Pucks and Pitchforks
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Two New Jersey Devils Prospects Look For New Homes Next Season

By Nick Villano

A game puck sits on the ice on a play stoppage during the second period of the annual NCAA hockey game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans during the Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena on February 17, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Spartans 4-1. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
A game puck sits on the ice on a play stoppage during the second period of the annual NCAA hockey game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans during the Duel in the D at Little Caesars Arena on February 17, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. The Wolverines defeated the Spartans 4-1. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /
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The New Jersey Devils have a lot of prospects all over the world, so it can be hard to keep track of them all. There are only a few who are playing in the United States outside the players who are direct members of the Utica Comets. Elsewhere, the Devils have a few players in NCAA hockey. The most important player in college right now is Luke Hughes. He’s at the University of Michigan. However, he’s hardly the only NCAA player for the Devils right now.

There are at least six others in the NCAA right now to who the Devils hold rights. This includes Hughes teammate Ethan Edwards who’s shown some talent with Michigan and former Jack Hughes teammate Patrick Moynihan. There are prospects of all types in college, and the Devils even signed one of the Hobey Baker Award finalists in Michigan Tech’s Brian Halonen.

With so much happening in college hockey, fans can’t be blamed for missing that two Devils prospects are looking for new homes. First, it was now-former Arizona State goalie Cole Brady. Brady took over the starting job for the Sun Devils as a freshman, and he played incredibly well. He had a .910 save percentage in 13 starts in his first season in college. This season, those numbers plummeted. He had a .900 save percentage this season, and it looks like he’s soured on his time in Arizona and is looking for a new opportunity.

The Devils are currently working on Mackenzie Blackwood (25 years old), Nico Daws (21 years old), and Akira Schmid (21 years old), so they likely aren’t incredibly concerned about another 21-year-old goalie who is trying to find his way. He is a massive specimen at 6’5 and 181 lbs, but he needs to show some consistency in his next spot to have an NHL future, especially with so much talent ahead of him.

Then, there was the big surprise. Our Dan Rice spoke with Artem Shlaine last month about his season with the UConn Huskies. It turns out his second season will be his last with the Huskies.

The Devils likely have some higher hopes for Shlaine because of the position he plays. It’s easier to project a forward than it is a goalie, and there’s isn’t the type of logjam at the position. It’s more than likely that these two will spend four full years in the NCAA, and this might be the best thing for their future hockey career.

UConn finished the season in the Top 20, but nobody is arguing that the Huskies are one of the best programs in the country. The Sun Devils aren’t either, and it looks like they fell out of love with Brady in general. They could both go to great programs and finish their college careers out strong.

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Meanwhile, this will give the Devils time to graduate some of its players on the Comets to the NHL. With so many young players trying to find a spot, the Devils could use the time before more try to make the jump to professional hockey. Shlaine and Brady could be benefactors of that time if they are able to make their next stop on their journey work better than their first.

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