The New Jersey Devils had an awful night on Friday night both on the ice and in their prospect pool. They lost to the Buffalo Sabres, all but confirming that the team will miss the playoffs for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons. Now it’s time to look ahead. It’s time to see what’s happening with the prospects.
We know there is one really good prospect playing at the University of Michigan. Seamus Casey is one of, if not the Devils top prospect in their system right now. The former second-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft had another great year in Ann Arbor, posting an impressive 45 points in 38 games, jumping up a notch from last year’s impressive numbers from the blue line.
This Michigan team has been the reason Devils fans have been watching NCAA hockey for a while. For the past two years, it was because of Luke Hughes. They also had Ethan Edwards, a prospect who’s been in the Devils system for a while. The hard hitter is still on Michigan, playing down the lineup while Casey holds down the first line.
Casey was preparing to make another run at a possible National Championship, something this impressive Michigan team has failed to do in recent years. They lost in the Frozen Four the last two seasons despite having stars like Hughes, Kent Johnson, Owen Power, and Matty Beniers. It would be ironic if the team led by Casey wins it all.
However, it sounds like they might have to figure out how to do it without Casey, their top defenseman.
Status: Seamus Casey will not return to the game
— Michigan Hockey (@umichhockey) March 30, 2024
We hate that. Not only is a Devils’ top prospect out, but we don’t even know what happened. Sometimes, that can be worse than the obvious injuries. If it lingers and gets worse, that means it’s a real issue that needs addressing.
On top of the obvious impact to the Wolverines, this injury could have an impact on the Devils. Most college players who eventually sign NHL contracts (which many expect Casey to do), jump right into the NHL to get a taste of the league. We’ve seen Tyce Thompson do it, and Luke Hughes made a major impact on the Devils last season after Michigan was eliminated.
However, if Casey is hurt, it might end his season. Of course, it’s early in the process, so it might be minor. Yet, with how the Devils season has gone, we wouldn’t be surprised if the bad luck leaked into the prospect pool. Michigan did beat North Dakota, so Casey's debut would have been delayed anyway. Here's to hoping this is a minor injury.