On paper, this year’s New Jersey Devils rookie camp roster was underwhelming in comparison to previous editions. Regardless, the preseason tournament was a certain success, as the Devils went a solid 2-1-0. They took down the Ottawa Senators (9-1) and Buffalo Sabres (5-2), before falling to the Boston Bruins (4-6).
The results don’t matter nearly as much as the individual performance of players who have a chance to, one day, make an impact at the NHL level. And it’s safe to say the Devils attained near-perfection from those guys. Here are five that stood out:
Seamus Casey
Casey was (by far) the name to watch coming into the tournament, and you could tell why. The stat sheet is a little misleading, as he didn’t record a point, but he looked like a man amongst boys. The talented defenseman had 45 points in 40 games for the University of Michigan, and that skill was on full display at the Prospects Challenge. It felt like the Devils were cycling the puck in the offensive zone every time he was on the ice. You didn’t even have to look at the jersey number – when you saw a player stopping on a dime, then spinning and weaving his way through opposing defensemen with ease, you knew it was Casey. No other players (on either side) in any of the three games had that sort of skill set.
He could have had three or four points based on the plays he created, in fact, it’s a struggle to see how he wasn’t credited with the primary assist on a Devils power-play goal versus Ottawa. Kevin Dineen, the head coach for the tournament, told The Hockey Writers, “(Casey) has a skill; that composure and the ability to make plays under pressure, that we’re excited to see him playing at the pro level.”
Cam Squires
Squires is a first-class human being, as he won Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Humanitarian of the Year in 2022-23. From a young age, he has consistently partaken in charitable efforts to help his tight-knit home community of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. In this tournament, his play on the ice was equally as impressive.
Cam’s second is a beaut. pic.twitter.com/8DJLTIyGW6
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) September 13, 2024
He had two goals and an assist against the Senators, and there was a noticeable increase in strength and physicality from last year. His development trend has been similar to that of Dawson Mercer; Squires had 72 points in 66 games for the Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL) this past season. He then tacked on 20 points in 14 playoff games, including 11 in their series against Rimouski Océanic, which was a Cape Breton franchise record. Despite being taken 122nd overall in 2023, Squires has a chance to be a productive NHLer one day.
Isaac Poulter
Goaltender Isaac Pounter burst onto the scene last season after being signed as an undrafted free agent, going 22-8-1 between the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) and Utica Comets (American Hockey League – AHL). He earned himself an NHL contract and was even called up for a couple brief stints, but never appeared in a game. Nonetheless, he stole the game against the Sabres, stopping 33 of 35 (.943 save percentage – SV%) including a few otherworldly, acrobatic saves on shots that looked like sure goals. He’ll likely be the full-time backup to Nico Daws in Utica this season, where he’ll have a great opportunity to further establish himself as someone who can eventually help at the NHL level.
Related: Devils Must Fix Inconsistencies to Be Successful in 2024-25
Chase Stillman
The 2021 first-round pick Stillman suffered an injury in the second period against Boston and did not return to the game. Hopefully it’s nothing serious. Prior to that, the forward was a machine. He had four goals and an assist in the eight periods he played. He also brought a lot of physicality and grit and did not shy away from post-whistle scrums.
It’s easy to forget that development is not always linear, and just because Stillman may not be a top-six NHL player doesn’t mean he can’t eventually carve out a valuable role. He got a solid start last season in Utica, notching 24 points in 54 games.
Xavier Parent
Parent has ground his way through the ranks after being undrafted, from QMJHL standout to ECHL standout, to now AHL standout, where he had 45 points in 71 games for the Comets last season. The center always someone who has been overlooked due to his small stature (5-foot-8), but there’s no question about it: he can play.
Fan favorite in Utica for a reason.
— David (@HermanOfTheYear) September 15, 2024
I saw a lot of parallels to Mats Zuccarello with the heart + edge he plays with
Throughout this tournament, his skating looked to be leaps and bounds above the rest, similar to Casey. In total, he notched three goals and two assists, and he was easily the fastest and shiftiest forward on the Devils. If he continues to improve his scoring production, just like he has each season, he could eventually find himself signing an NHL contract.
Honorable Mention: Physicality
While this doesn’t go for one specific player, the philosophy of general manager Tom Fitzgerald at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft was on full display. He opted for skilled physical presences in nearly every single pick, including forwards Max Graham and Kasper Pikkarainen, who were both on the roster. The duo had no issue laying the body, becoming a consistent physical force in all of their contests.
Landon Sim and Igor Mburanumwe were undrafted invites to camp, and they both were massive forces as well. Sim got in a fight against Senators prospect Lucas Ellinas, landing a few hefty blows. Mburanumwe threw a few massive hits and had two primary assists against Boston. It will be interesting to see if either of these guys end up getting an extended look and a potential ECHL/AHL contract. As a whole, the Devils have made it clear that they got pushed around too frequently in the 2023-24 campaign, and they won’t let that happen again.
The veterans will now make their way to training camp by Wednesday Sept. 18, and then the first preseason contest will take place on Sunday Sept. 22, vs. the New York Islanders. The team will then leave for Prague, Czechia on Sept. 29.
