The New Jersey Devils are set to take on the Calgary Flames on Monday night, and the game will certainly be one to remember for rookie forward Lenni Hameenaho. The 21-year-old Finnish right wing is set to make his NHL debut tonight (Jan. 19).
On Saturday, Hameenaho was recalled from the Utica Comets, the Devils’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. He travelled with the team on their upcoming four-game road trip, and team reporter Amanda Stein confirmed he would join the lineup during Monday morning’s practice.
Debut night for Lenni.#NJDevils | @NHL pic.twitter.com/ZjoSCKBjcp
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) January 19, 2026
The Devils selected Hameenaho 58th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft after an impressive performance for Finland’s Liiga. Throughout three seasons, he developed into an incredibly dynamic player, recording a career-high of 51 points during 2024-25 with Ässät.
So far, he’s had a successful rookie season with the Comets, leading the team in points (21) with nine goals and 12 assists across 33 games. He also made a great first impression at the 2025 Prospects Challenge, earning praise for his playmaking abilities and high hockey IQ.
When asked about Hameenaho’s debut, head coach Sheldon Keefe shared that the organization believes in his potential. “He’s out there looking confident and comfortable…We believe in the skill set and the player,” said Keefe.
Moving forward, the Devils should look to Hameenaho to bolster their bottom-six forward group. During practice, he skated alongside Cody Glass and fellow rookie Arseny Gritsyuk on the fourth line. Hopefully, he’ll be able to make an impact amid their depth scoring struggles.
