Opportunity Ahead for Casey | PROSPECT WATCH

Seamus Casey is back where it all began.

Casey, 21, was recalled by the Devils on Feb. 18 from Utica of the American Hockey League. He originally opened the season with New Jersey, playing in the club’s opening eight games before being assigned to Utica in mid-October.

“It’s great. Your goal is to come back up,” he said Wednesday after practice. “I’m happy to be up. It’s super exciting to be with the guys. I’m just happy.”

Casey’s recall coincides with the club placing defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, who underwent a procedure during the 4 Nations break, on Injured Reserve with an undisclosed injury. Siegenthaler will be re-evaluated in 2-3 weeks for a better idea of his recovery timeline. In the meantime, the Devils have brought up Simon Nemec and Casey.

Nemec played the past two NHL games in Siegenthaler’s place. But there will certainly be some competition for playing time.

“There’s always competition,” Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “For Seamus Casey, whether he’s here or in Utica, he’s always on the top of our mind, especially when you have an injury on defense.”

“Anytime you get called up it’s an opportunity,” Casey said. “Obviously, with an injury, you hope (Siegenthaler) is back soon and healthy. But it’s an opportunity. It doesn’t matter how they come.”

Casey certainly showed what he’s capable of in the NHL during the opening eight games of the season. He notched three goals and four points, including a two-point night against Utah.

Casey joined the Devils in Prague, Czechia as part of the NHL’s Global Series to open the season. He scored his first NHL goal, on a power play, in the second game against Buffalo and after the game was given a shower while entering the locker room.

“It was awesome. Something I’ll always remember, getting a start up here was a blast,” he said. “The guys were great. Scoring a few goals was awesome, super fun.”

But Casey is mature enough to know that he can’t rest on his laurels. While he enjoyed some success in the NHL, the was over four months ago.

“I think it’s important not to focus on the past because then you’re not worried about what’s in front of you,” he said. “But it’s something I’ll always remember, a good start to my first season.”

Casey accepted his re-assignment to Utica with aplomb. He was given clear objectives to work on in the AHL with the Comets.

“If they’re telling me something that’s because they want me to be the best player I can be because they want what’s best for the team,” Casey said. “Listening to it subjectively, in what I need to do and focusing on that. It’s pretty obvious they’re telling me the truth. If I want to get back up here, this is what I need to do.”

Some of those key areas are his work down low and getting clean breakouts up ice.

“Going down one of the big focuses was being super consistent, like breaking the puck out, being super-efficient below the dots,” he said. “That’s the focus for any D but it was something they wanted me to focus on. It’s what I’ve been working on, trying to get that part of my game to a higher level.

“Offensively, I think they were pretty happy, and overall defensively they were. There are a few minor things. They are huge things when you have to do them every single night.”

Casey has played in 22 games with Utica, posting three goals and 15 points. The 5-foot-9, 162-pound blueliner was named to the AHL All-Star Classic, but missed the game due to a wrist injury that sidelined him for nearly eight weeks.

Despite the injury and time missed, Casey kept a positive attitude.

“Being injured sucks. It’s not fun, but I consider myself pretty fortunate, it being my first surgery,” he said. “A lot of guys have had much worse luck. On days where it wasn’t a ton of fun, I was thinking about how I’m really fortunate that this is my first real injury to deal with.”

Casey credited the Comets training staff, particularly athletic trainer Katie Davis, for helping in his recovery.

“Focusing on what the training staff is doing with you day-to-day, listening to the athletic staff, your rehab is extremely important,” he said. “Thankful to have them with me every day. It wasn’t super long, 7-8 weeks. Got back right after break. It was exciting to get back.”

Casey, who played the last two years collegiately with the University of Michigan, is still adjusting to hockey played at the professional level. Whether that be in the NHL or the AHL.

“It’s elite. It’s a really good league,” Casey said of the AHL. “You can’t knock it. There are a lot of guys down there that can play in this league (NHL). This is the best league in the world but t’s very competitive down there. A lot of really, really good hockey players. Guys are just waiting for their chance. It’s really competitive.”

And playing against such high-level competition has helped in Casey’s development. That includes the physicality that is demanded at both the NHL and AHL.

“There’s not really a difference in size. Everyone is pretty much the same. The skill may be a little different at the highest level,” he said of the differences between the leagues. “Overall, the size and speed of the game is around the same. At a certain part it’s the control. I don’t have a ton of experience up at this league (NHL), but games are more controlled, more systematic. But it’s extremely competitive down there and really fast too.”

Whether or not Casey gets back into the lineup in the NHL is yet to be determined. But his previous time with the Devils at the start of the season has led to a much easier transition.

“I know all the guys and the staff,” he said. “It’s better than showing up and not knowing anybody. We went over to Prague. That was a bonding trip. I got to know some of the guys off the ice more. That definitely helps coming back.”