason to see a goalie like Jacob marstrom uh come in what does that mean it’s amazing um like I said I I I wanted to go to a contender um and I saw that that that swayed me as well right he’s he’s such a good goalie um and um you know you can’t win without without an elite goal tender in my opinion and um now we have one so thanks Brett thank you thanks Mike our next question go to Gabriel trino nj.com hey Brett so seems like the frency went pretty stress free for you you knew where you’re going just talk about the negotiation process with with tomr Gerald and the Devils as a whole yeah um started out uh whenever it was at noon and um thankfully it uh it kind of went went smooth to be honest I wanted to be there um they wanted me so it was a pretty smooth uh interaction between between my agent and and and Tom I know you’re dealing with a an injury at the end of the season in the playoffs trying to rush back just how’s that been progressing so far good good good um I’m about uh three weeks post post the surgery now so um it’s getting better every day and um should be go good to go by by Camp for sure you mentioned playing against this Devils team in the in the playoffs and then last season Miss then missing the Playoffs what do you think has changed uh since then especially with those young defensemen how can how do you think you can help their growth yeah I mean I just I mean I you know I I I take a lot of pride in my defensive game um I think that’s what made me has made me successful in this league and um you know I obviously I’ve been through a lot with with teams I’ve been through playoffs I’ve been through ups and downs you know my first three years we weren’t very good so um kind of know what it takes to be a good team and and make the playoffs and win in the playoffs so um just trying to provide a a stable presence back there and um you know do what I can to help the the fellas win thanks Brett yep thanks Gabriel next question is go to mandin New Jersey devil.com right you’ve mentioned a few times you know just you use the word special how special it is to join this team I know you sort of talked about it but can you elaborate a little bit more about what you mean by that why it is so special to you maybe other than being closer to home what what is that feeling yeah you know location aside I just you know you look at the the group that they have Jack Hughes Jasper brat Nico heser all these guys like it’s not fun playing against them to be honest and um God it’s it’s tough seeing them flying up the wing and you defending them so um you know you don’t see that playing you know I I usually play against you know top guys my my whole career and those guys are cream of the crop man and it’s uh that’s why I’m so excited to just get going because I think the guy’s the limit for this team and what about you know the young defensemen that are coming up through this system and you’ll really be relied on uh the way some other guys are to really be those mentor and partnership there what do you think about you know what Luke has been able to do and also shimone nemits coming up as well I know you haven’t been following the team that much but know I’m sure you know that they have that crop yes I’ve been learning more and more as the day gone on but uh yeah no uh Luke Hughes great great young player um super skilled I actually I do remember playing against him he made made a few plays I was like oh that that guy’s pretty good so um same with Simone nemit so um it’s excited to see them um and you know hopefully help help them grow their games and um you know obviously um the older you get I think um you know you learn more things about yourself and you mature and whatnot so they’re only going to continue to get better which is just gonna add to this team thanks very much yep thank you Mander next questions go to James Nichols New Jersey hockey now hey Brett welcome to New Jersey thank James um first one for me you know you mentioned that coming to New Jersey was a dream you know uh enjoying uh the Devils growing up but what is it about this team that you know it sounded like it was maybe your choice to go to free agency what was it about the Devils that made you think okay I have a good chance about uh of winning a Stanley Cup here as opposed to where I was before it just there their talent level um to be honest they kind of remind me a little bit of the canes four or five years ago we were trying to just grind into the playoffs and you know we’re a young hungry team and um like I said it starts with the forward group um I think the sky’s limit for those guys up up front and um you know you bring in markam you have this young studs and on the back end you have douge you bring in Brendan Dylan like it it’s it just seems like a group that can win um and that’s that’s all I’m trying to do here you know it’ll be my 10th year next year obviously haven’t won so um um you know I’m obviously I have to pick a place where I think I have a good chance to do that and uh you you touched on Jacob markstrom you touched on Stefan no coming to New Jersey as well but when you heard about Brendan Dylan what was your reaction there loved it um didn’t play against him that much in you know this year he was in Winnipeg but obviously I’ve played him over the years he’s big he’s mean um’s he’s really good with the puck from what I remember um also I’ve heard off the ice he’s he’s a heck of a guy um I remember actually Brent Burns talking about him and how good of a a teammate he is so um just just adding to the to the group and um yeah he’s he’s a great ad for sure uh and lastly I know you said you know it’s been busy it’s been a hectic time but uh what does summer look like for you where will you be training and will you be training with anybody notable yeah so uh I have a little apartment in ter town where I grew up uh I’ve been training with Ben Apprentice in Stanford Connecticut for I think this is my 11th year now um we have a good group over there um some notables uh Shane gos bear Chris krider Trevor zis uh Jonathan Quick Kevin shaton Kirk so um we got a good thing going awesome thanks yep thank you thanks James our next question go to Bill Spalding MSG networks hey Brett uh James asked most of what I was going to ask there about the uh your offseason and if you come back up this way but I’m just curious now that you are signed with a team that’s so close do you think you’ll be spending some of your offseason with some of the guys who train in New Jersey as well to get to know them or start that process for sure um so close I could you know it’s only 45 minutes so I’m sure I’ll be shooting shooting there you know whenever I don’t know if guys are around I I’ve talked to a few guys but um you know once the skates start ramping up in the summer I’m sure I’ll be over there a bunch were you I you said you grew up a Rangers Fan which obviously we’ll let let’s slide here but um uh did you did you go to games at the at the presential center at all growing up like do you remember even the old metaland as a kid going going to some Devil’s home games yeah yep all the time I I thought it was like the coolest atmosphere ever so um that’s another thing I also know how passionate the fans are uh the fan base is awesome it’s not it’s not fun to to be on the opposing side of it so uh I’m excited to get a credential Center you know just hearing that crowd Roar awesome thank you yeah thank you Bill our next question go to Trey Matthews Puck and pitch for thank you Brett welcome to New Jersey once again uh I only have one question uh for people who might be unfamiliar how would you describe your game specifically what can Devil’s fans expect from you on a nightly basis yeah just a um I think I’m just a defensive minded defenseman um you know I’ll I’ll join the rush when I can but I know my role um I I love I take a lot of pride in in playing against other teams top lines and do my best to shut them down so um you know I’m probably not going to wow you with these crazy plays but um just to to provide a a reliable steady steady play on the back end is really my uh is my game awesome thank you once again yep thank you Cherry our last question will be a followup from Mike moral and.com thanks Pete so uh Brett you talked just a little before about coming to a hungry team as you had a few years back in Carolina but what what to you are keys to continually becoming a Stanley Cup playoff qualifier well I think I mean number one is you have to stay healthy that that’s a huge challenge um number two I think you just have to trust trust the process trust the system Embrace The Grind um obviously I don’t know um I know Sheldon ke’s coming in from what I heard he’s an amazing coach um not sure what the culture is like at the locker room now but I think culture is also a huge thing you know you have to really believe in in what you’re doing and um I think that’s the biggest thing I would say is belief I mean we had a lot of belief in our in our room in Carolina when we were trying to grind through the playoffs years back and um I think that’s what we’re gonna we’re gonna have to do with the Devils I know for for a fact that we have we’re gonna have enough skill and um talent to make the playoffs and compete for Stanley Cup every year so um yeah perfect thanks Brett thank you

Defenseman Brett Pesce speaks to the media after signing with the New Jersey Devils as a free agent.