Trades and graduations have left the New Jersey Devils prospect pool comparatively weaker than in recent years. Here’s what’s needed most in the Devils prospect pool heading into the draft.
Offensive Wingers
Other than Lenni Hameenaho, who may make the jump to full-time NHLer this season, the Devils have no wingers in their system who project safely into the top six of an NHL lineup one day. Cam Squires and Josh Filmon have both struggled with the jump to the AHL, with the latter spending more time in Adirondack than in Utica.
While there is still considerable hope for Squires, who only turned 21 this past April, his path to the NHL (should he make it) is probably more as a two-way bottom six winger than a top six offensive threat. Utica winger Shane LaChance has a reasonable shot at a Nate Bastion-esque role one day and could be a valuable role player if he can learn the netmouth on the power play at the NHL level.
Outside of Utica, the top winger prospect for the Devils is Benjamin Kevan from last year’s draft. Touted as a speedy, offensive winger, Kevan struggled in his first NCAA season scoring only 4 goals and 10 points in 34 games for Arizona State. The bigger problem with Kevan is his defensive play, which will limit him at the next level without significant improvement to that aspect of his game. Of course, Kevan will need to excel at the collegiate level first. There is still plenty of time for that to happen and this will be a big season for him, but for now Kevan should be considered a work in progress.
Right winger David Rozsival had a strong season last year for the Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL and will join the University of St. Thomas next year. As a 19-year-old, sixth round pick, Rozsival has an uphill climb to the NHL. While the progress has been encouraging thus far, the path is still quite long.
Centers, Centers, Centers
Much has been written about the Devils lack of center depth in recent years. The Devils attempted to correct this problem in the pool last summer by selecting Conrad Fondrk, Mason Moe, and Gustav Hillstrom, Of the three, Hillstrom had the best D+1, Fondrk probably has the most upside and Moe, may have the best path to a bottom six role one day. None of the three are sure bets and all are still a few years away at the earliest.
Of the older center prospects, Matyas Melovsky had a strong first season for Utica, playing up and down the lineup. Melovsky may top out as a tweener, but, as a late bloomer, the potential is there for more. I made my personal case for Samu Salminen last week, but as an unsigned collegiate free agent, the Devils will lose his rights in August if he remains unsigned.
More Goalie Darts
One of the drafting decisions I strongly agree with is the habit of the Devils drafting a goalie in every class. If the playoffs taught us anything it confirmed that goalies are unpredictable and the more darts you have in your system the more likely one will hit when you need it.
The Devils have a particular strong goaltending prospect in Mikhail Yegorov, who struggled a bit in his sophomore season, but that had more to do with Boston University’s decline than his own play. Jakub Malek improved greatly in Utica this past season and could thrive with a better team in front of him. Similarly put, Nico Daws is still in the mix for now. Veeti Louhivaara had a bit of a breakout season after coming over to North America and suiting up for the Chicago Steel of the USHL, sporting a .905 SV% and 2.86 GAA to go along with a 12-6-4 record in the high-scoring league.
That said, another goalie dart couldn’t hurt.
My personal choice for this draft is Dmitri Ivchenko, who appears to be technically sound already, and may fly under the radar a bit playing in the MHL. If Ivchenko is still available in the mid-rounds, I hope the Devils take a shot on him.
Your Take
What do you think? Other than “taking the best player available” which is obviously the correct, but boring answer, what would you like to see the makeup of the Devils 2026 draft class to look like?
