The New Jersey Devils are starting to handle their offseason priorities, and the first piece of business is to sign some of their top prospects to entry-level deals. They started with Russian prospect Arseniy Gritsyuk, signing him to a one-year deal. Unlike other prospects, Gritsyuk is expected to make an NHL impact from Day 1.
On Thursday, the Devils announced they signed former second-round pick Lenni Hameenaho to a three-year entry-level contract. Hameenaho has been playing professional hockey for Assat in Finland for the past three years. He comes into the NHL with ample understanding of playing a men's game.
Most expect Hameenaho to start the season with the Utica Comets, but he might be ready to play in the NHL starting on Day 1, just like Gritsyuk.
Hameenaho's play style is exactly what this team wants in the bottom six. He's tenacious on the puck, making it a point to win battles and making opportunities happen out of nothing. He's not the most skilled player, but he makes up for it with defensive prowess and hockey IQ. This past season, the offensive side of his game started to materialize. He had 20 goals in 58 games to go along with 31 assists.
Only 14 players in all of Liiga had more points than Hameenaho this season, and he was the youngest player in the top 15. His game grew by leaps and bounds this season, and we expect it to keep growing.
Lenni Hameenaho could be exactly what the Devils need in the bottom six
Hameenaho won't score 20 goals in the NHL next season. He has a lot of growth to do to get there, but he absolutely could be a 20-goal scorer in the future if everything falls in place. First, he needs to learn how to play on North American ice. Some players take more time than others to learn that style. He also has to get used to the speed of the NHL game, which is another adjustment some young players are intimidated by.
If he's able to quickly adjust his game to what the Devils need, we can't see why he doesn't start in the NHL. Of course, the Devils also have to have the opportunity available. Based on Tom Fitzgerald's comments at his end-of-season availability, he wants to make big changes this offseason if possible. Would he keep a bottom-six slot open for a competition? It all depends on how things fall in free agency.