Devils Prospects

Devils Prospect Rankings: 15-11; Five With NHL Potential

These five Devils draftees have NHL potential, including one who is rapidly rising through the ranks of New Jersey’s prospect pool.

Published

6 months ago

July 24, 2024

Nick Natale

Josh Filmon participates in Devils 2023 Development Camp. // Credit: New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils have had one of the best prospect pools over the last half-decade. Since 2017, they’ve had two first-overall selections, a second-overall pick, seven more first-round picks, and 28 total top-100 draft choices. In that time, they’ve graduated a ton of high-end talent to the NHL. The Devils’ prospect rankings are not as stacked as they once were, but there is still plenty of talent in the pipeline.

We’ve looked at two things for our 2024 New Jersey Devils prospect rankings. First, prospects who have completed a full rookie season (Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec) or played multiple games throughout multiple years (Nico Daws and Nolan Foote) will not be considered. Only prospects with little to no NHL games or none at all will be considered.

To determine this year’s Devils prospect rankings, three aspects have been taken into account; the player’s overall ability, how high their ceiling is, and their competition for a roster spot.

In last week’s edition, we looked at prospects 20-16.

To the top 15, we go.

15. Daniil Misyul, LHD, Utica Comets (AHL)

Just cracking the top 15 is 6-foot-3 Russian defender Daniil Misyul. Before this season, Misyul spent four years playing regular minutes in the KHL for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. He transitioned to North America this season and put together a solid 14-point campaign in Utica as a defensive defenseman. Misyul has similar traits to former Devil, Nikita Okhotiuk, with slightly better skating. As a physical presence on the ice, Misyul has the chance to carve out a role as a depth defenseman in the league. However, Misyul isn’t a one-trick pony. While the offensive numbers aren’t there, he’s deceptively mobile and is unafraid to carry the puck up the ice. He can sneak onto the NHL roster in a year or two after some more seasoning in the AHL.

Daniil Misyul does it all by himself. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/jNehtr2cKE

— Russian Prospects (@RUSProspects) February 18, 2021

14. Brian Halonen, LW, Utica Comets (AHL)

Halonen is certainly on the older side when discussing prospects (he’s 25), and made his NHL debut last season. His scoring popped in the AHL last season, registering 20 goals in 35 games, after missing time through injury. The reason to be high on Halonen is because his style of play suits what the Devils are looking for in their bottom six. Outside of a scoring touch, he plays with good speed, forechecks well, and throws the body around. He looks like a player who understands the role he’ll have to play if he wants to make it to the NHL, and recently signed a two-year extension. Fitzgerald did a lot of work this summer adding guys with speed and physicality to the bottom of the lineup, and he may have another option in-house with Halonen.

Say Halo again 😇

Brian Halonen racked up 20 goals in red and black this year, and has inked a two-year deal with the @NJDevils! pic.twitter.com/KQNn7dYC1s

— Utica Comets (@UticaComets) May 16, 2024

13. Kasper Pikkarainen, RW, TPS (Liiga)

The Devils first third-round pick of 2024, Kasper Pikkarainen, had a nice season at the under-20 level in Finland. He has the size you want from a young, potential power forward at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds. He has deceptively good hands and a nice release, but an inefficient skating stride could hold him back. This upcoming season will be a big one with him currently projected to play for TPS in the top division in Finland. Pikkarainen looks like a player who will need a few years overseas and in the AHL before having a legitimate shot with the Devils because of the deficiencies in his game. However, the tools are there to be a complimentary bottom-six winger in the future.

Kasper Pikkarainen gives Finland 3-0 lead with his first of the tournament. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/quZDCINALp

— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) April 28, 2024

12. Cam Squires, RW, Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)

Cam Squires had an impactful 2023-24 season for Cape Breton, leading the team in scoring. His 33 goals and 72 points led the team in addition to a Herculean effort, carrying Cape Breton in the QMJHL playoffs, with 20 points in 14 games. Squires showed enough since being drafted in 2023 to earn an entry-level contract. He has good burst and a snappy release which did him a world of good in the QMHL last year. If he can continue to build on his game and produce more for Cape Breton this season, Squires will be much higher on this list a year from now, heading into the AHL.

HOLY CAM SQUIRES. pic.twitter.com/w07LidgTpU

— Cape Breton Eagles (@CBEHockey) April 13, 2024

11. Josh Filmon, LW, Swift Current Broncos (WHL)

After going on a scoring bender in 2022-23, Josh Filmon came back down to Earth a bit in 2023-24. An incredibly high shooting percentage two years ago saw him score 47 goals, but after some scoring regression and playmaking progression, he ended with 27 goals, but also 40 assists. Despite a long, wiry frame, Filmon is unafraid to get to the crease and inside the hash marks. He scores his goals by parking himself in the front of the net or by driving to the blue paint and scoring. For him to make it to the NHL roster, he’ll need to add more size to his frame. Give him a year or two in the AHL to bulk up, but Filmon has a high likelihood of making it as a middle-six winger.