Devils Prospects Practice in Buffalo | NOTEBOOK

The Devils prospects are practicing at Buffalo's LECOM Harborcenter Sunday afternoon amidst the annual Prospects Challenge.

Stay tuned to the notebook for the latest info, updates, interviews, videos and more from the practice session!

So Far, So Good

New Jersey is 2-0 through the opening two games of the tournament after a 9-1 victory against Ottawa Friday and a 5-2 win Saturday night against host Buffalo. The Devils finish the tournament Monday morning against Boston at 10 a.m. The game will be live streamed on the official website, the team's official app and will be archived after on the club's YouTube channel.

Xavier Parent leads the Devils with three goals and five points while Chase Stillman places second with three goals and four points. Cam Squires has two goals and three points. Isaac Poulter stopped 33 of 35 shots faced against Buffalo for a .943 save percentage, while Tyler Brennan denied 24 of 25 from Ottawa (.960).

Learning from the Pros

Amanda Stein chatted with Seamus Casey ahead of entering his first training camp as a pro.

“It’s a different level,” Casey quipped. “Out there, I don't think anyone missed a single pass. That’s not to knock any level I've been at before, but now it's like, these are NHL players and just seeing how seriously they take everything, and it's just another level.”

Casey, who left Michigan at the end of last season to turn pro, will participate in his first official New Jersey Devils training camp. It starts with this week’s rookie camp, and once those five days are completed, the main camp will open – as will his eyes.

“I want to learn how to be a pro as quickly as I can,” he shared. “You hear stories about guys figuring it out fast and other guys who don’t figure it out as fast. I want to make sure I’m building the right habits and learning quickly. So I’m just trying to take everything in, sit back and observe a lot.”

Full story here.

Big M

Devils defensive prospect Igor Mburanumwe has a unique background. His parents both fled hostile conflicts in Africa and immigrated to Canada. Coming from Africa, they had no idea what this sport of hockey is.

“We all learned at the same time,” Mburanumwe said. “When we moved to our neighborhood the guys were playing hockey in the winter. I was like ‘mom, I want to try and be like everyone else.’ She was like, ‘I don’t know what this sport is.’

“Every game, every practice, I would wake up my parents to go to the Saturday 6 a.m. practices. Now, my parents love it as much as I do.”

Mburanumwe’s parents made the trip from Montreal to Buffalo in order to see their son participate in the annual Prospects Challenge.

“It was special. Halfway through the first I saw them through the stands, and they gave me a smile,” Mburanumwe said. “It puts things into perspective. They’ve sacrificed so much for me to be here. I just try to make the most out of it.”

Mburanumwe, 20, played hockey at Victoriaville of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. This summer he received a message from his agent saying that the Devils wanted to invite him to the club’s development camp in July.

“I was with some friends, working. We couldn’t believe it,” he smiled. “We were staring at the message for so long.”