Seamus Casey does exactly what is expected of him in return to New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils made major changes to their lineup after losing to the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. It was the first game out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break, so one could excuse some rush from the lineup. They did make a push in the third period, but it came up just short, as Jack Hughes's two goals weren't enough to get two points in the standings.

The Devils' comeback came with Simon Nemec basically glued to the bench. He had a rough game, and it was the second time he was benched since he was called up three games ago. Nemec had earned his call up after a great run in Utica, but it appears he may have already blown it. It's not because he doesn't deserve another chance. A 21-year-old defenseman who had a really good season last year shouldn't be given up on because of a weird stretch in his sophomore season.

They call it a sophomore slump for a reason. However, it looks like the Devils are going in another direction. Nemec was taken out of the lineup for fellow youngster Seamus Casey, and he did more to secure his spot in the lineup for good.

Of course, the Predators are a much easier opponent than the Stars, but the results are undeniable. Casey not only avoided mistakes, but he contributed to the offense. He scored a sick goal that made it 3-0, pushing the Devils to an eventual 5-0 win.

For the longest time, Dougie Hamilton was the only defenseman who felt like he was actually shooting the puck to score a goal. That's exactly what Casey did above. He shot the puck with hopes of putting it on the twine instead of hitting the sticks of his teammates. The Devils need more of that from their defensemen.

Seamus Casey proved he can be a contributing member of the New Jersey Devils' lineup

Of course, Casey can only do so much to stay in the lineup. He has a chance right now because Jonas Siegenthaler got hurt and Santeri Hatakka was not ready for NHL play. Siegenthaler will be out for some time, as the Devils put him on LTIR prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. Casey might have earned himself a long-term gig.

If Casey continues to add this level of offense, the Devils may not have a chance to take him out of the lineup. Of course, he still needs to play some defense. He was on the ice for three high-danger chances against and none for him (although we'd argue his lethal shot should have been considered dangerous). That will eventually frustrate Sheldon Keefe and Devils brass, but for now, we see Casey staying in the lineup for the foreseeable future.