The World Junior Championship is a chance to see young players in action as they develop into stars. The rosters for the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship are set. 30 of the 32 NHL teams have prospects playing in the tournament in Sweden.
The New Jersey Devils have two promising prospects participating in this year’s World Juniors. One is on Team USA and one is on Team Finland. Here are the two Devils prospects to watch.
Seamus Casey
A Team USA skater to watch in the tournament is Devils prospect, defenseman Seamus Casey. 19-year-old Casey was a second round pick by the Devils in 2022. He’s currently in his sophomore season at the University of Michigan. Last year, he made the World Juniors team as a reserve, not seeing ice time. This year, he’s one of the strongest defensemen on USA’s World Juniors roster.
Versatility is the name of Casey’s game, as he contributes all over the ice, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. In 18 games with the Wolverines this season, he has racked up 23 points. He currently leads Michigan in points, is second among NCAA defensemen and is tied for ninth overall in the NCAA. His +10 +/- is tied for the best on the Wolverines.
The two-way defenseman doesn’t just pile up the points but also protects the defensive zone. Casey skates well, has good defensive awareness, and breaks up plays. He isn’t the biggest player, but Casey’s defense has improved and developed during his time at UMich.
Will we see Casey in the NHL soon? Despite defensemen typically needing longer to develop than forwards, his development looks great, and he could be ready for NHL play next year. However, there's not really a place for him. The Devils already have three young defensemen on the roster: Kevin Bahl, Luke Hughes, and now Simon Nemec. It seems unlikely to add another to the mix soon. When Casey is ready, the Devils need to have a plan for him.
With a loaded team, Team USA has a realistic chance to win World Juniors. They took home bronze last year, and they last won gold in 2021. USA Hockey won both of their pre-tournament exhibition games. They face Norway in the preliminary round of World Juniors on December 26. Expect Casey to have an impact on both sides of the ice.