The New Jersey Devils NHL roster is looking crowded for the time being, particularly after the acquisition of Luke Evangelista earlier this week. Even players who a couple of weeks ago seemed as though they could be on the NHL roster, such as Lenni Hameenaho and David Rittich, may find themselves in Utica for at least a part of the season due to contract situations. Unless a trade is made before or early in the season, there may not be a lot of room for call-ups this season even if injuries occur.
In that case, some players might need to raise their games in the AHL to eventually get NHL time.
A full season in the AHL for someone like Rittich isn’t great for him, because he’s already the player he will be at this point in his career. For guys like Hameenaho, however, as younger players there are still areas for growth and adjustment within their game. The Devils have a number of prospects in Utica, all in different places in their development. Some will be NHL players some day while other may not; for today, let’s look at three players that I believe could use to take a step forward in Utica this season in order to eventually become NHL players. As a quick note, I’m not including Hameenaho on this list, as I think he still stands to realistically spend some time in the NHL, especially if the Devils do swing a trade early on.
Matyas Melovsky
Melovsky was a sixth round selection of the Devils not too long ago in 2024, and the 2025-26 season was his first as a pro. Utica struggled as a whole to start the campaign, but Melovsky still managed to put up a respectable 26 points in 55 games. He didn’t produce like a superstar by any means, but being tied for eighth in scoring on a struggling team as a rookie isn’t bad either. Melovsky played last season on an AHL deal, but his performance was good enough for him to earn a two year entry level NHL deal after the season concluded.
Matyas is interesting for sure because not much is expected from sixth round picks, but there’s always the potential for them to turn into something as well. While the Devils currently have enough NHL centers, it’s always good to have some useful players waiting in the pipeline, be it for call-up or trade purposes. If Melovsky can grow his scoring (I’d hope for at least 40-50 from him this season) while also continuing to develop the rest of his game, the Devils could find themselves with another late round gem who could contribute at the NHL level sooner rather than later.
Shane Lachance
Lachance is an interesting player for a different set of reasons as a forward. Originally a sixth round choice of the Oilers in 2021 (both forwards discussed today being sixth round picks is a coincidence, I swear), the Devils acquired him as part of the trade where they retained salary on Trent Frederic on his way from Boston to Edmonton. Lachance would sign his ELC with the Devils just over a month after the deal in April of 2025 after two years of NCAA hockey. While an older prospect, Lachance scored slightly less than Melovsky, with 25 points in 62 games.
Lachance is interesting because he provides a different skill set for the Devils; he brings a larger frame and he isn’t afraid to be at least somewhat physical. That’s not saying he’s a goon and he’s going to take runs at players, but it is to say that he’s willing to use his size and body to separate players from the puck. If Lachance adds a bit to his AHL point totals in a second full season with the Comets, he could be on an even faster track to New Jersey. A player on a cheap deal (Lachance will need a new deal for 2027-28) bringing physicality and Bottom Six scoring is always useful. It’s up to Shane’s development to see if he can be that type of player.
Jakub Malek
Goaltending continues to be a gigantic question mark for the Devils, and any player emerging to be a full time starter would be helpful. While Nico Daws might be getting his chance this season in the NHL, there are still some prospects who could be the long-term solution. One such player is Jakub Malek who is seemingly slated to be Utica’s starter this season. Malek was selected the same year as Lachance, but in the fourth round at pick #100. He also would wait until this past season to make his debut for a team within the Devils organization, although Malek got games in with both Utica (31) and Adirondack (two) of the ECHL.
Malek’s .895 AHL save percentage doesn’t scream “goalie of the future” but others have struggled in their first seasons before going on to become solid NHL players or better. Malek also wasn’t playing behind the best team last season, and Devils GM Sunny Mehta has taken some steps to improve that group. 2026-27 could wind up being a better indicator of what Malek is really capable of if the group in front of him truly is better. Regardless of if they are or aren’t, Malek stepping up his game and improving his stats could go a long way. The organization probably moves him up the depth chart if he plays well as Utica’s starter, so this next year could be important both for him and for the team’s potential to succeed.
Final Thoughts
There are definitely other names that could have been on this list, but I wanted to look at a few guys who seem to be depth options/AHL guys but maybe could emerge to be solid, long-term contributors. The Devils have been re-shaped to hopefully be a better team this season, but growth and development of young players and prospects could be just as important for the Devils to level up.
What are your thoughts on the development of Melovsky, Lachance and/or Malek; do you believe any of them could realistically be an important piece for the Devils on their roster? Do you think they could eventually be decently useful trade pieces for the team? Which one do you think has the most potential? Which one are you most rooting for to succeed. Leave any and all comments below and thanks as always for reading!
