The 32-in-32 Series is an annual event here at DobberProspects and has been condensed from two articles to one. The article will bring you: The highlighted team’s draft; insights into its off-season moves; looking at prospect risers, fallers and likely prospects to play NHL games; and of course, the writers’ top-20 prospects. Articles may be brought back when an important team update occurs, so check back because we plan to fill your hockey withdrawal needs all off-season!

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Read past 32 series stories here: https://dobberprospects.com/category/feature/32-in-32-series/

Make sure to check out the New Jersey Devils team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/new-jersey-devils/

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The Devils’ 2025-26 season started quite well, and then Jack Hughes suffered another injury and the team forgot how to score until he came back. Then when he was back the team played a more defensive style that really did not suit them, resulting in more losses. Most players regressed statistically, especially Jacob Markstrom who rarely kept the Devils in games, and there were issues from the locker room as the team tried to trade Dougie Hamilton which he rejected and his agent publicly blasted the team. The poor season and non-moves from management, resulted in Tom Fitzgerald being fired and new GM Sunny Mehta being hired. He brings quite the experience and analytical thinking to his first time GM role.

The Devils filled out the forward roles adding Jesper Boqvist and Evan Rodrigues from Florida, Anthony Mantha as a free agent, and Declan Chisholm for depth on defense. Mehta also cleared out Markstrom and Simon Nemec. He also kept Head Coach Sheldon Keefe employed, and while I may not be a fan right now (seriously, how come no one criticizes him for the team never being ready to play Carolina and scoring collapsing when Jack Hughes misses his usual ~20 games) it is fine that he can get another shot.

By all accounts the forwards have improved, the defense should be better, but the question will be in net. Now thanks to Connor Hellebuyck publicly disclosing his trade request, expect the Devils to be linked to him until he is traded.

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NHL Draft Recap

Round 1, 12^th Overall – Alexander Command, C

New New Jersey GM (yes I just had to type that) Sunny Mehta made a decision during the NHL draft to restocking the shelves and to do that he nabbed one of the NHL drafts biggest risers in Command. Command is a strong player all over the ice. He plays a complete 200-foot game, can score and make plays. Command’s offense potential may be underrated as many just highlighted his great two-way play and high hockey IQ.

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Round 2, 37^th overall – Matias Vanhanen, LW

Early in the second round the Devils selected the skilled Vanhanen out of the WHL. He led his team, the Everett Silvertips, in scoring with 87 points in 62 games, good for ninth overall in league scoring too. Leading the team in scoring was helped by health as he was third on the team in points per game, but with only a ~0.05 difference so he could have still led them in scoring. Vanhanen’s play is really through his stick, but the other areas of physical play and skating can be developed over time. If he can work on those then he has the potential to become a top six scorer in the NHL. Vanhanen’s international play for Finland is always outstanding as well.

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Round 2, 44^th overall – Nikita Shcherbakov, LHD

The Devils selected another monster of a defenseman out of Russia in the 6-5 Nikita Shcherbakov. He is still quite lean at 187 lbs and his development may take a while with many saying his he very raw. In the VHL and MHL, and even a couple times in the KHL, his skating and defensive prowess was noticeable, but many wonder how high his offensive ceiling could be.

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Round 4, 119^th overall – Lavr Gashilov, C

In round four the Devils kept to Russia to draft the skilled playmaking Gashilov. He is a player that can slow down the pace and set up plays. Gashilov is skilled enough to score but is very pass first creating a sense that his shot is not strong enough to beat goaltenders for distance. That is easy to work on and the Devils hope that grabbing a skilled player out of Russia late will work out for them.

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Round 5, 149^th overall – Daniil Rusakovich, G

New Jersey stayed close to Russia by drafting the 6-4 Rusakovich out of Belarus. He is skilled and athletic, and also a late round goaltender selection that may or may not work out, but is one everyone should take chances on.

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Round 6, 172^nd overall – Luke Wifley, C

Hopping back to the WHL, the Devils selected the disruptive Wifley, who struggled to produce in the WHL but was still valuable in a checking style role. He will move to the NCAA and play with Arizona State University for 2026-27.

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Round 7, 222^nd overall – Quinn McKenzie, C

With the team’s last selection, New Jersey selected McKenzie out of the OHL where he had a respectable first season with 51 points in 65 games, followed by seven in 10 playoff games. He is a small player, standing at 5-9, but he is also skilled and battles hard. McKenzie will play in the NCAA with Penn State for 2026-27.

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Off-Season Moves

Incoming

Jesper Boqvist – 1 year, $1.5M AAV remaining

Evan Rodrigues – 1 year, $3.075M remaining

Ben Steeves – then signed for 1 year, $850k AAV

Declan Chisholm – 1 year, $1.6M remaining

Anthony Mantha – 2 years, $4.75M AAV

Colin White – 1 year, $900k AAV

“Big Save” David Rittich – 1 year, $1M AAV

Amadeus Lombardi – 2 years, $875k AAV

Etienne Morin – 2 years, $934k AAV remaining

Vladislav Kolyachonok – 1 year, $850k AAV

Riley Tufte – 1 year, $850k AAV

Outgoing

Simon Nemec

Maksim Tsyplakov

Paul Cotter

Juho Lammikko

Brian Halonen

Evgenii Dadonov

Colton White

Jacob Markstrom

Angus Crookshank

Re-Signed

Jakub Málek – 2 years, $875k AAV

Topias Vilen – 1 year, $850k AAV

Anton Silayev – ELC 3 years, $1.075M AAV

Marc McLaughlin – 1 year, $850k AAV

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In the System

Risers

Lenni Hämeenaho

Hämeenaho may have seemed to just have a good first season, but there is a lot more to it. He is a player that takes a bit to get used to a league and then he starts taking off, if afforded the top six ice time. Hämeenaho played 37 AHL games where he put up 26 points. Now he had six points in first 20 games and 20 points in final 17 AHL games. That turns out to be 16 points in his last 13 games before being called up to the NHL for the remainder of the NHL season, as when he was returned, he scored four points in the final three games. Hämeenaho played so well in the NHL that it was impossible to send him down, and that was just with registering eight points in 33 games.

The Devils added forwards in the off-season and that may mean that Hämeenaho starts in the AHL, but he is quite good and may force the teams’ hand. What could hurt keeper GMs with him, is that he is also great defensively and stuck forever in a two-way line role. Hopefully, Devils new management can see the potential he could have and not put anything in front of him long-term.

Nico Daws

You dear reader may be saying: “In what world is Daws a riser, he has pretty average AHL numbers?”. Well, let me tell you there is a bit more there than the numbers show as the Utica Devils have never been much of a successful AHL team, despite ex-GM Tom Fitzgerald’s promise to make them competitive (hopefully GMSM can fix it). Daws is here because GMSM let it be known that after the team traded Markstrom, that a goalie like Daws deserved a chance to see what he can do. Now this could blow up spectacularly, and by all accounts the hockey insiders still have the Devils looking for goaltending, but Daws does deserve a chance and with a good defense in front of him, he is able to stop pucks more frequently. New Jersey did sign Dave Rittich as insurance.

Ethan Edwards

Edwards is a player forgotten in the Devils’ system, and he has never had eye popping numbers, but his first full AHL season he put up 26 points in 69 games. That is a very nice total, especially as 10 of those were goals. Edwards is a fantastic skater who uses his speed to skate the puck out of the zone, and close gaps quickly. At 24 years old, time is running out and New Jersey has a lot of contracts in front of Edwards, but he may be able to show what he can do on the roster sooner than later, especially as Brett Pesce seems to miss 50% of his games a year.

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Fallers

Anton Silayev

Routinely put as the #1 consensus prospect for the Devils, but I have not been impressed. His size, skating, and defensive ability was why he was drafted, and he managed to play 60+ games in the KHL for the past three seasons. The Torpedo coaches obviously trusted him, but I read reports that he really has not progressed all that well. Silayev has meager production, but it is more his hockey IQ that has been questioned. I hope what I read is wrong and Silayev can become a top four defenseman, but if they are right then expect a bottom pairing defenseman at best. We will really see as he will be in Utica for 2026-27.

Seamus Casey

Casey does not really deserve to be here but forces out of his control have placed him here. The Devils had his path blocked in the NHL with Hughes, Hamilton and Nemec all taking offense assignments, and now with Nemec gone Casey has Chisholm in front of him occupying the seventh defenseman spot, which will not help him make the roster. The other issue is that Casey was hurt to start the year and then he was knocked out in late January for the remainder of the season. As a small player, he really does not need the injuries to pile up. A good healthy AHL 2026-27 will go a long way to prop him back up.

Conrad Fondrk

Fondrk’s jump from the USHL to the NCAA went quite poorly as he was hurt for most of the season and only put up eight points in 25 games. Hopefully he can rebound in 2026-27 as he has good size and skill.

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Likely to see NHL action

Lenni Hämeenaho

Amadeus Lombardi

Seamus Casey

Nico Daws

Ethan Edwards

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Top 20 Prospects

This section is intended to paint a picture of the New Jersey Devils prospects whose current trajectory projects them making the most positive fantasy impact at the time that they reach the NHL. Arrival date and NHL certainty have been taken into consideration; however, potential upside is the most important factor in determining this list.

1. Lenni Hämeenaho
2. Alex Command
3. Seamus Casey
4. Nico Daws
5. Ethan Edwards
6. Mikhail Yegorov
7. Amadeus Lombardi
8. Anton Silayev (Not going to be good for points leagues, which is why he is low)
9. Shane Lachance
10. Nikita Shcherbakov
11. Matias Vanhanen
12. Daniil Orlov
13. Topias Vilén
14. Matyas Melovsky
15. Gustav Hillström
16. Étienne Morin
17. Lavr Gashilov
18. Cole Brown
19. David Rozsíval
20. Benjamin Kevan

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Make sure to check out the New Jersey team page here: https://dobberprospects.com/team/new-jersey-devils/

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Final Thoughts

The Devils should be a playoff team for 2026-27, but this team really goes as Jack Hughes goes. They need to learn to win without him in the line up, or if he is having trouble producing, and that will be the task Keefe has ahead of him. The added depth should help.

Let me address a different elephant in the room. In Minnesota, as of today, Quinn Hughes has not signed an extension. The longer Quinn goes unsigned, the more likely he is to wind up in New Jersey as a UFA, or potentially in a sign and trade scenario. It will be a very interesting season for the New Jersey Devils.

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Thanks for reading.

Follow me on Twitter: @FHPQuinn

Pat Quinn