After selecting Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes first overall in the past two years, the New Jersey Devils looked to speed up the rebuild this past summer by adding some veteran help in P.K. Subban and Wayne Simmonds. GM Ray Shero also added Nikita Gusev who makes his NHL debut after being a top scorer in the KHL. With these additions and the expected resurgence of starting goalie Corey Schneider from injury, the Devils hoped to be a competitive team again.
A terrible start to the season was the unfortunate reality and the Devils recently dismissed Head Coach John Hynes. Look for the next move Shero makes to be the trade of star winger Taylor Hall who is a pending unrestricted free agent as he will look to add more future assets in picks, prospects and young roster players to bolster the existing prospect pool.
Looking at the current prospects of the Devils, while Jack Hughes and Mackenzie Blackwood still qualify as prospects, they have established themselves as permanent roster players and will be excluded from this ranking.
1. Ty Smith, D – Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Age: 19
Ht/Wt: 5-11/175
Drafted: 17th overall in the first round of the 2017 draft by New Jersey
Smith had a very strong audition at the rookie and training camps for the Devils this past fall and was on the cusp of making the team. However, the decision to allow Smith his fourth and final year of junior was made. Smith is not eligible to play in the AHL and will work on his overall game and leadership playing in the WHL. He’ll be a lock for Team Canada at the World Junior where he will gain valuable experience.
Smith will turn pro the following season and still may not be a shoo-in for an NHL roster spot as he will become eligible for the AHL. Smith is a dynamic skater, and transitional defenseman that plays the position the way the NHL demands currently. He is poised to become the teams’ number one defender for many years to come and the anchor of their defense.
2. Jesper Boqvist, LW – New Jersey Devils (NHL)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-0/180
Drafted: 36th overall in the second round of the 2017 draft by New Jersey
Boqvist is making his North American debut and has made the Devils roster as a rookie. He has posted two goals in his first 14 games averaging close to 12 min of ice time a game.
With the coaching change, it remains to be seen if he will remain on the roster or be sent to Binghamton for more ice time and development. Boqvist had a breakout year the season prior in the SHL with Brynas and is an important piece of the puzzle going forward with the Devils.
3. Michael McLeod, C – Binghamton Devils (AHL)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 6-2/188
Drafted: 12th overall in the first round of the 2016 draft by New Jersey
After a dominant junior career in the OHL and shining with Canada internationally, the 12th overall pick from the 2016 draft failed to live up to the hype in his rookie season as a pro. McLeod played in 21 games in the NHL and only managed three assists. He played out the balance of the year in the AHL with better results of 33 points in 55 games.
The speedy playmaking center has started his sophomore year back in the AHL and is producing 0.5 PPG as he continues to make the adjustment to the pro game. McLeod is the Devils fastest prospect and speeds a valuable commodity in today’s NHL game. He combines that with good size and above-average playmaking ability.
The jump to pro hockey is a big one and some players simply need more time than others to adapt so there is plenty of optimism still with this player. He should have a recall before the season ends under the new Coach as the devils reassess the depth of the organization.
4. Reilly Walsh, D – Harvard (NCAA)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 5-11/181
Drafted: 81st overall in the third round of the 2017 draft by New Jersey
After a breakout sophomore season posting 12 goals and 31 points in 33 games, Walsh is following that up with an impressive junior season. This will very likely be his final year in college hockey and expect him to turn pro with a preview at the conclusion of his school season.
Walsh is an offensive defenseman and impressed me in the Beanpot tournament last year with two points in the consolation game. Because he has little international experience with USA, and playing in college, he is a little under the radar but look for Walsh to compete for a roster spot as a rookie as soon as next season.
5. Joey Anderson, RW – Binghamton Devils (AHL)
Age: 21
Ht/Wt: 5-11/203
Drafted: 73rd overall in the third round of the 2016 draft by New Jersey
After an outstanding college career with Minnesota-Duluth, including a NCAA Championship and both Gold and Bronze Medals at the World Junior with Team USA, Anderson made his pro debut last season. It was an impressive rookie season that included 34 NHL games where he posted seven points before an injury ended his run. Anderson failed to crack the Devils roster to start the season and is having an impressive season in the AHL with 16 points through his first 22 games.
He is a hard working winger that plays a physical game and is a very versatile player. He may not poses a top-six offensive upside at the NHL level, but he is a promising two-way winger that should be an NHL regular as soon as the start of next season.
6. Tyce Thompson, C – Providence College (NCAA)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 6-0/165
Drafted: 96th overall in the fourth round of the 2019 draft by New Jersey
The little brother of Buffalo Sabres 6-6 forward Tage Thompson, Tyce lacks his big brothers’ size but makes up for it in skill. Tyce is having a breakout sophomore season in Providence and has already matched his freshman point totals of 25 points in 42 games with 24 points in only 15 games.
Thompson looks to be a classic late bloomer, he was passed over in the 2017 and 2018 NHL Draft before the Devils selected him as a double overage player in the fourth round. At already 20-years-old the wait time for him to reach his peak will be significantly shorter and he could be ready to turn pro following his current season.
7. Aarne Talvitie, C/LW – Penn State University (NCAA)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 5-11/180
Drafted: 160th overall in the sixth round of the 2017 draft by New Jersey
Talvitie was having a breakout season last year before a knee injury derailed his season. As a freshman at Penn State, he posted an impressive five goals and 16 points through 17 games. He was then named to Team Finland for the World Junior and as Captain helped lead them to a Gold Medal with seven points in seven games and was very impressive. Now back and healthy at Penn State he is producing at a point per game pace as a sophomore on a stacked and veteran Nittany Lions roster.
Still only 20-years-old he could play another year of college hockey before turning pro. Look for Talvitie to play some AHL time logging bigger minutes at the pro level before he is ready to assume an NHL roster spot. The Devils hope they have a future two-way and versatile forward that can play up and down their roster and provide some leadership as well.
8. Graeme Clarke, RW – Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Age: 18
Ht/Wt: 6-0/174
Drafted: 80th overall in the third round of the 2019 draft by New Jersey
Clark had a monster 138 point season back in his minor midget days playing on the Toronto Malboros alongside Jack Hughes. Since then he has been developing on a strong Ottawa 67’s team in his home town and was having a point per game season before a shoulder injury ended his D+1 season early.
Missing an important year of development will hurt, but look for Clarke to bounce back for his final season of junior and hopefully one day be reunited on a line with Hughes to rekindle some of their old magic.
9. Fabian Zetterlund, RW – Binghamton Devils (AHL)
Age: 20
Ht/Wt: 5-11/195
Drafted: 63rd overall in the third round of the 2017 draft by New Jersey
Zetterlund has been derailed by multiple knee injuries, the last resulting in surgery that limited him to just 16 games in the SHL last season. Now back to health he has made the move to North America and is playing in the AHL where he has a modest three goals and five points through his first 14 games.
Zetterlund is a strong skater with good offensive upside and is reliable defensively, and can play a physical game so count on the Devils being patient with him given they recently signed him to his ELC.
10. Mitchell Hoelscher, C – Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Age: 19
Ht/Wt: 5-11/157
Drafted: 172nd overall in the sixth round of the 2018 draft by New Jersey
The Devils love players developed by the Ottawa 67’s drafting Graeme Clarke, Nikita Okhotyuk, and Hoelscher from the barber poles. Hoelscher saw his ice time increase in his second season in Ottawa despite the team being rather stacked and his point production increased finishing with 40 points on the season. He followed that up with another six goals and 13 points in 18 postseason games.
His role continues to grow as he continues to develop and in his third season, he is producing over a point per game with 16 goals and 28 points through 26 games. His development is very promising but he will need to add some bulk to his frail 5-11 frame when he makes the jump to pro and starts cutting his teeth in the AHL.