With Independence Day upon us and all the apple pie eating going on this is something for you to read. New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero (St. Paul, Minnesota) has very close ties to Team USA Hockey and the National Development Program. Another important figure in the Devils organization is Tommy Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald (Billerica, Massachusetts) has a lot of close ties to USA Hockey and NCAA D1 hockey specifically. Coach John Hynes (Warwick, Rhode Island) used to coach as an assistant coach in the 2004 IIHF USA team, Team USA assistant coach in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Hynes also was Jack Hughes’ assistant coach in the 2019 IIHF mens team.
Notable Devils players whose are American:
Orlando, Florida native and future superstar Jack Hughes had a banner season from his U-18’s, World Juniors, and even a solid IIHF showing. Jack proved to score a lot of key goals, and assists. He is one of the best, most graceful skaters in the game. His determination on and off the ice is what makes him a very successful player. Hughes makes scoring and zone entries look so easy for a kid his age. This kid is the best American I have seen since Patrick Kane skills, and smarts wise.
Plano, Texas native Blake Coleman has been a very reliable center and winger. Not only did he increase his points total by 11, but he grinds out in the dirty areas as a mid 6 forward. He’s the key cog in the skill and depth that the Devils need.
The Marblehead, Massachusetts netminder Cory Schneider had a roller-coaster season. After recovering from his injuries, Cory became very good but too late in the season. He did perform very well for USA 🇺🇸 assistant coach John Hynes. He had a 2.49 GAA, and a .920 save percentage. If all goes well this offseason then he can try and build a stronger goalie depth.
Chicago, Illinois grown John Hayden may not be known for his 22 points in 113 games, but what John brings to the table in this upcoming Devils team is a big 6’3″ body who could play as a body guard that can take a lot of penalty minutes (in a good way). This is the kind of player who is going to stick up for teammates, and drop the gloves especially with The Rangers, and Flyers around.
Smithtown, New York born but New Jersey raised Kyle Palmieri. Palms has been a key player on the Devils right wing. He is an excellent sniper who not only scored 150 goals, but he has 293 points in 496 games played. Every time he gets open he gets the chance to snipe a goal or pass on a bang bang play.
Buffalo, NY born Miles Wood has been a key in the mid and bottom 6 Left Wing position. He is a big body, and has a lot of speed for a young power forward in todays NHL. His size and speed are one of his key assets. His hands are one of the best assets he has that has driven him to 73 points in 200 games played. He has a lot more upside to grow and he’s somebody to enjoy this season.
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin native Will Butcher has shown to be a really good offensive defenseman. I believe with the addition of PK Subban around on his line possibly I can see Butcher’s number jump rather significantly in both assists, and points. Butcher has proven to be a really good power play guy, but he is going to need to improve his puck management more.
Illinois native Connor Carrick began showing signs of promise in his first several games since being acquired by The Trade Deadline. He proved he can come up clutch in games like versus The Rangers, and now he’s going to be more of 2-way defender with much more promise this upcoming season.
With Trenton, Michigan native Andy Greene in probably his last year he has proven a lot. He has 235 points in 870 games played. He is a very good power play defenseman, and he can still skate well. What I really like about his game over the years is that he not only blocks shots but he also gets in the way of opposing defenses. Greene has been one of the best Unrestricted Free Agents in the pre Shero Era.
Players to look forward to that are American in the pipeline down the road:
Harvard University RHD, Reilly Walsh (North Falmouth, MA) who has 51 points in 66 games played the past two seasons at Harvard. If The New Jersey Devils can sign him after his Junior year or are able to get him after his senior year ends the following season (2020-2021) then he could be a proven player. He can be a similar if not slightly better skilled player than Brian Rafalski if he does pan out.
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Notre Dame University defender and, Rogers, Minnesota native Matthew Hellickson. Hellickson has 28 points in 80 games played at Notre Dame. He’s proven as a 7th round defenseman that he can create offense. He is a 21 year old
Tyce Thompson the Oyster Bay, USA native a center who scored (17 assists) 25 points in 42 games played. He is a Providence College product who loves going to the side of the net, and crash the slot for rebounds, and redirect goals.
Case McCarthy The Clarence, New York native has been described as “a big hitter and the type of big hitter that that is extremely effective without pulling himself out of position to lay down the boom“- McKeen’s Hockey 2019.
With this kind of description makes me think of him as a “stay at home defenseman” who can be the younger version of Anton Volchenkov. If McCarthy can pan out to be a player who can be the body slammer, and a more improved defender at the professional level. This could be a big steal with this kid headed to Boston University.
Patrick Moynihan is a 5’11” center who knows how to get open in odd-man advantages in the offensive zone, and he knows where to be to time the puck on net in full flight. He also knows how to handle a nice give and go pass for an assist against the Omaha Lancers.
Moynihan is also a Providence College commit who has room to grow and if he can live up to his billing I wouldn’t be surprised if Shero takes him in with in 2-3 seasons if Patrick progresses into a super reliable forward that Shero and Castron see in him.
Summary:
This group of American players have a lot of upside, and some really positive risk to rewards. It’ll be worth the patience when the time comes for the 2017 and 2019 batch of American players come in. I didn’t list Jack Hughes as a player in the pipeline due to the fact that he’s a one of a kind center, and you rarely get these talents.