Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec lead young Devils organizational defense

The New Jersey Devils have a lot going for them despite taking a step back in 2023-24. They added depth at every position and a good goalie after a year of struggles in both categories. 

One thing to be extra excited about is the fact that they have some really good young defensemen in the organization. They are building what could be a great core on the back end. 

Everything on the back end, when it comes to young players, starts and ends with Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec. Hughes was the fourth overall pick in 2021 and Nemec was the second overall pick in 2022. Both of them have an incredibly high ceiling in the NHL. 

Hughes played two games after signing with Michigan at the end of the 2022-23 season. He had an assist and scored an overtime winner over those two games. He followed that with a big rookie year in 2023-24 and was nominated for the Calder Trophy. 

The New Jersey Devils have a lot invested in their highly drafted prospects

As for Nemec, he wasn’t expected to play a lot in 2023-24. An injury to Dougie Hamilton (amongst others) forced him into the lineup. That proved to be a great thing because he was great in his rookie year. 

Having these two guys in the lineup will be incredible for New Jersey going forward. They are both incredibly skilled players with amazing ceilings in this league. If they both reach their ceiling, the Devils will have a dynamic duo that brings different skills to the table for a decade. 

Elsewhere in the organization, there are a couple of other good defenders to be excited about. Not all of them can be stars for the team, but they will all provide something exciting one way or another. 

Seamus Casey leads the next wave. New Jersey selected Casey with their second-round pick (46th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft. Over the last two seasons, Casey has developed into a stud defensive prospect. 

In the first round of this year’s draft, New Jersey added another top defensive prospect. They selected Anton Silayev with the 10th overall pick. Now, another high-end player in that position is in the organization. 

There are some other names to think about on the back end too. Topias Vilen, Daniil Karpovich, Daniil Orlov, and Ethan Edwards will all have a chance to be impactful players in the NHL too. Again, they won’t all make it but a decent amount of depth is there. 

Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec are already in the NHL. They are both good at their floor and their ceiling makes them two of the most exciting players in the league. If these other guys below them in the organization can be half as good, New Jersey will build something really special.