Devils Brett Pesce Joining Team USA for 4 Nations Face-Off Championship, Kind Of

According to a report by insider Frank Seravalli, New Jersey Devils defenseman, Brett Pesce, is joining Team USA for the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game against Team Canada.

Pesce joins Devils teammate as Jack Hughes, who has already played in the first three games.

Buffalo Sabres forward Tage Thompson is also expected to join the team.

As a result of the injury to Charlie McAvoy, an infection that has caused him to remain in the hospital, Team USA is down to six defensemen. Ottawa Senators blueliner Jake Sanderson is expected to play in the championship game as USA’s sixth defenseman. However, if an injury—or illness which has made its way throughout the tournament occurs—Pesce will be eligible to replace a defenseman. The same rules for Thompson apply at forward.

Team USA general manager Bill Guerin had been trying diligently all of Tuesday and Wednesday to bring the eldest Hughes brother, Quinn Hughes, to the championship final. However, he was ruled ineligible, as he has not yet been cleared for contact stemming from the injury that kept him out of the tournament in the first place.

Pesce was on the ice for practice with the Devils on Wednesday morning for practice. He will travel to Boston as a viewer of the tournament, unless his services are needed in the previous stated cases.

Seravalli explained both Pesce and Thompson were on Team USA’s radar upon the initial roster selections.