The New Jersey Devils’ future was on display this week at development camp and from the looks of the assembled talent, that future is big, fast, and secure. The team gathered a diverse mix of 33 players coming from a group comprised of draftees, American Hockey League (AHL) players, juniors, and some on tryout contracts. Several of the Devils’ top prospects (Luke Hughes, Simon Nemec, Alexander Holtz, Nolan Foote) did not attend, but the camp did not lack talent producing a new list of players for fans to monitor. With players like Seamus Casey, Josh Filmon, and Topias Vilen, the well will not run dry with the ascension of Hughes, Nemec, and Holtz.
When the players hit the ice Monday to begin camp the first thing that stood out to observers was the size of the group. 26 of the 33 players were listed above 6 feet tall, with several four or five inches taller. The group also quickly exhibited speed and skill as the week wore on. Devils’ director of player development Megan Duggan said, “[W]e asked them at the beginning of the week to show up with intention and purpose every day. Those are the standards we are setting in our organization and exactly what they did.” The group demonstrated maturity and professionalism both on and off the ice during the week.
Developing Future Devils
While there was certainly an emphasis on scouting and developing on-ice skills, there was similarly a lot of thought put into the off-ice schedule. Filmon, in his second camp with the team, admitted on Monday (July 10) that he did not know much about the Northern New Jersey area and had not really had an opportunity to explore. Five days later, after a cruise on the Hudson River and a trip for leadership development at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Filmon’s perspective had changed.
“I didn’t realize the geographical features, we were all the way up in the mountains. We climbed a mountain and we had a great hike as a group and some of the views on top are really cool. On top of that some of the people that we met were really passionate about their country and their flag which is pretty cool and very supportive of the team environment of hockey in the surrounding areas.” While at West Point, the team completed several team-building challenges, a tour, then a group hike.
The remainder of the off-ice program included a meeting with former Rutgers University Football player Eric LeGrand who discussed his journey in recovering from a catastrophic injury and becoming a successful entrepreneur. The team also toured Newark Beth Israel Medical Center meeting with patients and staff. The moment was full circle for Casey whose brother had been a patient two decades ago and was visited by former Devil Ken Daneyko and the Stanley Cup.
On-Ice Competition
After two days of on-ice workouts, the team held two competitions for the players. First, a three-on-three competition where the players were split into four teams and played width-wise on a third of the ice. Despite his team not being the ultimate champion, Casey, the highest-drafted player in the group (46th overall in 2022), did not disappoint. He was strong on the puck, quick to be assertive in breaking up plays, and showed off a lightning-quick release that found the top corner of the net at least four times in the tournament.
The winning team was led by goalie Cole Brady who was the last to give up a goal and backstopped his team to wins over the other squads. 2023 second-round pick Lenni Hameenaho iced the championship game with a slick conversion on a penalty shot. The team was also buoyed by the strong play of Xavier Parent and unsigned Ondrej Psenicka along with solid contributions from defensemen Chase Cheslock and Brendan Fitzgerald.
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The week concluded with a 50-minute full-ice scrimmage, which ended in another victory for the team led by Hameenaho and Parent. Parent was a surprise standout last year in camp and continued his strong play in Newark showing that he can use his diminutive stature to his advantage being quick on pucks and able to finish in tight spaces as he did with a goal in the game. Also scoring was Fitzgerald whose shot from the high slot found twine through traffic to put Team White ahead.
While not victorious, the line combination of Filmon, Samu Salminen, and Petr Hauser quickly showed why the team is bullish about all three. The trio represents the successes of the Devils’ amateur scouting department in finding all three in the sixth, third, and fifth rounds respectively. Each stands at least 6-foot-3 and possesses NHL skills and speed. Hauser was especially impressive on the forecheck and around the net offensively. The line was complemented by the strong defensive play of Vilen who is likely the most NHL-ready player in camp. Team Red’s goal scorers were Salminen, Cam Recchi, and Cam Squires.
The 2023 Draft class also made a deep impression. The Devils’ highest pick, Hameenaho, showcased all of the skills that they coveted including being able to use his size along the boards and his hands around the net. He was especially impressive in the three-on-three games showing his shiftiness in tight spaces. Once again the scouting department deserves kudos as the later-round picks of Squires, Cheslock, and Brown stood out all week.
Squires scored in the scrimmage and was able to show his speed throughout the game. Cheslock, a Minnesota native, models his game after Brandon Carlo and used his stick and long reach to break up plays and flashed puck-moving skills. Brown was widely considered the MVP of the scrimmage tallying two goals, including the game-winner. The Devils have the luxury of patience with what appears to be a very talented group as none will be expected to compete for spots on the NHL roster for at least a few years.
Development Camp Standouts
Duggan briefed the media following the close of camp and was impressed with the group. “I’ve been around a lot of different teams, a few different camps here in New Jersey, different athletes, but this was a special group. I think what really impressed me the most was how respectful, professional, and mature they went about their business. And that goes a long way.” Besides their impression off the ice, several stood out on the ice.
Josh Filmon
Filmon was an unheralded sixth-round pick when he came to camp in 2022 and quickly made a name for himself in Devils circles. He used that camp as a springboard to a breakout season that included 47 goals and a six-goal game. He projects an air of calm confidence when describing his game.
I like to score goals, get to the front of the net and I like to play fast. Playing away from the puck has always been a bit of a strength of mine, getting open and finding soft spots.
– Josh Filmon
Filmon was also proud of being inducted into the leadership group of his junior team. He hopes to make this year’s Canadian World Junior Championship team. Based on his performance at camp and during the regular season, it would not be a surprise to see him invited to training camp and make an impact in the NHL in the next few years.
Seamus Casey
Casey is the real deal. Last year’s second-round pick and Michigan teammate of Luke Hughes showed throughout the camp that he was the most talented player on the ice. He will be headed back to Michigan in the fall but he is destined for a career in the NHL. He has a knack for using his quickness and hockey IQ to always be in the right place to keep offensive plays alive or to disrupt plays defensively before they begin. His size will be a concern for some and with the Devils stacked at right-side defense, his path may appear to be blocked. But with his skills and potential, he will find a way into the NHL soon.
Topias Vilen
When he spoke with the media after the first day of camp, Vilen identified two goals he has for the upcoming year, make the NHL roster, and become known as the steal of the 2021 Draft. The 20-year-old Finn staked a claim to both this week as he played like the most NHL-ready player in camp. He was calm with the puck on his stick and never seemed flustered, displayed good gap control, and was able to contribute in the offensive zone. Vilen is a better skater than originally advertised and his playoff experience in Liiga in Finland has brought maturity to his game. He is destined for a spot in training camp and a fight with Kevin Bahl and others for a roster spot.
Samu Salminen
Salminen fills a need that the Devils do not currently have on their roster, a huge, mobile center. at 6-foot-4, he would be the tallest center on the roster. Combine that with his speed and playmaking and he may end up being another draft day steal for the Devils. He will return to UConn for another season, but look for him to join Utica at the end of the college season and begin to fight for a place in Newark.
Ondrej Psenicka
The surprise of camp was 6-foot-6 winger Psenicka. He currently plays at Cornell and was supposed to attend the Devils development camp last season but was unable to due to an illness. He was relentless on the forecheck and dominated the wall throughout camp. Duggan was visibly excited describing him after camp saying, “He’s a big, strong, power forward and that is a role that every team needs, right? But he has good skill too, he had a great game today. He stood out to a lot of us.” The Devils would be wise to keep tabs on Psenicka at Cornell.
Coming into camp, many were concerned about the players who did not attend, however by the end of the week it became clear that there is no disruption in the Devils talent pipeline. As the higher-end picks and prospects begin to populate the roster, general manager Tom Fitzgerald will have a healthy cache of talented players to fill in around the edges or utilize as trade capital to augment his roster in the future.