New Jersey Devils Top 25 Prospects ahead of 2024-25 preseason

Nolan Foote is one of the only players on this list who could realistically be an NHL player from game number one, barring injury to the regular lineup. Many thought he was going to get an NHL job last season, but he got injured in training camp and he didn’t return until near the end of the season. He was dealing with a lingering lower back injury that he hopes is healed now. There’s more competition for a spot on the NHL roster, especially for a player built like Foote, but he could lose his prospect status by October 4th.

Topias Vilen is exactly why teams take a chance on upside. He was drafted as a player known as a defensive defenseman. Then, he showed his offensive flare last season with the Utica Comets. He clearly worked on his passing, which was his weakest trait when he was drafted. He ended up with 27 assists last season. We expect to see Vilen grow this season. If he does, it puts the Devils in an interesting position. They already have young defensemen on the roster, and they have some defensive prospects ahead of Vilen. But at the end of the day, what will drive who plays is production. If Vilen produces again this season in Utica, he might see himself on the Devils roster at some point.

And this is one of those defensemen in Vilen’s way. Santeri Hatakka is one of those defensemen in Vilen’s way for a spot on the NHL roster. If any defenseman gets injured on the Devils this season and they decide to call someone up, Hatakka will go first (in all likelihood). He was brought over from the San Jose Sharks in the Timo Meier trade, and he’s grown from there. He proved he could handle the NHL speed when he had a cup of coffee with the Devils last season. Now, he has to survive training camp, or he has to go on waivers. We’ll see where he ends up, but the Devils should do everything they can to keep him in this organization.