New Jersey Devils prospect overview: Top-10 & more

Alex Chauvancy ranked the Devils' best prospects and broke down the state of the system as a whole.

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By Alex Chauvancy (@AlexC_THW)

Even though the New Jersey Devils are in win-now mode now, they still have one of the best farm systems in the NHL.

That'll change soon once some of their top prospects graduate but, for now, it bolsters the strength of their system.

Let's look at the best of their pipeline and break them down into different tiers. 

First Line/Top Pair Potential

1. Luke Hughes, Defenseman

This one should be obvious but Hughes will enter the 2023-24 season as the Devils' top prospect. He won't remain there long, as he'll be a regular in the lineup this coming season.

The younger Hughes showed off his potential in the five games he appeared in this past season. He was particularly impressive against the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 2 of the playoffs, even though he only appeared in three games. He showed that he's ready for the NHL, despite not turning 20 years old until September. 

Hughes is an elite skater with high-end puck-moving ability, but he's not just an offensive defenseman. He has the tools to be a plus defender at the next level, which gives him top-pair potential. There will be growing pains – especially since it'll be the first 82-game season he'll play – but the sky is the limit for him. 

2. Šimon Nemec, Defenseman

If there was one good thing to come out of the Devils bottoming out in 2021-22, it's that they benefited from more draft lottery luck and selected Nemec with the second overall pick. 

Nemec started the year slowly with the Utica Comets this past season, but he showed progression as the year went along. He finished with 12 goals and 34 points in 65 games – rare production for such a young defender – and played well for the Comets in the AHL playoffs. 

One of the concerns for Nemec as a draft-eligible prospect was his ability to defend the rush. That seems to be coming along, and it's only a matter of time before it's at the level needed to thrive in the NHL.

After acquiring Colin Miller, Nemec should get more time to refine his skills with the Comets this coming season. In time, he could anchor the Devils' top pair alongside Hughes. 

Top-Six/Top-Four Potential