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    Home Indoor & OutDoor Games NHL (National Hockey League) New Jersey Devils are No. 17 in 2025 NHL prospect pool rankings

    New Jersey Devils are No. 17 in 2025 NHL prospect pool rankings


    Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2025 rankings of each NHL group’s prospects. You will discover the entire rating and extra data on the mission and its standards here, as we rely down every day from No. 32 to No. 1. The sequence, which incorporates in-depth evaluations and perception from sources on almost 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 8 to Feb. 7.

    The Devils’ pool is likely one of the league’s quirkiest in that it’s led by three of the game’s prime younger defensemen in Simon Nemec, Anton Silayev and Seamus Casey, but it surely’s fairly skinny in all places else. These three are all high-end in numerous methods, although, they usually give them each choices and a possible conundrum as a result of they’ve additionally obtained a younger latest graduate within the NHL in Luke Hughes — they usually’re attempting to win now.

    How they deal with their younger D vis-a-vis their aspirations to contend has already change into a stressor with Nemec and it’ll be fascinating to see how they navigate it transferring ahead. It’s going to be laborious for them to include and get probably the most out of all of them. May they parlay one or two for a roster improve, or to enhance their pool at ahead? It appears like that’s a dialog that’s not going wherever anytime quickly.

    2024 prospect pool rank: No. 22 (change: +5)

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    NHL prospect pool rankings 2025: Scott Wheeler evaluates all 32 farm systems


    1. Simon Nemec, RHD, 20 (Utica Comets/New Jersey Devils)

    It’s no secret that I’m — and have been — a fan of Nemec. His introduction to the Devils group two years in the past by the summer time’s rookie camp, the autumn’s rookie event, his first preseason after which his first few weeks within the AHL was really a little bit of a bumpy one. He struggled on the ability play. He didn’t seem like his typical self at five-on-five. He was simply off, after a profession to that time the place he had seemed prepared for each new problem — towards professionals in Slovakia, as MVP on the Hlinka, as captain on the World Juniors, even at males’s world championships. He actually hit his stride in early December of two seasons in the past, although, and was Utica’s finest defenseman for my cash within the second half of his rookie season and once more to start out final season earlier than performing actually admirably throughout his first 60 video games within the NHL. Although he hasn’t been in a position to safe a full-time roster spot with the Devils once more this season, it’s necessary to remind your self that he’s simply 20 and that regardless of his three years within the AHL he’s nonetheless the fifth youngest defenseman to have performed in an NHL recreation this season. Nemec’s statistical profile thus far in his profession, for his age, stays fairly pristine as properly.

    He’s a calculated and poised three-zone defender who’s able to organizing play from the highest of the zone, executing by seams in protection at a excessive degree and beginning and main his fair proportion of rushes. He’s obtained good edges and four-way mobility, which he makes use of to govern and steer play by clever routes on and off the puck. He additionally repeatedly flashes sneaky deception, poise and even ambition. Although I wouldn’t say he’s a dynamic, game-breaking kind offensively, he’s lots calm and gifted. He is aware of when and the way to push. The problem Nemec has confronted is that whereas he performed a reasonably polished defensive recreation at a really early age, his play defensively hasn’t discovered one other degree past that and his NHL ends in his personal zone have been simply OK. I nonetheless count on him to change into the very best defenseman out of Slovakia since Zdeno Chara and a No. 2 (or high-end No. 3) man who performs a play-driving trendy recreation. The sport simply comes simple to him when he’s at his finest, with every part occurring in entrance of him and the ice tilted in his favor. It occurs so subtly, too — with occasional flashes — when he’s actually dialed in as properly. It’s quick little passes, quiet steering of play, little talent performs after which an enormous second when the group wants him, quite than fixed flashes. His kind of recreation is the course the place ought to be going. Now it’s as much as him to indicate it persistently on the NHL degree when the subsequent alternative comes, as a result of I believe he’s able to by no means wanting again.

    2. Anton Silayev, LHD, 18 (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod)

    Silayev is a unicorn 6-foot-7 defenseman who stunned some individuals with a scorching begin offensively within the KHL final season and rose to the highest of the category enjoying official minutes for one of many KHL’s higher groups for many of the yr (together with within the playoffs) — an especially uncommon feat for a 17-year-old. His 11 factors in 63 video games broke the league’s under-18 scoring report (Vladimir Tarasenko had 10 factors and Kirill Kaprizov and Evgeny Kuznetsov every had eight on the similar age). He performed on the ability play, persistently registered a number of photographs per recreation and even performed either side. This season hasn’t stored climbing alongside that meteoric trajectory on the similar tempo, and I’m unsure there’s as a lot offense as we noticed early on final season for a stretch (largely as a consequence of common smarts), however Silayev stays an thrilling and distinctive prospect with a excessive defensive ceiling.

    He’s a superb skater who walks the road with ease, drops again onto his heels comfortably and pushes ahead to both carry pucks up ice, shut gaps or disrupt a service with an energetic stick. He’s obtained extra steps to soak up his decision-making on the puck (I discover he’s a little bit too trigger-happy — he really reveals good poise and luxury when he doesn’t rush), his shot (which he will get off in quantity and does job placing on course, however will certainly want so as to add energy as he will get stronger and works on it) and his capacity to actually impose himself together with his measurement much more than he already does (which he actually realized to do final yr, main Torpedo in hits). He has proven some handles for an enormous man, he’s disruptive in zone protection and laborious to beat off the push due to his size and there’s loads of room for continued progress and growth inside his recreation. I see the attraction of Silayev and the projection. His upside is clearly extraordinarily excessive, particularly if he can proceed to develop his offensive recreation and preserve his mobility as he will get heavier.

    3. Seamus Casey, RHD, 20 (Utica Comets/New Jersey Devils)

    Casey, the Twenty seventh-ranked prospect on my 2022 draft board, had a little bit of an up-and-down draft season, with a robust begin and end briefly overcast by some struggles within the center, which prompted some scouts to query his top-two-round deserves and his decision-making. I actually preferred the Devils taking a swing on him within the second spherical, although, and he certain seemed like a top-two-round man as a freshman and sophomore at Michigan, the place he shined as an actual catalyst from the again finish with the puck and in distribution, ending third amongst all NCAA D in scoring final yr behind solely Zeev Buium and Lane Hutson with 45 factors in 40 video games. He obtained off to an excellent begin to his professional profession as properly, impressing me in Buffalo on the Devils’ rookie event and constructing on that to win an NHL job, rapidly rating his first few NHL objectives, after which instantly change into one of many prime offensive defensemen within the AHL earlier than a December upper-body damage sidelined him for six-to-eight weeks.

    I actually like a variety of his instruments in isolation. When he’s on, there’s an unmistakable circulate to his recreation the place the puck simply strikes by him to its subsequent vacation spot inside the tempo of play, whether or not that’s a heady outlet out of a D-to-D move or a fast carry right into a cross-ice move to permit his teammates to get open for him. Contained in the offensive zone, he could make issues occur together with his mix of mobility and dealing with (he walks the road effortlessly however he additionally handles the puck like a ahead one-on-one). He stops and cuts again on a dime to simply lose monitoring forwards. He skates so, so properly (although higher on his edges than in a straight race). He’s simply easy with the puck, with a capability to carry and maintain and maintain when vital (contained in the defensive zone, he thrives escaping previous strain).

    He appears to be like easy on the market at instances, weaving out and in of protection and mixing in delays and fakes with the puck to create house for himself or take it from others. He’s a superb puck transporter by impartial ice and a tactile participant contained in the offensive zone, the place his footwork shines by. He’s undersized, however his ft and stick assist compensate and I believe he’ll get to some extent the place he makes his fair proportion of stops within the NHL. He does job gaining inside positioning in nose-to-nose battles for pucks defensively and whereas he’ll lose some bodily engagements he has proven he’ll interact willingly (he’s by no means going to be the strongest participant on the market, although he is an effective athlete). He may also comfortably play his off-side (the left facet), offering added versatility. He’s obtained top-six, PP potential with the appropriate coach/perception/alternative.

    4. Mikhail Yegorov, G, 18 (Omaha Lancers/Boston College)

    I assumed No. 49 was a little bit excessive for Yegorov, however he’s a freak athlete and a powerful child (I actually loved chatting with him in his draft yr) who wowed some individuals on the mix prematurely of the draft and has clear instruments. He’s a 6-foot-5 goaltender with uncooked, pure athleticism that presents itself in his capacity to go post-to-post or low-to-high. He’s additionally obtained good palms and he reads and anticipates the play well. He began this season by returning to the USHL with the Lancers, a group in disarray that always obtained shelled with photographs. After posting a .912 save share throughout 19 video games and simply three wins to indicate for it, Yegorov accelerated his dedication to BU and has joined the Terriers for the second half. With the appropriate endurance, there’s some severe untapped potential in Yegorov’s recreation that would reveal itself. The expertise is there.

    5. Lenni Hameenaho, RW, 20 (Ässät)

    The Devils’ solely top-100 choose within the 2023 draft, Hameenaho hasn’t performed a single recreation in Finland’s junior league for 3 years and has been one of the vital productive younger gamers in Liiga and considered one of Ässät’s best gamers interval. His recreation doesn’t seize you with dynamic high quality however he goes to the web, will get concerned, reads the play rapidly and has respectable talent throughout the board when alternatives to make performs come up.

    When he has performed towards his friends, he has flashed one-on-one talent and confidence as properly, exhibiting extra of a capability to bounce defenders. He has constructed a profitable monitor report on the professional degree enjoying a really well-rounded recreation, however he’s obtained expertise, he stays round it, he’s obtained some imaginative and prescient and is aware of the way to use his linemates, he’s sensible across the web and there’s some gentle talent to his recreation. I may envision him turning into a complementary winger within the NHL, however I don’t see him as both a driver, a checker or a talent man, so I’ll have an interest to see what area of interest/function he carves out for himself. The Devils ought to work to signal him and get him over to the AHL, although, with out query.

    6. Herman Traff, RW, 19 (HV71/Nybro Vikings IF)

    Traff is an enormous, robust, heavy winger who can rip a puck. He has performed video games at each of Sweden’s prime two professional rungs in consecutive years as a youngster, with robust stretches of play in every. He’s obtained a fast launch (each leaning into one and on curl-and-drags and changes, pucks come off his blade laborious). He performs laborious and bodily hockey. He’s obtained a motor and a willingness to get after it. He performs a dependable recreation off the puck and will doubtlessly be a penalty killer with the appropriate growth. For an enormous man (6-foot-3 and properly over 200 kilos already) he’s obtained an honest transition recreation. There are occasions I’ve questioned his decision-making, reads and play choice, as a result of he isn’t probably the most cerebral participant. There are different instances I need to see him bully his solution to the web much more as an alternative of relying a lot on his shot. However there’s a shell of bottom-sixer with some scoring components and a bodily dimension.

    7. Matyas Melovsky, C, 20 (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)

    Melovsky was a worthwhile choose as an overager. He was an enormous a part of a Baie-Comeau group that went to the Q remaining when individuals didn’t count on them to and was glorious on the World Juniors a yr in the past. He’s participant who has some followers within the Q. This season, his final in junior, he has been one of many league’s extra productive gamers as properly. I count on him to get signed.

    He’s a 6-foot-1 heart who performs in all conditions for Baie-Comeau, repeatedly enjoying 23-24 minutes per recreation as a ahead and enjoying an integral function on each particular groups and late in video games due to his proficiency within the faceoff circle (he’s one of many QMJHL’s leaders in each faceoffs taken and faceoff share at above 58 p.c). Melovsky’s recreation is all about his smarts. He is aware of the place to be defensively, the way to assist his teammates off the puck offensively and the way to use spacing when he’s obtained the puck with the intention to facilitate for his linemates. He’s a pure passer with good imaginative and prescient and really feel for the offensive zone and a heady three-zone recreation. I’d prefer to see him shoot the puck extra however he has additionally formed his recreation to suit that of the league’s prime pure sniper, Justin Poirier. He could prime out as a second-line AHLer with good offensive and defensive sense, however he’s obtained some fascinating layers to his recreation that would assist him climb into the NHL call-up dialog sometime.

    8. Cam Squires, RW, 19 (Cape Breton Eagles)

    Squires scored 30 objectives and 70 factors in 71 mixed regular-season and playoff video games with Cape Breton two years in the past, good for third on the Eagles within the common season and first of their four-game sweep to Halifax within the first spherical of the playoffs. Final season, he adopted that up by enjoying to simply above some extent per recreation (42 objectives and 92 factors in 80 mixed regular-season and playoff video games) because the main scorer on an honest however low-scoring Eagles group that went on a pleasant playoff run largely as a result of he elevated his recreation. He performed properly on the Devils’ rookie event to start out this yr as properly and has once more led the Eagles in scoring up to now.

    He’s a really clever participant with superior instincts on and off the puck, an excellent consideration to element and a thoughts and really feel for spacing and timing on the ice. He can shoot it in stride (he’s additionally obtained a cushty one-timer that he trusts) and has some talent. He will get into good spots. He’s not a reasonably skater however he makes up for it in his anticipation and he’s obtained stick to assist him out defensively. He’s additionally obtained some runway in entrance of him bodily to fill out his body and discover one other degree. I like his talent degree and sense and he performs sooner than he’s. Whereas his play away from the puck isn’t going to be a energy up ranges, it’s additionally good on the junior degree.

    Right here’s one QMJHL coach on Squires: “I believe he is usually a (Tyler) Toffoli kind. Not a reasonably skater however makes up for it with anticipation offensively and defensively with stick or getting above early to make up for the skating. Shoot in stride shooter first however some underrated strikes at instances. Power is the place he (can) make the best positive factors and proceed to play quick with poise.”

    9. Daniil Karpovich, LHD, 20 (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg)

    Karpovich is a tough one as a result of after enjoying within the MHL two years in the past, he signed again in his native Belarus to play professional hockey at a degree that was robust to mission final yr, after which after beginning within the KHL and second-tier VHL when he made the bounce again to Russia with Yekaterinburg this season he obtained injured in mid-October and was sidelined till January. Now he’s again and he’s enjoying within the MHL once more and due to the season spent in Belarus final yr and the restricted video games this yr I nonetheless don’t really feel like I’ve an excellent learn on his projection.

    Karpovich remains to be an enormous (6-foot-3), heavy, hard-shooting, bodily defenseman who was a prime D within the MHL in his draft yr. He skates properly contemplating his 200-plus-pound body (though his pivots and first step may use some polish), and he defends laborious and trusts his reads to make agency, assured performs on either side of the puck. His recreation wants some refinement and a few reps (which the damage prevented him from getting this yr with the intention to take a step) however he’s toolsy, he performs laborious and bodily, he’s good in man-to-man protection and alongside the wall/in entrance of the home and he has proven some offense. With the appropriate growth plan and endurance, there may be one thing there, but it surely’s going to take a while.

    10. Topias Vilén, LHD, 21 (Utica Comets)

    Vilén’s mature defensive presence and heads-up simplicity pushed him up ranges rapidly and helped him solidify himself as an AHLer after bouncing between the ECHL and the AHL early in his rookie season final yr (after main Finland in ice time on the World Juniors and enjoying 20 minutes per recreation for the Pelicans in Liiga play with robust underlying outcomes two seasons in the past). This yr, in his second within the AHL, he’s now enjoying 20 minutes per recreation for the Comets as properly and has performed on the second unit of each particular groups.

    His strengths are actually defensive (defending the push, breaking apart performs) however he’ll attempt to activate when he can and has proven some offense throughout ranges over time. He’ll make the out there play, he’s obtained first move and he will get his photographs by (a variety of his assists come from rebounds off his photographs by site visitors) with a low, hard-half windup slapper that he makes use of and a wrister that whips off his lengthy stick. He’s obtained good posture by his skating mechanics, which helps him generate energy as soon as he will get going and defend the push successfully when he’s obtained time to hole up (although he can lack acceleration from a standstill). I’d qualify him as a low-ceiling man. There are a variety of people in Finland who imagine he’s going to change into a stable bottom-pairing depth defenseman and whereas I believe a No. 7-8 call-up kind is extra seemingly, he’s a minimum of related as a prospect.

    11. Daniil Orlov, LHD, 21 (Spartak Moskva)

    Orlov, who simply turned 21 on the finish of December, has made the bounce from the MHL and VHL to the KHL the final two seasons, establishing himself as an everyday defenseman at Russia’s prime degree (he has performed just below 18 minutes per recreation up to now this season). An honorable point out for my 2022 draft board, Orlov has taken good steps for a fourth-round choose. He strikes pretty properly (which permits him to hole up, shut out and follow opposing carriers), he will get his photographs by and sees lanes after they current themselves (I wouldn’t say he seeks them out or creates them), he retailers pucks properly and he’s obtained stick and an athletic construct. There isn’t a variety of dimension to his recreation and he would possibly prime out as a top-four AHLer than a real NHLer, however I may see him turning into a No. 7-8. There’s no rush, although.

    12. Ethan Edwards, LHD, 22 (College of Michigan)

    Edwards’ profession has been a journey. After rotating out and in of the Wolverines’ lineup a little bit early on his profession on a deep blue line, Edwards began to settle in and discover his groove once more proper earlier than offseason surgical procedure sidelined him till the brand new yr final season (his junior yr). Now he’s a senior and he’s enjoying vital minutes (24-25 per recreation) for the Wolverines as he tries to make a push to earn a professional contract.

    Edwards is a participant who has all the time seemed extra spectacular than his numbers and 5-foot-10 body point out. He’s a superb skater with extraordinarily spectacular edgework by his crossovers, rotations and pivots, enjoying a good, glued-to-your-hip hole within the impartial zone and effortlessly maneuvering contained in the offensive zone. He’s additionally a sneaky-physical, pesky participant for his measurement, steadily stepping as much as ship hits or partaking bodily alongside the wall as an alternative of trying to win again possession together with his ft and stick (which is usually a little bit of a blessing and a curse for smaller defenders who really feel the necessity to contain themselves greater than they generally must). Edwards is large on exits and entries and does an excellent job creating passing and taking pictures lanes together with his ft, however he doesn’t make as many performs as he in all probability ought to. A late birthday works in his favor so far as misplaced time goes and high-end mobility can take a defender a good distance, however I’ll have an interest to see if he will get signed (both by the Devils or another person), as a result of it’s not a assure. He will get full marks for his skating and aggressiveness and I’ve all the time loved watching him play, even when there may be a mid-level professional there in the long run.

    13. Chase Stillman, C/RW, 21 (Utica Comets)

    I’ve had actual issues about whether or not Stillman has the on-ice intelligence and finer instruments to make it (regardless of a robust basis of professional instruments/professional fashion of play) for years. I’ve additionally usually puzzled about whether or not he’ll ever develop sufficient offense to progress and every season appears to reaffirm these issues a little bit greater than the final. Stillman’s an efficient sufficient participant, however I’m unsure he’s gifted sufficient to be as efficient on the professional degree as he was doing his factor on the junior degree. He’s bodily on the forecheck. He’s obtained a motor. He’s feisty. He’s all the time within the combine. He’s robust on his ft and might make the odd play across the web. However he lacks any dynamic high quality and I discover him to be too deferential with the puck (he’s obtained advantageous palms and will cling onto it greater than he does however appears to fall again into the chip-and-chase recreation as a psychological factor). He does a variety of issues properly and he performs an endearing fashion, however he’s nonetheless getting used as a fourth-liner in his second yr in Utica, hasn’t progressed a lot (if in any respect, actually) because the draft, doesn’t even penalty kill for the Comets and all the time topped out as an NHL fourth-liner for me even when he did take steps. It’s wanting like they burned a first-rounder with this one. May I see him working his method into some video games on a fourth line in his mid-20s? Perhaps. However he may additionally simply be what he’s as a depth AHLer.

    14. Kasper Pikkarainen, RW, 18 (Pink Deer Rebels)

    Pikkarainen is a scrappy, aggressive, bodily participant who matches a fourth-line profile, performed to just about some extent per recreation in Finland’s prime junior league final yr, obtained a style of Liiga motion and was a top-niner for the nationwide group in his age group throughout all of their occasions. Nevertheless, after making the bounce to the WHL this yr, he suffered a lower-body damage after simply two video games and hasn’t performed since, primarily costing him a yr of his growth.

    He’s robust and durable. There isn’t a test he gained’t end. He’s obtained jam and a few professional qualities. He skates properly and will get after it. He’s a tone-setter and pest. I like him within the bumper on the ability play as a result of he’s obtained a tough one-touch shot, he fights for rebounds and he can launch from the blue paint to go get rebounds within the nook. He’s not the neatest or most cerebral participant however he’s an August birthday who you hope can make the most of his further runway regardless of the misplaced time and develop a few of his finer abilities and on-ice mind. He’s a really low upside participant however ought to have professional profession and be part of subsequent yr’s Finnish World Junior group.


    The Tiers

    As all the time, every prospect pool rating is damaged down into team-specific tiers with the intention to provide you with a greater sense of the proximity from one participant — or group of gamers — to the subsequent.

    The Devils’ pool is split into 4 tiers: 1-2, 3, 4-6, 7-14.

    Rank

      

    Participant

      

    Pos.

      

    Age

      

    Group

      

    1

    Simon Nemec

    RHD

    20

    Utica/New Jersey

    2

    Anton Silayev

    LHD

    18

    Nizhny Novgorod

    3

    Seamus Casey

    RHD

    20

    Utica/New Jersey

    4

    Mikhail Yegorov

    G

    18

    Omaha/Boston U.

    5

    Lenni Hameenaho

    RW

    20

    Assat

    6

    Herman Traff

    RW

    19

    HV71/Nybro

    7

    Matyas Melovsky

    C

    20

    Baie-Comeau

    8

    Cam Squires

    RW

    19

    Cape Breton

    9

    Daniil Karpovich

    LHD

    20

    Yekateringburg

    10

    Topias Vilen

    LHD

    21

    Utica

    11

    Daniil Orlov

    LHD

    21

    Spartak Moscow

    12

    Ethan Edwards

    LHD

    22

    Michigan

    13

    Chase Stillman

    C/RW

    21

    Utica

    14

    Kasper Pikkarainen

    RW

    18

    Pink Deer

    (Picture of Simon Nemec: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Pictures)



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