Given we were able to take a look at basically all of the prospects in the New Jersey Devils’ system, it is time to rank them. Overall the Devils’ system is very strong. Scott Wheeler of the Athletic ranks it fourth-best in the league. Just one bit of evidence to show how respected the system is.
If you missed our five-segment article series evaluating each prospect. You can find the links to those below:
- AHL Prospects – forwards
- AHL Prospects – defensemen and goaltenders
- North American Prospects
- Overseas Prospects – forwards
- Overseas Prospects – defensemen and goaltender
In these articles we go into more depth than the below examines.
Note, the below will not include Jesper Boqvist or Marian Studenic who were a part of the articles above.
Top-25 Rankings
1. Luke Hughes
There are not enough words to describe how terrific of a season the 18-year old college freshman is having. He has 32 points (16 goals and 16 assists) in only 32 games played. This total leads all NCAA defensemen. Also, his goal total broke a 45-year old Michigan freshman defenseman record. He does have some work to do defensively, but many may look back at the 2021 NHL Draft and conclude that Hughes should have been the first name called when it’s all said and done.
Verdict: Top-pair, elite offensive-defenseman.
2. Alexander Holtz
After an uneventful seven games in the NHL, largely due to poor line-mates, Holtz has excelled mightily in the AHL. He has played 30 games for Utica (AHL) this season where he has 18 goals and 16 assists. He is having one of the best AHL seasons of any under-23 aged player this year. When Holtz gets another shot in the NHL, expect him to excel immediately.
Verdict: Top-line wing, future 30-plus goal-scorer.
3. Arseni Gritsyuk
By far the fastest riser on this list. He has an absurd 28 points in 39 games in only about 13-minutes a night in the KHL. His overall on-ice impacts are also terrific for a 20-year old. To add to all this he played an integral part during Russia’s Silver Medal run. New Jersey should work their hardest to bring Gritsyuk over to North America as soon as possible.
Verdict: Top-six wing.
4. Reilly Walsh
Walsh has an impressive 33 points in 44 games this season which is second-most of any AHL defenseman. He has also taken noticeable steps forward defensively which is very important for a player of Walsh’s skill set. His defensive game may limit his overall ceiling, but Walsh’s debut at the NHL-level is long overdue.
Verdict: third-pair defenseman with great power play skill.
5. Shakir Mukhamadullin
Many where shocked when the Devils reached to select the six-foot-four defenseman in 2020. So far in the KHL he has not quite lived up to the first-round selection. However, he has excelled in transition and has some of the tools necessary to develop into a NHL defenseman. The Devils will get a better idea of what they have when he comes over to North America in the near future.
Verdict: fringe second-pair defenseman, bottom-pair more likely.
6. Tyce Thompson
Unfortunately, the former Providence College wing has been injured for most of the season. The 22-year old only has nine NHL games under his belt and was a point-per-game player in seven AHL games this season before injury. He has a very favorable two-way skill set, Thompson just needs to get healthy and back on the ice to help continue his growth.
Verdict: middle-six wing, two-way wing.
7. Graeme Clarke
Finally healthy, the 20-year old winger will look to end the season strong with Utica. He surprised many last year and had a solid 18 points in 31 games played as a first-year professional. This season he has 16 points in 24 games. His offensive ceiling is what should excite Devils’ fans.
Verdict: top-nine, offensive-minded center/wing.
8. Samu Salminen
The 2021 third-round pick may be the most intriguing prospect on this list. He has dominated the under-20 junior league in Finland this season. Specifically, he has totaled 35 points in 32 games. The playmaker will take his talents to the state of Denver to play for the Pioneers at the NCAA-level next season.
Verdict: too early to tell.
9. Nolan Foote
Foote has been one of the underwhelming Devils’ prospects given his perceived status within the system. He only has 23 points in 40 games this season with Utica (AHL). However, he is still flashing the skill-set that resulted in him being taken in the first-round.
Verdict: third-line, two-way wing.
10. Fabian Zetterlund
Zetterlund has been extremely fun to watch this season. He has exploded for 37 points in only 40 games this season after only tallying 19 in 34 games last season. Given this is the first season he has put up numbers as such, some caution is warranted. However, he has the wrist shot to make a name for himself at the NHL-level.
Verdict: top-nine goal-scoring wing.
11. Kevin Bahl
One of the bigger pieces of the Taylor Hall trade is not developing as rapidly as many have hoped. His six-foot-six stature has many intrigued, maybe too much so. At only 21-years old he still has time to develop. As of now, a bottom-pair, defensive-defenseman seems most likely.
Verdict: bottom-pair, penalty-killer.
12. Chase Stillman
Stillman, like Mukhamdullin, was another first-round reach by the Devils. He has appeared for two different OHL teams this season, totaling 15 goals and 19 assists and a minus-24 rating in 41 games. As you can see, it has certainly been a struggle offensively. He still has a path to the NHL, as his play style translates well. A solid, two-way center who will probably find a nice home on the penalty kill. Nonetheless, not someone you would want to use a first-round pick on.
Verdict: bottom-six, two-way center.
13. Akira Schmid
Schmid has arguably been the AHL’s top goaltender this year. He leads the league in save percentage, goals against average, and Game Score per game. However, for whatever reason, none of that success has translated to the NHL. He has shown the potential to be an everyday starter in the NHL one day.
Verdict: fringe starter.
14. Nico Daws
Like his teammate, Daws has had a terrific first AHL season in Utica. He has a .918 save percentage and a splendid 12-3-2 record. Unfortunately, similar to Schmid, he has yet to have any of that AHL success translate in the NHL this season. Nonetheless, he is another goaltenders in New Jersey’s system with solid potential.
Verdict: fringe starter.
15. Ethan Edwards
One of the more underrated prospects in the Devils’ system is Luke Hughes’ teammate at the University of Michigan. As the above card shows, he has had a great on-ice impact for the number-two team in the country. A sophomore year at Michigan will do Edwards a lot of good.
Verdict: bottom-pair defenseman.
16. Jakub Málek
Málek has been one of the more surprising prospects in the Devils’ system. The 19-year old has dominated in the Czechia second-tier league this season. Each his save percentage and goals against average rank in the top-three league-wide. It’s still a tad too early to tell what he can be. Nonetheless, very encouraging.
Verdict: too early to tell.
17. Patrick Moynihan
Moynihan, like the the team he plays for, has taken a slight step back this season. After 15 points in 17 games last year, he only has 25 in 34 games this year. Luckily for Moynihan, his play-style translates well to the NHL-level. He has a path to the big club if his development continues.
Verdict: bottom-line hard-working, defensive wing.
18. Nikita Okhotiuk
Another defenseman from the 2019 NHL draft that has disappointed a tad. He has all the tools to one day development into a nice defensive-defenseman. More time in the AHL will do him good. Hopefully he can serve at the NHL-level one day.
Verdict: defensive-defenseman with bottom-pair, NHL-upside.
19. Nate Schnarr
An underrated part of the Taylor Hall trade, Schnarr is having a terrific season for Utica. He has 25 points in 34 games which shatters his 15 points in 33 game pace last season. He is another player whose play-style should translate at the next level. For that reason he may pave an avenue to the NHL for himself one day.
Verdict: depth, two-way center.
20. Yegor Zaitsev
One of the more interesting prospects in the Devils’ system. Zaitsev has played a staggering 255 games in the KHL and is only 23-years old. He is having a good impact for this team this season (per the above played card). Zaitsev has simply not produced like a former seventh-round selection. Will be interesting to see if New Jersey ever brings him over.
Verdict: top AHL defenseman with NHL upside.
21. Michael Vukojevic
It has been a bit of a disappointing seasons for the former third-round pick. He has been in and out of the AHL lineup and even was relegated to the ECHL for four games. There is still time to progress, but the prognosis is not what it once was.
Verdict: top AHL defenseman.
22. Daniil Misyul
The KHL does not offer a ton of data so it is a tad difficult to gauge Misyul’s potential. He does have 125 games of experience in a top-tier professional hockey league which certainly should help. If New Jersey chooses to bring the smooth-skater to North America, it’ll be interesting to evaluate his ceiling.
Verdict: depth NHL defenseman/top AHL defenseman.
23. Case McCarthy
McCarthy, a 2021-22 Beanpot winner, has had a relatively quiet season at Boston University. As a former fourth-round pick he has been “status-quo” in terms of development. If New Jersey wishes to sign McCarthy, he would most likely succeed at the AHL-level as an offensive-minded defenseman.
Verdict: AHL offensive-defenseman.
24. Aarne Talvitie
Talvitie once showed signs of having a shot to be a very strong prospect. This thanks to a terrific 2018-19 season with the Nittany Lions (NCAA) and a great 2018-19 World Junior Championship tournament. However, the 23-year old hasn’t quick progressed as it once seemed he would.
Verdict: solid, two-way AHL center.
25. Jaromir Pytlik
Overall, very hard to gauge the large 20-year old center and its not his fault. The former fourth-round pick has not played anything that reflects a full season of hockey since 2019-20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It would not be surprising if New Jersey does not offer him a contract.
Verdict: too early to tell.
Missed the Cut (by draft year):
Topias Vilén (’21, 5th), Viktor Hurtig (’21, 6th), Zakhar Bardakov (’21, 7th), Arteim Shlaine (’20, 5th) Benjamin Baumgartner (’20, 6th), Cole Brady (’19, 5th), Nikola Pasic (’19, 7th), Eetu Päkkilä (’18, 7th)
All player cards used above are courtesy of Lassi Alanen on Twitter. He is Director of European Scouting for Elite Prospects and does terrific work. Give him a follow here.