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Devils Prospects

Devils Prospects Rankings: 5-1; More Elite Talent on the Horizon

The Devils replenished their prospect pool adding Anton Silayev in the 2024 NHL Draft and suddenly there’s more elite talent on the horizon.

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New Jersey Devils
Anton Silayev, center, poses after being selected by the New Jersey Devils during the first round of the NHL hockey draft Friday, June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

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’ prospects 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, Devils 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 prospects 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 10-6.

We’ve made it. Time for the top five Devils prospects.

5. Mikhail Yegorov, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL)

With part of the return in the John Marino trade, the Devils took Russian goalie Mikhail Yegorov with the 49th pick. The top rated North American goalie on NHL Central Scouting, Yegorov possesses all the traits of a number one goalie. He boasts a large 6-foot-5 frame that takes up most of the net. Yegorov has really solid lateral movement and covers the bottom of the ice while in butterfly, largely due to his frame.

What Yegorov has working in his favor is his development path. He’ll spend another season on a hopefully much-improved Omaha team, before taking the net for Boston University. With Jacob Markstrom under contract for the next two seasons and a steady stable of young goalies coming in the next year or two, the Devils can afford to be patient on Yegorov to develop. Because of his already outstanding athleticism, three to four years of rounding out his game could put him in pole position to be the Devils number one goalie by 2027-28.

4. Lenni Hameenaho, RW, Assat (Liiga)

Lenni Hameenaho won’t “wow” you with how he plays, but he’s exactly the type of complimentary winger you need to win a Stanley Cup. Scouts have raved about his hockey IQ, and his counting stats only got better this past year. Hameenaho was second on Assat in points with 31 in 46 games, while leading the team in goals with 14. He was also Team Finland’s most complete player at last year’s World Juniors, where he had six points in seven games.

The biggest knock on Hameenaho is his skating. Similar to former Devil Alexander Holtz, Hameenaho lacks high-end foot speed. Luckily, he’s an incredibly smart hockey player, constantly putting himself in great positions to score, as well as to break up plays in the defensive zone. There’s a path for Hameenaho to be one of the best third-line wingers in the NHL, but more likely, an effective and responsible complimentary winger next to Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. My feeling is that Hameenaho will become an important piece during the Devils Stanley Cup window.

 3. Seamus Casey, D, Utica Comets (AHL)

Seamus Casey is the most dynamic and electrifying of Devils prospects. After two dominant seasons at the University of Michigan, Casey will finally have the chance to showcase his talents in the AHL next season. At Michigan, Casey racked up 74 points in 77 games, while also contributing six assists in six games for Team U.S.A. at the World Juniors.

The undersized right-handed defenseman can skate and stick handle in a phone booth. He’s a lethal goalscorer and play driver with the puck on his stick, is elite in transitions, and is no stranger to highlight reel plays. Casey’s 5-foot-10 stature aside, there’s work to be done as an in-zone defender and a year in the AHL will do wonders for him.

Casey without a doubt has elite potential and will be a very good NHLer, but his main hurdle is the logjam on the Devils defense. Dougie Hamilton, Simon Nemec, and newly signed Brett Pesce are all foundational pieces on the right side of the defense for years to come. The Devils without question will want to work Casey into the NHL at some point, but at the very least he is a high-end trade chip.

2. Arseni Gritsyuk, RW/LW, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

The next Devils late round gem, Arseni Gritsyuk was a heck of a find in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. Since being drafted, he’s won KHL Rookie of the Year, became a consistent scorer for the top team in the KHL, and added considerable size to his frame that’ll help him transition to the NHL one day. Gritsyuk tallied 38 points in 50 games for SKA this season despite missing about a month with an injury. He’s not the tallest in stature, but he’s a quick and crafty skater with a snappy release.

While Gritsyuk probably won’t be the next Kirill Kaprizov or Artemi Panarin, he has the offensive capabilities to be a solid top-six scoring winger. Reports are that he will finish out his contract in the KHL this season before coming over to North America in 2025-26. His path to the NHL is much clearer than Casey’s, especially since Tomas Tatar is on just a one-year deal. If they choose to, Gritsyuk could come in next season and fill that hole somewhere in the top nine. Going into the 2024-25 season, Gritsyuk is my top prospect to watch.

1. Anton Silayev, LHD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

Chances were whoever the Devils took at 10th overall this year would’ve been number one our Devils prospect rankings, and it so happens to be Russian defenseman Anton Silayev. The hulking 6-foot-7 defenseman put together an impressive KHL campaign as a 17/18-year-old. He played in 63 games and recorded 11 points, and was used in all situations for Torpedo last season.

Silayev is a unicorn. He doesn’t just move well for someone his size, he moves well… period. He eats up space with his size and skating, and breaks up plays with either his long reach or with a big body check. Where there’s room to grow is as a playmaker. His stick handling and passing are the facets of his game that need the most work over the next few years. Luckily, the Devils can afford to be patient with him. He has two years remaining in the KHL before he comes over, and he should be much improved in those areas when he does.

Long term, Silayev should slide right into the Devils top four when he comes to North America. He will have had three full seasons of KHL hockey under his belt and should have filled out his frame to handle NHL competition. His ceiling is Zdeno Chara or even a Jay Bouwmeester, but even if he doesn’t reach his full potential, he should still settle in as a very good defensive defenseman, similar to the likes of Nikita Zadorov. Either way, the Devils have an elite prospect on their hands that they can mold into an impactful part of a Stanley Cup winning core.

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