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New Jersey Devils: Three players make NHLPA Rookie Showcase

By Vincent Parise

NEWARK, NJ - JULY 14: New Jersey Devils defenseman Ty Smith (24) Skates during the New Jersey Devils Development Camp Red and White Scrimmage on July13, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JULY 14: New Jersey Devils defenseman Ty Smith (24) Skates during the New Jersey Devils Development Camp Red and White Scrimmage on July13, 2019 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The New Jersey Devils are pretty loaded as far as prospects go. Jack Hughes, Ty Smith, and Jesper Boqvist have been selected to partake in the NHLPA Rookie Showcase.

The New Jersey Devils are in a really nice spot when it comes to their prospect pool. They have lots of players that you could see becoming NHL regulars someday. They have three players in particular that can not only be contributors but important pieces to a franchise with Stanley Cup aspirations. Those three players are Jack Hughes, Ty Smith, and Jesper Boqvist.

All three of these players have been invited to the National Hockey League Players Association Rookie Showcase. It is a showcase where 28 of the best NHL prospects will come together. Upper Deck is going to make lots of video content out of it as well as make trading cards out of these players. It is their last public event before reporting to their teams for training camp.

Jack Hughes was the number one overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. New Jersey earned the right to select him when they won the 2019 NHL Draft Lottery. It is possible that Hughes develops into a franchise center for the Devils, and he is the highest touted player at the entire showcase. He has been the top prospect in the world for the entire previous season and will be looking to make a quick impact on the Devils.

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Smith was the 17th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. He is the best defensive prospect the Devils have had in a long time. He was the Western Hockey League defenseman of the year in 2018-19 and has made it look like a steal that the Devils got him at 17.

It is possible that he makes the team out of camp as he came so close to making it last year. It feels like he is a top-six option for the Devils and should be in the opening night lineup.

Boqvist was a second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. It was the same draft that the Devils took Nico Hischier with the number one overall pick so if Boqvist pans out, it would prove to be one of the best drafts the team has ever had.

He, like Smith, has a chance to make it out of training camp and be on the opening night roster. His spot to take is likely the only truly available spot in the forward lineup so he is going to have to really impress to take that spot.

The Devils having three players going to this showcase is awesome and it is something they haven’t seen in a while. The present and future are bright for New Jersey and this is just another sign of it. It will look even brighter if NHL roster spots follow this showcase for these three players.

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