Utah Hockey Club announced today that the team has claimed defenseman Nick DeSimone off waivers from the New Jersey Devils. Defenseman Kevin Connauton has subsequently been reassigned to the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League (AHL).
The 30-year-old defenseman has recorded three assists and four penalty minutes (PIM) in 12 AHL games with the Utica Comets this season.
DeSimone has registered 2-5-7 and six PIM in 38 career NHL games with the Devils and Calgary Flames over the past two seasons (2022-24). He most recently skated in 34 games split between those two teams in 2023-24.
The 6-foot-2, 194-pound defenseman has tallied 38-141-179 and 133 PIM in 353 career AHL games with the Comets, Calgary Wranglers, Stockton Heat, San Jose Barracuda and Rochester Americans since making his debut in 2016-17. DeSimone served as an alternate captain in four of those seasons, with San Jose (2019-21) and Calgary (2022-24). He has also earned 6-14-20 and 14 PIM in 43 career Calder Cup Playoff appearances.
The East Amherst, New York, native also played three seasons at Union College from 2014-17, posting 15-33-48 and 42 PIM in 109 games.
