New Jersey Devils Postseason Top 25 Prospects

All Graeme Clarke needed to do to move up the prospect rankings was prove that he could stay healthy. He did that this past season, but he did it in an unexpected place. Clarke was supposed to take a star role with the usually stacked Ottawa 67s, but the OHL didn’t get off the ground in most areas. So, Clarke started his professional journey early. He spent the season in Binghamton, and he was one of the best forwards on the team. Only Zetterlund had more points, and no one had more goals than Clarke. He was making beautiful plays and his shot is off the charts. We expect Clarke to make his NHL debut sometime next season.

Kevin Bahl proved that he is as good as his upside showed. He was always someone who came with a question mark since the Devils made him a focal point in the Taylor Hall trade. Now, it’s more like an exclamation point. He’s somewhere between 6’6 and 6’7 depending on who you ask, and he plays every inch of his being on the ice. He’s not overly physical, but his presence is felt in the defensive zone. His best quality in his short NHL stint was stopping opposing players on the rush. Bahl was able to get a stick in the way or just stop the other team in general when rushing towards the net.

Nolan Foote is a prospect that’s really stepped up his game after he was traded to the Devils in the Blake Coleman deal. His foot speed moved in the right direction, and he still has an incredible shot. He probably would have been the team leader in points for Binghamton if he didn’t make his NHL debut. He had 17 points in 24 games, and it looks like he’s going to be a really good pro. That could come as early as next season, with the Devils looking to find the right players for their lineup as they try to build veterans around a young forward group.

There’s no more revealing at this point. The difference between Dawson Mercer and Alexander Holtz is razor thin, but the upside for Holtz is still through the roof despite a less-than-stellar season in 2021. Meanwhile, Mercer was great from beginning to end. He was perfect in his role for Team Canada moving up and down the lineup. Then, for Chicoutimi, he was a pure and utter stud. He had 36 points in 23 regular season games. Then, in the playoffs, he had a ridiculous 17 points in nine games. It’s hard to tell where Mercer will end up next season, but with a small step in the right direction he could be in the NHL.

After Ty Smith graduated, it was Holtz’s spot to take at number one. He’s the projected superstar that will be next to Jack Hughes for a long, long time. Holtz struggled with Djurgardens as he was placed in a less-than-desirable role in the bottom six. Then, he came to Binghamton and struggled some more. It’s fine. Trust us. He has so many tools that can overcome a slight blip on his development radar. He’s a physical specimen that knows how to use his size to his advantage to get puck possession. That’s not even mentioning his ability to score. Holtz is an amazing prospect that the Devils will love for years to come.