The New Jersey Devils once again trekked up to Buffalo with a select group of organizational prospects to participate in the 2024 version of the Prospect Challenge. The team played in three games and was undefeated before the finale against Boston; a 6-4 loss on Monday. New Jersey defeated the Ottawa Senators in a 9-1 route in game one and game two, the Devils beat a Buffalo Sabres squad littered with NHL and AHL talent, 5-2.
The group of Devils that traveled to New York was headlined by undrafted free agent Xavier Parent, former first-round pick Chase Stillman, and defenseman Topias Vilén. Parent and Stillman led the club in scoring; each posting five points in three games. Stillman led the team with four goals.
Parent is a very intriguing prospect. The 23-year-old had a 106-point season (65 games) in his final year in the QMJHL. In 2022-23, he was once against a point-per-game player, posting 51 points in 50 ECHL games. He finally spent a full season at the AHL level with Utica (AHL) in 2023-24, finishing third on the team in points.
Stillman, who has struggled on the scoresheet since being drafted (0.74 point-per-game average in the OHL and 24 points in 54 AHL games in 2023-24), had a really nice showing in Buffalo. Vilén was held off the scoresheet, but headlined the team’s top pairing in each of the three games.
Elsewhere, a pair of 2023 draft selections each tallied three points. Cam Squires, a fourth-round pick, had two goals and an assist. Meanwhile, Cole Brown, a sixth-round selection, had three goals. Squires is set for another season in the QMJHL after posting 72 points in 66 games last season while Brown will be in the OHL once again, after 39 points in 65 games in 2023-24.
The Devils had three members from their 2024 draft class participate; third-rounder forward Kasper Pikkarainen, fifth-rounder forward Max Graham, and sixth-rounder forward Matyas Melovsky. Graham had two points, while Melovsky tallied a lone goal. Pikkarainen was held off the scoresheet entirely.
In net, each of the three goalies that traveled with the team got a game. Both Tyler Brennan and Isaac Poulter excelled. Brennan stopped 24-of-25 in a win and Poulter stopped 33-of-35 in his victory. Brennan, a 2022 fourth-round pick, signed with the Devils and spent all of last season in the ECHL (.896 save percentage). Poulter, also signed with the Devils, was a fast-riser in the system, posting a .911 save percentage with Utica (AHL) to go along with a 17-8-1 record.
The goalie that started the team’s lone loss of the tournament was 18-year-old Zach Pelletier. Pelletier stopped 30-of-36 in the losing effort. He is an undrafted rookie that played in 43 QMJHL games last season, posting a .875 save percentage. That is where he will play once again this season.
Other notable Devils to make the trip were Seamus Casey and Josh Filmon. Casey was scoreless, but flashed plenty while Filmon was unable to participate in the games due to injury. Filmon’s injury is not thought of as a long-term issue. Additionally, 2023 second-round pick forward Lenni Hämeenaho and 2024 first-round pick defenseman Anton Silayev have already started their respective professional seasons overseas, thus they did not participate.