On Thursday afternoon, the New Jersey Devils announced that they have placed forward Juho Lammikko on waivers, with the intent to terminate his NHL contract.
The Finnish forward signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Devils in June 2025, which had an average annual value (AAV) of $800,000. This season, he recorded just two assists across 24 games, playing as a bottom-six forward.
#NEWS: We’ve placed F Juho Lammikko on waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract. pic.twitter.com/VPIh8SfxEQ
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) February 5, 2026
Lammikko was drafted 65th overall in the third round by the Florida Panthers in 2014. He’s had three previous stints in the NHL, playing for the Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. He also has experience playing hockey in Europe, spending time with the ZSC Lions in the National League (NL). In three seasons with the Lions, he tallied 54 goals and 74 assists, earning a career-high of 49 points in 2024-25.
Likewise, he’s represented Finland on the international stage, winning three gold medals in the IIHF World Championship and the World Junior Championship.
On Wednesday, Lammikko was sent down to the Devils’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Utica Comets. There’s a chance the veteran forward could be heading back to Europe, but if he clears waivers, he will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA).
The move comes immediately after the team acquired Nick Bjugstad from the St. Louis Blues, in exchange for forward Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2026 Draft. The Devils’ playoff window is quickly closing, and the organization is trying to turn the season around with just 26 games remaining.
