The New Jersey Devils made six picks on Saturday at the NHL Draft, and they all filled different roles in the prospect pool. Unlike previous years, Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald got an array of prospects instead of focusing on one position. There are plenty of opinions of the class, but there is one player who seems to excite just about everyone.
With their second pick in the second round, the Devils took Benjamin Kevan. Most people had him as a clear top-50 prospect, so the Devils getting him at 63rd is already a win, but there is a lot to like about him right off the jump.
Kevan is heading to Arizona State, which could be big for his development. After a decent season in USHL last year, Kevan actually had a drop in points. He went from 57 to 43 with the Des Moines Buccaneers. To be fair to him, from afar, this season looked like a mess for Des Moines. They scored about the same, but they allowed 223 goals on the year, and they were constantly in the penalty box. They also had a franchise low for attendance, welcoming around 1,200 fans per game. That’s a 25% drop from last year and a 60% drop from 15 years ago when the team was its most popular.
The skill is there, and if a doldrum season in the USHL caused him to fall, then we love that for us. However, when the moment opened up for Kevan, he made it count.
The newest New Jersey Devil, Benjamin Kevan's, overtime winner to secure the bronze medal at the U18 World Championships. 🥉 #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/hnzLRf6IOh
— Daniel Rebain 🇺🇲🇵🇱 (@pvtmcbain) June 28, 2025
Kevan already has pro-level skating, as you can see in the video above. He’s smooth with his stride, and he has the ability to get through defenders with ease. It’s not hard to see why he might be a great NHL player. If a player has the skating down, the rest can come easily.
The issue with Kevan is that he needs to learn how to take his skills to the next level. He can’t rely on skating solely at the next level. He must know exactly where to go since pretty much everyone can skate in the NHL.
However, when looking at the Devils' best prospects, it’s projecting their upside that gets fans excited. We’re excited for Anton Silayev because he could become Zdeno Chara with his size and skating ability. Seamus Casey has us drooling over his offensive abilities. Arseni Gritsyuk continues to show the offensive instincts of a top-six player.
This is what Kevan can be. He has the skills of an NHL prospect. He needs the hockey IQ. Honestly, he got drafted to the right team. As frustrating as the Devils can be, they are rarely misusing their talents. Jack Hughes taking Ben Kevan under his wing? He might turn him into a superstar.
Now, that’s the ceiling. The floor might be a complete bust, but it would be hard to see him flame out entirely.
Kevan’s the most critical prospect in the Devils’ system outside Silayev. Despite the Devils literally drafting Conrad Fondrk 13 picks before him, Kevan’s 2025-26 season is more important. He needs to show last year was fluky and he has that top-six NHL upside. Fondrk is also coming off an injury, and his development will take some time.
This could be huge for the future of the Devils, but it all depends on the development Kevan sees while with the Sun Devils. Hopefully, they take good care of him.