A few of New Jersey's late-round draft selections impressed throughout the team's annual development camp.

The NHL Draft is not an exact science, which is why the re-drafts never replicate the original draft selection. Over the past few years, the New Jersey Devils selected top talent, including Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, Luke Hughes, and Simon Nemec. That does not mean general manager Tom Fitzgerald and his team did not find some hidden gems in the later rounds. A perfect example is Jesper Bratt, who was selected in the sixth round, 162nd overall. 

During the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, Fitzgerald did an interview with NHL Network's E.J. Hradek and Jackie Redmond, where he shared what his message is to his staff.

"As we go through the draft and come into the later rounds, I'm looking for lottery tickets," he said. "That's what I'm looking for. I tell them, 'Who's got the highest ceiling?' That's what I want."

The team held its annual development camp, and some of their top prospects were noticeably missing, including Nemec, Luke Hughes, Alexander Holtz, and Nolan Foote. The household names may not have been there, but that opened the door for four late-round draft selections to showcase their skill and impress the Devils' front office this past week. 

Jakub Malek | Goaltender

2021 NJD, fourth round (100th overall)

The 21-year-old goaltender garnered plenty of attention in his second development camp. He is listed as 6-foot-4, 170 lbs, but on the ice, his overall frame looked much larger, piquing the interest of many Devils fans. 

At the time, the Devils' selection of Malek seemed like an off-the-board pick. The NHL Central Scouting ranked 13 international goaltenders ahead of the draft, and the Kromeriz native was not among them. He went undrafted in 2020 before being selected by New Jersey. 

Throughout the week, Malek impressed with his size and composure. During the scrimmage, he allowed one goal, but overall played well and made some key saves for his team. Last season he appeared in 22 games for the Ilves Tampere of the Liiga, also known as the Finnish Elite League, earning a save percentage of .909 and goals against average of 2.15.

Topias Vilen | Defenseman 

 2021 NJD, fifth round (129th overall)

Currently, three of New Jersey's top five prospects are defensemen. The future of the Devils' blue line will eventually include Nemec, Hughes, and his former University of Michigan teammate, Seamus Casey. Knowing the talent in their pipeline, GM Fitzgerald was able to part ways with Nikita Okhotiuk, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Reilly Walsh.

Another defenseman who should be on Devils fans' radars is Topias Vilen. The 20-year-old says his confidence grew over the last couple of years, and he added more speed and physicality to his game. Vilen is listed as 6-foot-1, 195 lbs, and will play in North America for the 2023-24 season in either New Jersey or Utica, NY. 

Vilen appeared in one American Hockey League (AHL) playoff game with the Utica Comets last season and said the game's speed was much quicker than Finland. His speed is an area the Devils' staff want him to work on, including getting the puck up ice faster. 

Throughout development camp, he showcased his mobility and how well he played with the puck, including some beautiful breakout passes. When he met with attending media members, he spoke about what motivates him and said, "I just want to be the steal of the draft."

Josh Filmon | Left Wing

2022 NJD, sixth round (166th overall)

Filmon is coming off an impressive season with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. He earned 75 points (47 goals, 28 assists) in 64 games. On July 10, he met with attending media members and spoke about his game. 

"I would say I'm an offensive winger," he said. "I like to score goals, get to the front of the net, and play fast. Playing away from the puck has always been a bit of a strength of mine (along with) getting open and finding soft spots." 

Throughout development camp, he impressed the Devils' front office showing his ability to create chances, protect the puck along the wall, and score goals. The 19-year-old's biggest focus is gaining muscle and building his frame. The Winnipeg native is up to roughly 175 lbs and told reporters he's been working hard at the gym and is concentrating on getting stronger, which will elevate his overall game. 

Cole Brown | Right Wing

2023 NJD, sixth round (164th overall) 

Brown, 18, was the fourth player selected by New Jersey at the 2023 Upper Deck Entry Draft in Nashville. He came to camp and quickly made an impression scoring two goals, including the game-winner, in Friday's scrimmage. 

The winger earned 42 points in 60 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. His 17 goals tied for fifth-best on the team. He appeared in six playoff games, collecting three points (two goals, one assist). 

He didn't just capture the attention of media members and fans. When his teammates were asked which player stood out at camp, Brown was a name that continually popped up.

Tyler Brennan: "There's a lot of new guys I haven't seen before, but Cole Brown is a pretty good player. (He) was just drafted this year. I think he's got something special there. I think he's shown everyone a little bit of what he's got. I was super impressed with what he had. Not just his play on the ice but off it too. He's a great guy, and I love being around him."

Chase Cheslock: "There were a lot of good guys, but Browny (Cole Brown) today, he showed us why he was a top pick in the draft. The kid was lights out today. I got to spend a lot of time with him. We rode together on the bus to West Point. I’m not surprised, but seeing him today was a lot of fun to watch."

It is always rewarding for an organization to see a late-round draft pick, like Bratt flourish and become a key piece of the team's overall puzzle. Some of the league's top stars were late-round selections, including Kirill Kaprizov and Joe Pavelski. Fitzgerald's team found some lottery tickets over the past couple of years who can eventually make a positive impact in New Jersey.