The New Jersey Devils possess what is widely considered to be an above-average prospect pool. As they continue to move along their contention window, it’s not something many fans will want to hear until playoff success becomes a norm. Understandably so.
Related: Getting to Know Devils’ Mikhail Yegorov
Nonetheless, here are some names who can potentially help them reach the promise land one day. You’ll notice quite a few names from outside the first round here, which the Devils don’t always get enough recognition for. Let’s give that credit where it’s due now:
#10: F Brian Halonen (26 years old, 6’0”, 207 lbs.) | Current team: Utica Comets (AHL)
Originally drafted: N/A, college free agent
Ceiling: NHL fourth liner + Power Play mainstay, ~10-15 goals per season
Halonen has continued to put pucks in the back of the net for the Comets. However, he hasn’t been able to crack the NHL lineup for more than two games at a time, despite deserving some serious consideration for a bottom-six role. With Nathan Bastian out of the picture, Halonen is more likely to finally make the jump in 2025-26.
#9: F Shane LaChance (21 years old, 6’5”, 218 lbs.) | Current team: Utica Comets (AHL)
Originally drafted: 2021 round 6 #186 overall by Edmonton Oilers
Ceiling: NHL fourth liner + Power Play mainstay, ~15-20 goals per season
One of the best sneaky moves of the deadline was the Devils acquiring LaChance from the Edmonton Oilers. He plays a similar type of game to Halonen/Bastian where he scores most of his goals around the crease. But with age on his side, there’s an even higher offensive ceiling.
#8: G Jakub Malek (23 years old, 6’4”, 190 lbs.) | Current team: Utica Comets (AHL)
Originally drafted: 2021 round 4 #100 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: Solid 1B netminder in the NHL, think Jake Allen type
Due to the emergence of Mikhail Yegorov, Malek has started to fly under the radar. But don’t get it twisted: he’s still a very capable netminder with a track record of pro success in Finland. He’ll get a chance to really make a name for himself with the Comets in 2025-26.
#7: Conrad Fondrk (18 years old, 6’0”, 203 lbs.) | Current team: Boston University (NCAA)
Originally drafted: 2025 round 2 #50 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: Responsible middle-six NHL winger, ~50-55 points per season
While injuries limited his production in 2024-25, Fondrk was viewed as a first-round talent by the Devils. He notched eight points in his last four games with the US National Development Team (USNTDP), primarily against Division I schools. He’ll look to continue that success as he enters his freshman season at Boston U.
#6: F Lenni Hämeenaho (20 years old, 6’1”, 185 lbs.) | Current team: Utica Comets (AHL)
Originally drafted: 2023 round 2 #58 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: NHL top-six scoring winger, think Tyler Toffoli type
In many prospect pools, Hämeenaho would certainly be a top five talent, but the Devils have a pretty deep system. He was nearly a point-per-game (51 in 58) in the Finnish Liiga last season. There’s no question that his shot is his best ability, but his once-criticized skating has improved a ton. It’s too early to tell how it will translate, but there is some tremendous upside from the young Finn.
#5: Mikhail Yegorov (18 years old, 6’5”, 181 lbs.) | Current team: Boston University (NCAA)
Originally drafted: 2024 round 2 #49 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: Elite number one goaltender in the NHL. Possible Vezina consideration.
Yegorov took the college hockey world by storm last season, nearly taking B.U. all the way to a National Championship. The always bubbly, extremely talented netminder should be considered one of the top goaltending prospects in the world now. General manager Tom Fitzgerald even said that his name came up often during deadline discussions, but the Devils would be foolish to part with him unless it’s for a young, truly elite talent with years of control. And even then, it’s a risk.
#4: D Seamus Casey (21 years old, 5’10”, 181 lbs.) | Current team: New Jersey Devils (NHL)
Originally drafted: 2022 round 2 #46 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: Great-to-elite NHL offensive defenseman
There’s no doubt that Casey has a tremendous offensive skillset. But as evidenced in his first pro season, the defensive side is still a work in progress. He and Simon Nemec are in a peculiar situation with an extreme logjam on the right side (Johnathan Kovacevic, Brett Pesce, Dougie Hamilton), so it will be intriguing to see how the Devils handle it.
#3: F Arseni Gritsyuk (23 years old, 6’0”, 194 lbs.) } Current team: New Jersey Devils (NHL)
Originally drafted: 2019 round 5 #129 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: NHL top six winger, ~60-65 points per season
Gritsyuk was one of the best players in the entire Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) last season, and now Devils fans anxiously await how his play will translate. While it’s unfair to hold him to extremely high expectations in his first NHL season, he has all the tools to be an effective top-six winger in the near future.
#2: D Anton Silayev (19 years old, 6’7”, 207 lbs.) | Current team: Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)
Originally drafted: 2024 round 1 #10 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: NHL top-pair defenseman, think Victor Hedman type
Silayev is an absolute monster at 6-foot-7, yet skates like a speedy 5-foot-10 forward. If he wasn’t Russian, he likely would’ve gone in the top three of the 2024 Draft, but the wait should be worth it for the Devils. He could join the team as early as this spring.
#1: D Simon Nemec (21 years old, 6’1”, 190 lbs.) | Current team: New Jersey Devils (NHL)
Originally drafted: 2022 round 1 #2 overall by New Jersey Devils
Ceiling: NHL top-pair, two-way defenseman
The narrative around Nemec’s lackluster 2024-25 season completely flipped after he looked like an elite veteran defenseman in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He was drafted #2 overall for a reason. While he may never have the offensive ceiling of many top defensive prospects, he can become a very solid top-pair option with a responsible two-way game.
Honorable Mentions
Just because a player does not crack the top 10 doesn’t mean they’re a bust. Cam Squires, Matyas Melovsky and Ben Kevan are the most likely to become NHL regulars, but many others have a decent shot as well.
What are your thoughts!? What, if anything, would you change about this list? Let us know in the comments below.
