The New Jersey Devils have some prospects knocking on the doorstep to try and win themselves an NHL roster spot, and, for once, they aren't the ones everybody expects.
In this weekend's prospect challenge games, several Devils forwards stood out, and chief amongst them was former Boston University forward Shane Lachance, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in the Trent Frederic trade earlier this year.
Lachance, 22, is a 6-foot-5 forward with a surprising amount of soft skills, though his size alone makes him an attractive option to potentially make the Devils.
Fans have long bemoaned the team's lack of grit, though it can be said that Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald over-compensated in this area and generally made the roster worse.
Regardless, Lachance, Boston's former captain, has been making plays alongside the Devils' other prospects over the last few days, and he's going to propel himself right into the NHL roster conversation.
The 22-year-old scored against the Buffalo Sabres in Friday's prospect challenge game, causing a fracas down low and swatting home a loose puck to give the Devils a 3-2 lead in the third period.
Shane Lachance gets a tip-in, on the power play, for his first career professional goal? Color me shocked.
— Daniel Rebain 🇺🇲🇵🇱 (@pvtmcbain) April 20, 2025
That's your future net front presence on the power play in New Jersey. #NJDevils pic.twitter.com/fDqbOhgDjh
In April, when he scored his first professional goal during a game with the Utica Comets, Lachance earned himself a power play tally via a deflection near the blue paint.
Nathan Bastian never really excelled at this when given the chance, and his old spot on the Devils' roster is up for grabs now that he's in Dallas. Plus, Stefan Noesen did make a killing doing this for the Devils last season, so perhaps adding Lachance to the fold and sticking him on the second power play unit will offer some more continuity in that aspect that wasn't available previously.
Time will tell if players like Kevin Rooney, Luke Glendening, Thomas Bordeleau, and Juho Lammikko can stick, but if the Devils don't choose a center over Lachance, there's little reason to think the youngster can't contribute this season.
Ondrej Palat saw his role decrease significantly under Sheldon Keefe last season, and Paul Cotter was up-and-down as well.
For Lachance, all of these things will play a factor in whether he can earn himself an NHL roster spot, but he's already doing what he needs to do, which is focus on his play and do what he can in the interim.
The opportunities, though, are going to be there, and training camp can suddenly become an interesting one if this trend continues.