Standouts from Prospects Challenge | FEATURE

The Devils concluded the 2024 Prospects Challenge at Buffalo’s LECOM Haborcenter Monday afternoon. New Jersey finished the tournament with a 2-1-0 record following a 9-1 win against Ottawa Friday, a 5-2 victory against Buffalo Saturday and a 6-4 setback to Boston Monday.

Here are a few of the players that really stood out in the tournament…

Chase Stillman

Perhaps the player that made the biggest impression during the tournament was Stillman. The Devils’ first-round pick (29^th overall) in 2021 looked like a different player than he has in years past.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound forward did everything in the three games, scoring goals, setting up plays, playing with speed, being tenacious on the puck, hounding defensively, playing physical, playing with an edge, getting involved in post-whistle scrums. In year’s past, Stillman would catch your eye with a play here in there. But this time around, he did something on every shift that had a big impact. He was dominant.

Offensively, Stillman led the team with four goals and five points (though he arguably wasn’t credited for an assist that he had, so it should have been six points). He scored a goal from an impossible angle at the side of the net. He also scored a goal with some nice deke moves on a breakaway. Stillman’s forecheck pressure forced a turnover by the Sabres goaltender behind his net that allowed Stillman to score. He made a brilliant pass to Xavier Parent to set up a goal (though he wasn’t credited with an assist even though he clearly made the pass).

While the offense is great, a big reason the Devils drafted him was the intangibles that he provides. And he provided plenty. He levied a lot of hits and almost relished in taking the body. He was a frequenter of the opposing team’s crease. He was a pest to deal with at the net in both zones. Stillman provided a ton of energy, and his efforts were infectious down the lineup. Stillman wore an ‘A’ as alternate captain for a reason. And he provided leadership both on and off the ice.

Seamus Casey

It takes just one shift to realize how skilled and talented Casey is. Casey’s skating is what really separates him from the pack. His fluid stride, his ability to pivot, using his edges to change direction. And he reads the play really well. He knows when to pinch, when to drive in a lane, when to cut back across the grain to create space from a defender. His speed allows him to cover ground quickly and recover on plays. You can see why he is so coveted as a prospect.

Xavier Parent

Parent had the best tournament showing of his career. He scored three goals and had five points in three games. He used his speed to outskate the opposition, especially in the offensive zone. Parent held the puck and just circled in the offensive zone.

Most impressive from Parent was his aggressiveness and physicality. You don’t expect a 5-foot-8, 170-pounder to throw his weight around. But Parent did just that. Even if a lot of his hits were bone crushing, it was enough to make the opposition to look over their shoulder and rush a play. And Parent wasn’t afraid to get involved in some scrums and fight for his ice.

Others

• Forward Cam Squires showed how gifted he is with the puck. It’s easy to see why he scored 63 goals in the last two years with Cape Breton of the QMJHL. He scored two goals and added an assist in the opening game against Ottawa. He also had a couple other great scoring chances in which he could have added to those totals. Squires appeared to be a step ahead of everyone else on the ice and his anticipation for how plays unfolded was brilliant. And he even got involved in the physical nature of the game. Plus, Squires proved very apt on the PK.
• Defenseman Igor Mburanumwe is hard to miss on the ice. At 6-foot-5, 205 pounds, Mburanumwe towered over everyone else. But aside from his size, it was his skills that should be noted. He made a brilliant breakout pass to spring Stillman for a breakaway goal. He also picked up an assist with a smart shot for a tip that Jack Malone tallied on. And he even jumped up on a play to help create a 3-on-1 rush chance for the Devils, proving that he’s got good wheels for a big guy.
• Topias Vilen looked very comfortable. He made a ton of smart, simple decisions and was solid in his own zone.
• Max Graham is a big boy at 6-foot-3, 203 pounds. And he is very liberal with throwing his body around. He landed a couple bombing checks. Graham’s fierce play created a goal for the Devils. He leveled a hard hit behind the Sabres net Saturday night that forced the defenseman to turn the puck over and the Devils scored on the ensuing sequence.