# Brett Pesce

Brett Alex Pesce (born November 15, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 66th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2013 NHL entry draft.

## Playing career

Pesce attended Irvington High School in New York, and played varsity on a joint Irvington-Sleepy Hollow hockey team, graduating in June 2012. He also played his amateur youth ice hockey within New Jersey, eventually playing with the New Jersey Hitmen of the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EJHL). He committed to play collegiate ice hockey with the University of New Hampshire of the Hockey East. After his freshman season with the New Hampshire Wildcats, Pesce was selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round of the 2013 NHL entry draft. In his sophomore season in 2013–14, Pesce set a personal best seven goals and 21 points in 41 games with New Hampshire. In his junior season, Pesce ranked second amongst Wildcats on the blueline in scoring with 16 points in 31 games.
Having played 109 games with the Wildcats, Pesce opted to forgo his final year of eligibility signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on March 27, 2015. He was signed to an amateur try-out contract with the Hurricanes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, and made his professional debut on April 2, against the Oklahoma City Barons. He appeared in the Checkers' final four homes games to conclude the 2014–15 regular season.
After attending the Hurricanes' 2015 training camp, Pesce was re-assigned to begin his rookie 2015–16 season with the Checkers. On October 14, 2015, Pesce received his first NHL recall by Carolina and was a healthy scratch. He was returned to the Checkers, however during his second recall to the Hurricanes made his NHL debut in a 5–2 loss against the San Jose Sharks on October 24. On November 22, he scored his first NHL goal, and had an assist, to get the Hurricanes a 4–3 win over the Los Angeles Kings.
In the 2019–20 season, Pesce was used in a top-four role with the Hurricanes, posting four goals and 18 points in 61 games from the blueline. On February 22, 2020, Pesce suffered a right shoulder injury against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was later ruled out for the remainder of the campaign undergoing season-ending surgery.
On July 1, 2024, as an unrestricted free agent, Pesce signed a six-year, $33 million dollar contract with the New Jersey Devils.

## Personal life

Pesce is of Italian descent.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2011–12 | New Jersey Hitmen | EJHL | 17 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | U.S. NTDP U18 | USDP | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | University of New Hampshire | HE | 38 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | University of New Hampshire | HE | 41 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | University of New Hampshire | HE | 31 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Charlotte Checkers | AHL | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 69 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 82 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017–18 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 65 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018–19 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 73 | 7 | 22 | 29 | 24 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 61 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 55 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 |
| 2021–22 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 70 | 7 | 21 | 28 | 39 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 2022–23 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 82 | 5 | 25 | 30 | 43 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 |
| 2023–24 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 70 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 627 | 39 | 159 | 198 | 227 | 57 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 22 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2011 | United States | IH18 | 5th | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |