Jonathan Kovacevic is already somewhat acquainted with his new teammates at the New Jersey Devils. He has previously played with defenseman Brendan Dillon in Winnipeg, knows goaltender Jake Allen from his time in Montreal, and shares a connection with Nathan Bastian as fellow Ontarians. However, the person he might be most familiar with is Mark Dennehy, the Devils’ Chief Scout of Amateur Scouting, who was Kovacevic’s head coach at Merrimack College.

“Coach Dennehy was crucial in my development,” Kovacevic remarked. “When I first joined Merrimack, I wasn’t a highly touted recruit. In my first year, he saw potential in me, allowed me to make mistakes, and gave me the freedom to develop my game.”

Dennehy noted, “It didn’t take long watching him in the Ottawa league to realize he had potential. You can’t teach size, and his hand skills were excellent for the collegiate level. He was growing into his body, and I believed that once he did, he would have a chance. And it didn’t take him long.”

At 26, Kovacevic has played fewer than 150 NHL games but has steadily seized every opportunity. After being waived by Winnipeg in 2022, he was picked up by the Montreal Canadiens, where he played 77 and 62 games over the last two seasons, respectively. In 2023-24, he scored six goals and averaged 16:31 of ice time per game.

Kovacevic found himself in the unique position of being an older player paired with younger defensemen, despite his relatively short NHL tenure.

“You can connect with guys easily,” Kovacevic said. “I came into the NHL at 25, 26 years old, so I am older, but I’m in the same situation as some younger defensemen. I’ve been through similar situations in the AHL. Being older yet relatable helps, and you can exchange ideas, which aids development and brings energy.”

Dennehy praised Kovacevic’s humility, saying, “I watched his interview where he talked about learning from younger players. Humility is often underestimated. As a pro hockey player, you earn your job every day, and he understands that. He’s always striving to improve. If young players learn anything from him, it’s that nothing stays the same—you’re either getting better or getting worse. Jonathan Kovacevic is always working to get better.”