The New Jersey Devils had very little representation at the World Junior Summer Showcase, but recently drafted winger prospect Ben Kevan made the most of his opportunity in Minnesota. To close his tournament, Kevan scored with under four minutes left to bring his Team USA within one at 3-2, helping mount a comeback from a 3-0 deficit.
The Devils' 2025 63rd overall pick snuck into the slot, got open for a pass, and ripped a shot over the pad and under the blocker of helpless Canada goalie Joshua Ravensbergen.
Longer clip of Ben Kevan’s goal today vs Canada #WJSS #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/YMtfRBuAEp
— Brandon Holmes (@BHolmes_Hockey) August 3, 2025
And, while Canada ultimately ran away with a 6-2 victory in a hectic final few minutes, it was Kevan who was one of the most impressive for the losing USA in the eyes of Daily Faceoff prospect expert Steven Ellis.
"Kevan had a great two-way game, but his goal at 56:16 proved crucial. He had been one of USA’s more noticeable forwards, buzzing around both ends of the ice. His goal late in the game gave USA the most momentum they had all game. I love his energy, his hockey sense, and his proficiency as both a shooter and a passer."Steven Ellis, Daily Faceoff
Before this game, Kevan also had a nice assist on an L.J. Mooney goal, posting up near the blue paint with his back to the goal, receiving a pass in tight, and rotating off the post to find Mooney for the scoring chance and goal.
Ben Kevan had a few good moments at the World Juniors Summer Showcase
Kevan's performance, albeit at a Summer Showcase and not a "real" tournament, has to be encouraging for a Devils team whose draft hits have been far and few between in recent years, especially at the forward position.
Kevan, 2023 second-round pick Lenni Hameenaho, and 2023 fourth-round pick Cam Squires combine to give the Devils a decent-looking crop of winger prospects to bank on for the future, with Kevan looking the most dynamic of the bunch.
Time will tell what kind of player the 6-foot winger becomes, especially at the pro level, but the early signs of development have to be encouraging for an increasingly impatient Devils fanbase and the Devils themselves.