On Sunday evening, the Montreal Canadiens traded Johnny Kovacevic to the New Jersey Devils, acquiring a fourth-round pick in 2026.
Kovacevic played two seasons in Montreal after being claimed off waivers from the Winnipeg Jets ahead of the 2022-23 season. In that time he was a steady member of the blue line, with 19 points in 139 games and a +14 goal differential. With so many defencemen ready to slot into NHL roles in Montreal, the team felt they could part with Kovacevic for a future asset.
The Canadiens now have eight picks for 2026, with all of their assigned selections for each of the seven rounds.
