The New Jersey Devils are next up in the NHL prospect pool overview series. Tony Ferrari digs into the Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils]’ strengths and weaknesses, latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with few exceptions. INITIAL THOUGHTS The New Jersey Devils are on the rise with elite young talent on the roster and some of the most impressive offensive sequences in the NHL. Led by 24-year-old Jack Hughes and 26-year-old Nico Hischier, the Devils are well-positioned long-term down the middle, and they have shown flashes of being a truly elite team. The team has a handful of young defenders already looking like potentially effective players. Luke Hughes, Jack’s younger brother, is one of the most gifted young offensive blueliners in the game. In his two full seasons, Hughes has had 47 and 44 points, the latter coming in just 71 games. His skating and desire to jump up in the rush to help create man-advantage situations mean he could push past the 50-point plateau as a 22-year-old next season. Simon Nemec isn’t a rookie anymore, having spent most of the 2023-24 season in the NHL. However, after being back and forth between the AHL and NHL this past season, Nemec is still fighting for his spot in the lineup. Nemec has a high-end offensive mind, and he has also shown flashes of solid defensive play. He has just about everything you want from a top-four defenseman aside from a nasty streak. He moves the puck well on the breakout, finding outlets along the wall as well as streaking forwards cutting through the neutral zone. This will be a big season for Nemec. Lenni Hameenaho is one of the most productive U-21 players in the Liiga over the last 25 years. He’s used his tactical play to pick apart defensive schemes. He isn’t the flashiest or fleetest of foot, but he has the answer when a defender presents him with a problem. He passes under pressure and gets into position to receive a return pass. Hameenaho will be one of the most interesting prospects to watch in training camp as he tries to match the NHL pace. It’s been a long time coming, but 2019 fourth-rounder Arseniy Gritsyuk finally signed his entry-level contract in May, and he’s set to join the Devils for this upcoming season. The speedy forward is one of the oldest prospects covered in this Prospect Pool Overview series, because a 24-year-old who hasn’t cracked the NHL will likely be a low-impact player if he ever makes it. Gritsyuk signed longer deals in the KHL and avoided coming over. Now that he is here, though, his skill and speed are ready to take on the NHL. He’s been all over the Twitter highlight reels, but now, it’s time to show he’s a legit NHLer. At 6-foot-7, it’s hard to miss Anton Silayev on the ice. The big, mobile defender has plenty of tools at his disposal, showcasing impressive skating and defensive work. His offensive game doesn’t stand out, but he makes a good first pass and quickly gets the puck out of trouble. He uses his full wingspan to deter attackers, and when he closes, he finishes with full force along the boards. Silayev could help balance out some of the offensively gifted defenders in New Jersey in a couple of years. Seamus Casey (John Jones-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/86255bc4-293f-4346-b105-a8b1d15364ef.jpeg] Seamus Casey (John Jones-Imagn Images) Seamus Casey started and ended the season in the NHL, playing 14 games total, but he spent most of this past year in the AHL. He is one of the most intelligent defenders with the puck, finding a play and advancing the puck into a position to create offense. His strength and defensive game must continue to improve, and he must show he can handle the NHL’s physicality, but he should make some noise in training camp once again and challenge for even more NHL time. One of hockey’s most underrated goalie prospects, Mikhail Yegorov, was a monster for Boston University after joining them partway through the season. The Terriers were having a good season, but they were underperforming in relation to national title expectations early in the year. When Yegorov made the jump from the United States League to the NCAA mid-season, everything changed. His .927 save percentage gave BU a chance to win every night. Yegorov helped the team to the national title game, where they ultimately lost to a feisty Western Michigan squad, but BU might not have even made the Frozen Four without Yegorov’s heroics. U-23 PLAYERS LIKELY TO PLAY NHL GAMES THIS SEASON Simon Nemec (D), Luke Hughes (D), Seamus Casey (D) 2025 NHL DRAFT CLASS Round 2, 50th overall - Conrad Fondrk, C, U.S. NTDP (USHL) Round 2, 63rd overall - Ben Kevan, RW, Des Moines (USHL) Round 3, 90th overall - Mason Moe, C, Madison (USHL) Round 4, 99th overall - Trenten Bennett, G, Kemptville (Jr. A) Round 4, 114th overall - Gustav Hillstrom, C, Brynas Jr. (Swe.) Round 6, 161st overall - David Rozsival, RW, Liberec Jr. (Cze.) Round 6, 178th overall - Sigge Holmgren, D, Brynas Jr. (Swe.) The New Jersey Devils traded their first-round pick in the Jacob Markstrom deal, so their first pick came in Round 2, where they drafted center Conrad Fondrk from the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. In a weird season where injuries and an underwhelming NTDP group likely played a factor in his production, Fondrk showcased some enticing skill as a passer and shooter. His skating and defensive details are areas for improvement, but in the offensive zone, he could be an effective player. Heading to Boston University in the fall, he will have ample time to get bigger, faster and stronger. Ben Kevan, a speedy forward, has an impressive highlight reel. He isn’t the most physical player, but he will hunt down loose pucks in space and try to attack on the fly. He is at his best when attacking in motion, struggling a bit when things get bogged down or the puck is worked through the cycle. When he’s 1-on-1 with a defender, Kevan can embarrass an opponent with his slick hands and a burst of speed to blow by them. He must work on the details of his game, but he has a ton of promise. When the Devils snagged Mason Moe in the third round, they made a low-upside bet on a player who has good tools across the board while lacking a standout skill. Moe helped fill the gaps in Ryker Lee’s game this season, showing his attention to detail so that his hyper-skilled teammate could take advantage of his tools. Moe is a tactical two-way forward who almost always finds himself in an excellent position to make the next play. There’s a very good chance that he ends up being a solid NCAA player for the University of Minnesota. The Devils took a swing on a massive goalie in the fourth round, drafting the 6-foot-8 Trenten Bennett. Primarily playing in the Jr. A CCHL before getting a stint with the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack, Bennett is an intimidating presence for shooters as they bear down on the net. His frame takes up so much of the net that they have to rely on making him move to open up holes. Bennett is a project, but he’s heading to St. Lawrence University in a year, so he will have plenty of time to refine some of the movement in his game. Nabbing Gustav Hillstrom in the fourth round might be the best value pick for New Jersey in the 2025 draft. He brings size, a high defensive work rate and value as a playmaker and a net-crashing scorer. Hillstrom isn’t the flashiest player, but he can bust out some fancy hands from time to time, using his length to evade pressure. His biggest strength offensively is his ability to read the play off the puck so that he can burst through seams and create off a pass. Hillstrom could end up as a very solid third-liner who does a bit of everything for a team with championship aspirations. Drafting out of the Czech junior league is always hit and miss, but the Devils made a nice bet on David Rozsival. He’s heading to the USHL, where he can adapt to the North American game. Dealing with physicality won’t be one of those adaptations, as he even invites contact at times. Rosival gets in on the forecheck and understands how to pressure a defender to force mistakes. He doesn’t have high-end offensive upside, but he plays like a solid third-liner. The Devils capped off the draft with one of the more interesting picks of the draft. Sigge Holmgren did not play this past year because of a shoulder injury before the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He’s tough to evaluate, but he has shown some puck-moving ability at the U-18 level in 2023-24. Taking a swing this late is well worth it if the Devils deemed him a player of interest before the injury. STRENGTHS The Devils don’t have a position that jumps out as a crystal clear strength. They have solid prospects at just about every position, but they don’t have a ton of depth. With Nemec being an exception to the typical rule that a player counts in this exercise if they are Calder-eligible, the defense is a strength, even if it doesn’t stand out. Nemec and Silayev could be top-four impact defenders in very different ways, with Nemec being the offensive foil to Silayev’s defensive acumen. Casey looks to prove he’s not just a tweener who is a top AHL defender who’s not quite good enough to be an NHLer. There are some interesting bets in the system, such as the raw Daniil Orlov, a growing defensive blueliner with a physical edge. Charlie Leddy is an intriguing depth prospect entering his senior NCAA season, playing a steady, simple game. It’s not like the Devils have incredible depth on the blueline, but they have some players worth following on the back end. WEAKNESSES The Devils have solid centers in the NHL. Core pieces Jack Hughes and Hischier are an elite duo. Soon-to-be 24-year-old Dawson Mercer has promise as a third-line center. Cody Glass is an excellent option at fourth-line center. Glass and Hischier are the elder statesmen among the foursome at 26. That helps mitigate the weakness the Devils’ pipeline has down the middle. They added Fondrk, Hillstrom and Moe in the draft, which helps, but the prospects who were already in the pipeline haven’t given much for people to be excited about. Samu Salminen has struggled to establish his game in the NCAA. Matyas Melovsky is a solid two-way center, and he scored a bit in the QMJHL this past year, but he’s not really an offensive force, which limits his upside. The Devils don’t necessarily need a center soon, but if injuries strike and the team looks to its pipeline, there won’t be much to draw from. Mikhail Yegorov (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b4224655-4720-4125-8754-a43e79c71c7b.jpeg] Mikhail Yegorov (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images) HIDDEN GEM: MIKHAIL YEGOROV, G Things were going well for Yegorov in the USHL, playing for Omaha and putting up good personal numbers, but the team couldn’t chain together wins. An opportunity to play regularly in the NCAA a year earlier than expected drove Yegorov to make the move mid-season. Switching leagues and teams in the middle of his season was a risk that paid off in a big way. Yegorov isn’t often mentioned with the top goalie prospects in the world, but after the showcase he put on this past season, maybe he should be. He saved BU’s season and helped the Terriers reach the national title game. He was stellar in just about every game, making massive saves behind a team that liked to push the pace. The Devils have finally fixed their NHL goaltending with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen, but when the time comes, Yegorov will be the answer in the blue paint for the next era. NEXT MAN UP: SIMON NEMEC, D It’s time for Nemec to come into training camp and give the Devils no other option than to put him on the team. This past year, there was plenty of tension between the player and the organization, and a trade remains a possibility. If he is still there in training camp, Nemec must show his impact and worth at both ends of the ice. He must showcase his playmaking ability and creativity offensively and then use his skating and reads to play excellent defense. There is a spot for him on the NHL roster, and it’s on Nemec to take it. PROSPECT DEPTH CHART NOTABLES LW: Lenni Hameenaho, Cole Brown, Josh Filmon, Shane Lachance C: Conrad Fondrk, Gustav Hillstrom, Samu Salminen, Matyas Melovsky, Mason Moe RW: Arseniy Gritsyuk, Ben Kevan, Cam Squires, David Rozsival LD: Anton Silayev, Daniil Orlov, Topias Vilen, Daniil Karpovich RD: Simon Nemec, Seamus Casey, Sigge Holmstrom, Charlie Leddy G: Mikhail Yegorov, Trenten Bennett, Veeti Louhivaara, Tyler Brennan, Jakub Malek For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription].
