About Last Season: Brett Pesce

Brett Pesce: 2022-23 By the Numbers

• Age: 28
• NHL Seasons: 8
• Scoring: 5 goals, 25 assists, 30 points in 82 games
• Playoff Scoring; 2 goals, 4 assists, 6 points in 15 games
• Advanced Stats: 55.24 CF%, 51.30 HDCF%, 49.70 GF%, 51.29 xGF%
• Average TOI: 18:31 ES, 1:04 PP, 2:24 SH
• Contract Status: Signed through 2023-24 at $4.025M AAV

It was year number eight with the Hurricanes for Brett Pesce, as the now-veteran defenseman continued to be an anchor on the blue line for Carolina.

Pesce — in his third season alongside partner Brady Skjei — did a lot of what has made him a commodity defensively again this past season. That pairing was 18th in the NHL (minimum 300 minutes together) during the regular season in expected goals against per 60 minutes, and they were 13th in xGoals% at 57.1%. They were also top 15 in unblocked shot attempts against per 60 and eighth in unblocked shot attempts for % at 58.1%.

All of that to say, Pesce and Skjei together were one of the best, most consistent defensive pairings in all of the NHL this past season once again. It’s what Canes fans have come to expect from Pesce, and for the most part it’s what they got again.

From an offensive standpoint, Pesce had a career year. He posted a career-best 30 points thanks to a career-high 25 assists, and his five goals were just two shy of equaling his career mark. A lot of Pesce’s assist success definitely came from Skjei’s emergence as a goal scorer, but all around he did well this year like every member of the Hurricanes’ blue line at contributing on the scoresheet as well as defensively.

Pesce had a couple of really nice scoring stretches during the season, too. In five games from Nov. 25 to Dec. 3, Pesce had two goals and three assists including a two-point performance on Nov. 29. He had another great 10-game stretch during the turn of the calendar year, as he put up 10 points in 10 games from Dec. 23 to Jan. 14.

Pesce did the other things you would expect of him, too. He played a ton on the penalty kill — as much as anyone on the Canes — and was obviously a huge part of that elite unit.

In the playoffs, Pesce and Skjei had some struggles together, but they also had some high moments. Pesce did put together a three-game point streak spanning the end of the Islanders series to the beginning of the Devils series, and he finished that New Jersey series with two goals and two assists.

With one year left on his contract, Pesce’s name is swirling in some trade rumors, especially ahead of the draft. It’ll be interesting to see what happens moving forward with the strong defensemen as he nears the end of his deal with the Canes as he approaches 30.