New Jersey Devils: 5 Players At Prospect Camp That Can Turn Heads

2. Tyce Thompson – Utica Comets

Here’s another player who could be in line to make the NHL out of training camp, although it would be in a completely different role. The Devils wanted Tyce Thompson to be an NHL regular right out of college. When he left Providence College in 2021, the Devils immediately left him in Newark. He was a little inconsistent, and they let him cook in Binghamton. Then, the next season, he was expected to grow. Unfortunately, he injured his shoulder during his first call-up of the season, and he missed most of the year.

Despite the injury, he came close to a point per game in the AHL (six goals and nine assists in 16 games). This all happened while his brother became a legit number one center in Buffalo. While being Tage Thompson’s brother means nothing more than Tyce having good genes, it could also work as a motivating factor.

It will be great to see Thompson back to full strength. There’s not a ton of hype around him, but there should be. He could be a very special player with just a little more development. The Devils might have a gem on their hands, another one they got in a lower round. The former fourth-round pick could be in the NHL come October. It would all start with his performance at development camp. If he comes in and shows he is head and shoulders above the rest of these kids, it will get the Devils brass thinking.