Devils Prospects

New Jersey Devils’ 2024 Draft Class Showing Signs of Potential

The New Jersey Devils 2024 draft class is showing early signs of potential through the first third of the season.

Published

1 month ago

December 4, 2024

The New Jersey Devils’ season is in full swing, and while the product on the ice at the NHL level is bringing back good returns, it was just five months ago when the organization ushered in a fresh crop of future talent.

The Devils made seven selections in June’s NHL Entry Draft, including the 10th overall pick. With the New Year approaching and about a third of the season having been played, let’s see how the most recent draft class is looking.

Round 1, Pick 10: Anton Silayev, D, Torpedo (KHL)

The first and most important pick of the draft was Russian defender Anton Silayev, 10th overall. It was a surprise to many that Silayev fell to the Devils at 10, but it was a no-brainer for General Manager Tom Fitzgerald to scoop up a unicorn-type player. Six-foot-seven and skates like the wind, Silayev has played a major role for Torpedo in the KHL.

Despite dealing with a minor injury in the early part of the season, Silayev has seven assists through 28 games. Most impressively, he’s averaging 17:17 of ice time, over two and a half more minutes per game than he was in 2023-24. Silayev is also averaging over two minutes of penalty kill time a game, earning the trust of head coach and former NHL star Igor Larionov.

Unfortunately, because of Russia’s international ban, we won’t get to see Silayev play at the upcoming World Junior Championship.

GOTTA SEE IT: Devils Prospect Anton Silayev Scores Slick Goal

Round 2, Pick 49: Mikhail Yegorov, G, Omaha (USHL)

In an attempt to find their own Russian superstar goalie, the Devils took Mikhail Yegorov in the second round, a pick acquired in the John Marino trade. Returns have been so-so for Yegorov, playing on one of the worst teams in the USHL. Through 11 games, he’s posted a 2.87 GAA and a 0.907 SV%, along with one shutout.

After an ugly start to the season, Yegorov has begun to bounce back, even earning himself USHL Goalie of the Week back in October. His size and athleticism should continue to become more of an asset as he develops and grows into his body. For Yegorov, a positive season would be if he can continue to put up solid numbers on a bad team before taking that next step in 2025-26, when he’ll be in the net for Boston University.

WHAT A SAVE! MIKHAIL YEGOROV! We’re still tied at 2 in the 3rd! @USHL pic.twitter.com/nyHkXDGDmL

— Omaha Lancers (@OmahaLancers) November 24, 2024

Round 3, Pick 85: Kasper Pikkarainen, RW, TPS (Liiga)

The first of two third-round picks by the Devils hasn’t panned out quite yet. Kasper Pikkarainen has had an interesting few months since being selected. He was drafted in the CHL Import Draft as the Devils development camp was ongoing but was originally expected to go back to TPS in Finland. However, he decided to make the move over to the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL and appeared in just one game before suffering a lower-body injury.

Pikkarainen has been out since mid-October, and it remains to be seen when he will make his return. We will get a better idea of how close he is to returning based on if he makes Team Finland’s World Junior Team.

Round 3, Pick 91: Herman Traff, RW, HV71 (SHL)

The Devils’ second and so far most successful third-round pick was forward Herman Traff. The Swedish winger has put together a solid season for HV71 of the SHL. He’s registered six points through 17 games in the Swedish top league, a year after going pointless in 10 games. Traff has also added two points in three games in the HockeyAllsvenskan, the AHL equivalent in Sweden.

Traff’s standout play as an 18-year-old playing professional hockey has earned him a spot on Team Sweden’s World Junior team. Traff plays a projectable bottom-six game that features above-average speed and a high motor to go along with excellent vision and a scoring touch. If Traff can hone in on becoming a speedy power forward with a bit of a scoring touch, then his chances of cracking the NHL squad in a few years go up significantly.

Herman Träff är tillbaka från utlåningen i Nybro och hittar direkt nätet för sitt första SHL-mål!🚨#HV71MODO #SHL #twittpuck #svsshl #ishockey pic.twitter.com/oLL4nigFZq

— SHL.se (@SHLse) October 1, 2024

Round 5, Pick 139: Max Graham, C, Kelowna (WHL)

Max Graham was a bit of a head-scratcher when taken in the fifth round. He was a double over-ager who hadn’t produced much offense and was more known for his physicality and fighting. That trend has continued this season playing as a 20-year-old in the WHL, where he has 21 points in 20 games. His penalty minutes are once again high, and he’s no stranger to dropping the gloves.

It’s difficult to project Graham as nothing more than a fourth-liner because of his limited offensive production. However, he plays the game hard and doesn’t seem afraid to do the dirty work, a quality Fitzgerald loves in his fourth-liners.

Round 5, Pick 146: Veeti Louhivaara, G, JYP (Liiga)

After taking Yegorov in the second round, the Devils went back to the goalie well with their second fifth-round pick. Finnish goalie Veeti Louhivaara was selected after a decent season in the Finnish junior league, but likely because of his large 6-foot-4 frame. Similar to his countryman Pikkarainen, Louhivaara appears to be dealing with an injury after appearing in just one game this season.

Things were looking great for him post-draft, making Team Finland’s World Junior Summer Showcase team, but it seems as though he will miss out on their World Junior team. There’s not much to be said about Louhivaara until he can get back on the ice and string together a few starts.

Round 6, Pick 171: Matyas Melovsky, C, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)

The Devils final pick of the draft was another double over-ager, Matyas Melovsky. Melovsky was coming off of a fantastic World Juniors and QMJHL playoff, where he put up 11 points in seven games for Team Czechia and 19 points in 17 games for Baie-Comeau. Unlike Graham, Melovsky has contributed offense in his draft +2 season in the QMJHL. Through 19 games, he’s recorded 27 points, a 1.4 points-per-game pace.

If all breaks right, Melovsky has a shot at possibly playing NHL games. The odds are long, but he plays a physical, two-way game, something that stood out at this year’s Prospect Challenge. He will turn pro after this season, so we will get a better look at his came in the coming years.

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