Devils Prospects

Devils Skilled Forward Prospect Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

Samu Salminen scored 10 goals and 17 points in 35 games playing for the University of Connecticut in 2023-24.

Published

7 months ago

April 2, 2024

James Nichols

(AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

New Jersey Devils prospect forward Samu Salminen entered the NCAA transfer portal on Monday, initiating his plan to export from the University of Connecticut.

Salminen played the last two seasons at UConn, scoring 17 points in each of the last two years. In 2022-23, the Devils prospect tallied nine goals and eight assists in 27 games. He repeated the point total in 2023-24, however, did so in 35 games scoring 10 goals and seven assists.

Salminen’s most notable moment this season came in a tilt against Sacred Heart when the Devils prospect forward flawlessly executed “The Michigan” goal back in January.

WE HAVE A MICHIGAN GOAL IN CT‼️

Hello Samu Salminen🔥🔥@hockey_east | @NCAAIceHockey pic.twitter.com/UxVdYv0bii

— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) January 26, 2024

UConn finished their season eighth in the Hockey East standings and did not qualify for the Frozen Four play-in, unlike fellow Devils prospects Seamus Casey and Ethan Edwards.

Now, Salminen enters the transfer portal and will continue his NCAA hockey career, however, it won’t be with the Huskies.

The Devils drafted Salminen in the third round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, 68th overall.

Before he was drafted to the NHL, Salminen played in his native land, Finland, where he captained the Jokerit U20 hockey club in 2021-22. The Devils prospect forward scored 19 goals and 48 points in 44 games that season.

Salminen wasn’t the only UConn player to enter the transfer portal on Monday. Nashville Predators 2023 first-round selection and forward prospect Matthew Wood and Calgary Flames prospect goaltender Arsenii Sergeev are also planning to leave the University of Connecticut.

In his draft year, Salimnen was known as an intelligent playmaking forward who also had a credible scoring touch both with and without the puck. He remains unsigned by the Devils and will continue to hone his craft in the NCAA next season while he works toward his first NHL contract.