Jack Devine

January 2024 – Just past the halfway mark of the NCAA season, Devine leads the entire college circuit in goals scored. Alongside Massimo Rizzo (PHI), who continues to show sublime playmaking skills, Devine has taken his offensive game to a whole new level in 2023-24. At the time he was taken by Florida near the very end of the 2022 draft, he had below-average skills across the board. That situation seems to have changed in the two years since, which is excellent news for Panthers fans. Most seventh-round picks never see any NHL action, but Devine’s significant offensive progress this year means he now has a solid chance of making the majors. Expect to see him audition for a couple years in the minors before starting to get call ups with Florida. Ben Gehrels

December 2022 – After playing a depth role on a championship-winning U of Denver squad last year, Devine was taken by Florida near the end of the 2022 draft. As a seventh-round swing by the Panthers, Devine is trending quite well: his scoring is up as a sophomore, even though he is still more of a depth scorer, and he received an invite to the Team USA camp for the 2022 World Juniors. Although he was cut from the roster in the end along with Denver teammate Shai Buium (DET), the opportunity to attend was a reflection of Devine’s intangibles and defensive impact on the game–both valuable things for any team. His game should translate well to the professional ranks, perhaps after another college season; it remains to be seen, however, whether his defensive acumen will be enough to compensate for his lacklustre production. Ben Gehrels