Devils Trade Kurtis MacDermid for Zack MacEwen, Then Place Him on Waivers

The New Jersey Devils announced on October 3, 2025, that the team had acquired forward Zack MacEwen from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Kurtis MacDermid. The transaction was made official by Devils President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald. The move was finalized in the early evening, shortly after 5:30 p.m., as confirmed in multiple team and league announcements. Less than twenty-four hours later, on October 4, 2025, the Devils placed MacEwen on waivers, according to a report from Chris Johnston.

MacEwen, 29, split the 2024–25 season between Ottawa and its American Hockey League affiliate, Belleville. In 21 NHL games with the Senators, he scored two goals and added one assist, totaling three points, with 21 penalty minutes. In 23 AHL games with Belleville, he recorded seven goals and nine assists, totaling 16 points, along with 29 penalty minutes.

Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 225 pounds, MacEwen has played 237 career NHL regular-season games over seven seasons, recording 17 goals and 17 assists for 34 points and 323 penalty minutes. His career has included stops with four NHL teams: Vancouver Canucks (55 games, 6 goals, 3 assists, 9 points, 69 PIM), Philadelphia Flyers (121 games, 7 goals, 11 assists, 18 points, 164 PIM), Los Angeles Kings (10 games, 0 goals, 1 assist, 1 point, 12 PIM), and Ottawa Senators (51 games, 4 goals, 2 assists, 6 points, 78 PIM). He has appeared in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games, six with Vancouver in 2020 and one with Los Angeles in 2023.

MacEwen also spent parts of six seasons in the AHL with affiliates Utica (Vancouver), Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia), and Belleville (Ottawa). Across 190 AHL games, he has totaled 50 goals, 72 assists, 122 points, and 193 penalty minutes. Born on July 8, 1996, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, MacEwen was signed by Vancouver as an undrafted free agent on March 2, 2017. Before turning professional, he played three seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with Moncton (2014–15 and 2015–16) and Gatineau (2016–17).

Kurtis MacDermid, heading to Ottawa in the exchange, is known for his physical style and fighting ability. Over the past five regular seasons, he has participated in 23 fights between the NHL and AHL, collecting 276 penalty minutes, seven goals, and 11 assists in 198 NHL games, averaging 7 minutes and 41 seconds of ice time per game. Over that same period, MacEwen has engaged in 33 fights, with 298 penalty minutes, 12 goals, and 15 assists in 216 NHL games, averaging 9 minutes and 22 seconds of ice time per game. In the AHL during that span, MacEwen also produced 13 goals, 13 assists, and 37 penalty minutes in 35 games.

The two forwards have played comparable roles, but their contracts differ. MacDermid’s deal carries a $1.15 million annual cap hit through the 2026–27 season. That figure represents the maximum salary that could be fully buried in the minor leagues if a player cleared waivers, but the Devils did not attempt that move out of concern that another team might claim him. By contrast, MacEwen’s contract carries a $775,000 cap hit—the league minimum, and Ottawa had successfully assigned him to Belleville in each of the past two seasons. The difference represents a $375,000 cap savings for New Jersey should the Devils replace MacDermid’s contract with MacEwen’s.

The trade took place against a roster backdrop that already included recent transactions. On October 1, 2025, the Devils signed defenseman Luke Hughes to a seven-year, $63 million extension. Additionally, injuries to Johnathan Kovacevic (knee) and Stefan Noesen (groin) were noted by league sources, with Kovacevic expected to return after the New Year and Noesen projected to come back by late October.

Following these moves, several sportsbooks updated their markets. According to aggregated listings from major outlets such as ESPN, Covers, and SportsBetting3, the New Jersey Devils’ Stanley Cup odds currently range between +1300 and +1500, with FanDuel posting +650 for the Eastern Conference title and BetMGM offering +700 for the same market. Division-specific pricing on Covers shows approximately +275 for the Metropolitan Division and -325 to make the playoffs, while BetMGM lists +310 for the division. Earlier in the summer, odds were longer—around +1800 to +2000—but tightened to the present range entering opening week.

For the Devils’ October 9, 2025, season opener at Carolina, FOX Sports’ sportsbook feed shows Hurricanes –162 moneyline / Devils +136, with Carolina –1.5 (+170) on the puck line and a 5.5-goal total set at Over –115 / Under –105. Those prices identify Carolina as the early favorite.

MacEwen enters the season in the final year of a three-year, $2.33 million contract carrying the same $775,000 cap hit per season. He is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025–26 campaign.

The Devils concluded last season third in the Metropolitan Division with a 42-33-7 record and were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in five games. The MacEwen-for-MacDermid trade, followed immediately by the waiver placement, reflects another roster adjustment as the club prepares for the new season under ongoing cap and lineup considerations.