Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2024 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 29.
After back-to-back years as a top-five ranked pool, the Devils’ system is starting to look a lot different after graduating Luke Hughes, Alexander Holtz and Akira Schmid, trading Shakir Mukhamadullin and their 2023 first-round pick (which the San Jose Sharks used to draft Quentin Musty), and aging out a number of others. It’s going to look worse this time next year without Simon Nemec, who I included here one last time, too — especially if the conditional 2024 second-round pick they’ve already traded is upgraded to a first-rounder.
Still, there are intriguing young players in their system.
2023 prospect pool rank: No. 2 (change: -20)
It’s no secret that I am — and have been — a fan of Nemec. His introduction to the Devils organization two years ago through the summer’s rookie camp, the fall’s rookie tournament, his first preseason and then his first few weeks in the AHL, was actually a bit of a bumpy one. He struggled on the power play. He didn’t look like his usual self at five-on-five. He was just off, after a career to that point where he had looked ready for every new challenge — against professionals in Slovakia, as MVP at the Hlinka, as captain at the world juniors, even at men’s world championships. He really hit his stride in early December of his last season though, and was Utica’s best defenseman for my money in the second half and again for the first half of this season. He has looked like the player I saw in his jump to the NHL, too. In the end, despite the adjustment during those first few months in North America, Nemec’s statistical profile to this point in his career, for his age, remains pretty much pristine as well.
He’s a calculated and poised three-zone defender who is capable of organizing play from the top of the zone, executing through seams in coverage at a high level and starting and leading his fair share of rushes. He’s got great edges and four-way mobility, which he uses to manipulate and steer play through intelligent routes on and off the puck.
He also regularly flashes sneaky deception, which blends beautifully with his rare maturity for his age. Though I wouldn’t say he’s a dynamic, game-breaking type offensively, I see plenty of calmness and talent. He knows when and how to push (and when and how to sit back and defend), he plays a fairly polished defensive game and he’s a righty. I expect him to become the best defenseman out of Slovakia since Zdeno Chara and a first-pairing (or high-end No. 3) guy who plays an effective, efficient, play-driving modern game. The game just comes easy to him, with everything happening in front of him and the ice tilted in his favour. It happens so subtly, too — while still occasionally having flashes. It’s short little passes, quiet steering of play, efficiency, and then a big moment when the team needs him, rather than constant flashes. His type of game is the direction the position should be going and it’s hard to believe he only turns 20 next week.
2. Seamus Casey, RHD, 19 (University of Michigan)
Casey, the 27th-ranked prospect on my 2022 draft board, had a bit of an up-and-down draft season, with a strong start and finish briefly overcast by some struggles in the middle which prompted some scouts to question his top-two-round merits and his decision-making. I really liked the Devils taking a swing on him in the second round, though, and he has sure looked like a top-two-round guy as a freshman and sophomore at Michigan, where he has shone as a real catalyst from the back end with the puck and in distribution.
I really like a lot of his tools in isolation. When he’s on,…
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