Casey Looks to Build on Spectacular Freshman Season | FEATURE

Seamus Casey describes himself as a "two-way defenseman."

With his skating ability and offensive prowess - eight goals and 29 points in 37 games for Michigan last season - it would be easy to say that he's an "offensive defenseman." But that moniker misses the mark, according to Casey.

"I like to add a lot of offense when I can. But defense is my game," he told the media during the Devils 2023 Prospects Development Camp. "I can't say offensive defenseman because I'm a defenseman first. So, I like to say two-way defenseman. I like to play as much offense as I can. When I can get the puck on my stick and make a play I like to."

Casey, 19, made many plays during Michigan's Big 10 championship campaign in 2022-23, particularly during tournament play. Casey was named to the B1G All-Tournament Team after posting three goals and five points to help the Wolverines win back-to-back titles.

The right-shot blueliner was also named to the B1G All-Freshman Team and College Hockey NewsAll-Rookie Team. Casey's 29 points led all Wolverine defensemen in scoring that don't have the name Luke Hughes.

Although Michigan's dream of winning the NCAA title came up short in the Frozen Four, it was a memorable opening collegiate season.

"I love my teammates and our staff. That's what makes things great at Michigan being surrounded by those guys everyday made the season easy," Casey said. "We had a pretty good year, came up short in the end. Hopefully, we can do better next year. We have things to learn as a freshman but the seniors and older guys did a great job of bringing us in and teaching us the ropes. It was a great year."

This week, however, Casey is looking at what he can gain from his second Development Camp with the Devils.

"It's a lot of fun to be back," he said. "Knowing everyone, it's such a welcoming environment, seeing a lot of the same guys and some new faces, it's fun meeting some new people, seeing everyone again is a lot of fun. They do a great job on the ice and off the ice."

Casey, the Devils' second-round pick (46th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, knows there are areas of his physicality and game that he needs to develop. First and foremost, he'd like to add 10 pounds of muscle.

"You want to do it the right way, eating the right way, slowly. You don't want to throw on a bunch of weight for no reason," said the 5-foot-10, 180-pounder. "Strength is a big thing. I put on a little weight this summer and spring thanks to my trainers back home and strength coach in Michigan. That's a big thing, and continuing to work on finding new ways to improve on the ice.

"That's the biggest focus right now and continue to figure out what I can do on the ice, trying to take away space as a defenseman and how to gain space playing offense."

The Devils connections with Michigan hockey run deep, especially on the blue line. The Wolverines defensive corps boasted three Devils defensemen in Casey, Luke Hughes and Ethan Edwards.

Hughes, the younger brother of Jack Hughes and the fourth-overall selection in 2021 by New Jersey, played two seasons with Michigan before making the jump to the NHL late last season. He appeared in two regular-season games, scoring his first career NHL goal with an OT winner in the season finale at Washington, and three playoff contests.

"It was so fun watching him. We were all watching those games," Casey said of Hughes' NHL time. "Just so proud of him. To step in right away like that and have an impact is special. It's not something you see very often. The thing about Luke is he's so very chill. Ups and downs, he takes them so well. That was something I learned from him. Any time you make a mistake or make some good plays, he's so even keeled out there."

As far as Edwards, New Jersey's fourth-round (120th overall) pick in 2020, he and Casey formed a duo on the backend for Michigan late in the season and into the postseason.

"We have similar play styles. We like to play offense but are defensemen at heart," Casey said. "We're really good buddies off the ice. I think that's the most important thing. Team chemistry and individual player-to-player chemistry, the closer you are off the ice the closer you'll be on the ice. I think we understood each other's game really well, who's going to go, who's not going to go, that kind of thing. We were always on the same page and that worked pretty well together."

The tandem is back together at this summer's camp. And both will try their best to make the most out of this week. Both players attended last season and learned from the older prospects in the room.

"Watching the older guys last year, they work so hard but they're not stressed out,"Casey said. "They take it drill by drill, day by day. I started to realize that halfway through the camp last year. Coming in this year, just have fun and work hard.

"You're here for a reason, everyone is here for a reason. Once you accept that, things get easy out there in your mind."