The New Jersey Devils have traded forward Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators for their 2025 fourth-round pick and defenseman Jeremy Hanzel, the team announced.
Haula rejoins Nashville, whom he played for during the 2020-21 season. He was an effective player in New Jersey for three seasons, providing solid bottom-six minutes while also displaying solid chemistry with Jack Hughes (when they played on the same line).
Haula has never been a great scorer, posting 41 goals and 56 assists over 225 games for the Devils. But, he has made his bones in this league on defense, keen hockey senses, and as an invaluable member of the penalty kill.
However, as much as Haula was a respected, veteran presence for New Jersey, he is also entering his age-34 season and has one year remaining on his contract.
General Manager Tom Fitzgerald is never afraid to make bold moves, and while this is far from his boldest, it provides New Jersey with reset options for depth forwards. The Devils’ bottom-six mightily struggled to produce offense this season, and it can not all be on Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Nico Hischier’s shoulders.
On to Hanzel, a 2003 birth year who was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2023 Draft before getting traded to the Predators in March of 2024.
He is a 6-foot-1, left-handed defenseman who excels with the puck on his stick and fits Fitzgerald’s preference for that prototype (Luke Hughes, Seamus Casey).
Hanzel only played in 9 games for Nashville’s AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns. He spent 61 of his 65 games this past year with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL.
He may only be a career minor leaguer, but moving Haula frees up some cap space for New Jersey to bolster this roster in dire need of physicality up front.
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