Newark, NJ – The New Jersey Devils today signed defenseman Yohann Auvitu to a one-year, two-way entry-level contract. The announcement was made by Devils’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Ray Shero.

Auvitu, 26, spent parts of the previous six seasons in Finland’s top professional league, SM-Liiga, with HIFK Helsinki (2014-15 & 2015-16) and JYP Jyvaskyla (2010-11 through 2013-14). This past year, the 6-0, 200-lb. blueliner scored six goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 48 games while being named the League’s Best Defenseman (Pekka Rautakallio Award) and to the League’s First All-Star Team. In 18 playoff games on the way to the league finals, he led all players in plus/minus (+8), while leading all defensemen in goals (6) and points (13).

In 216 career SM-Liiga games, he had 19 goals and 38 assists for 57 points to go along with 50 penalty minutes. He added 13 goals and 11 assists for 24 points and 32 penalty minutes in 53 playoff contests. He spent the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons in the JYP Jyvaskyla developmental system.

He finished the 2015-16 season representing his home country of France in the World Championship, tallying three assists in seven contests. Born July 27, 1989 in Ivry-sur- Seine, Auvitu skated for the Mont-Blanc club in the French League prior to his Finnish League experience. He has represented his country at the past seven World Championships, three under-20 World Junior Championships (Division 1), two under-18 World Junior Championships (Division 1) and one Winter Olympics Qualifying Round (2013).