The New Jersey Devils announced today that the team has signed college free agent forward Dylan Wendt to a two-year, entry-level contract starting in 2024-25. Wendt will join New Jersey’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in Utica on an AHL Amateur Tryout (ATO) for the remainder of the 2023-24 season. The announcement was made by President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Senior Vice President/Assistant General Manager/Utica General Manager Dan MacKinnon.
Wendt, 23, completed his third season at the NCAA level with Western Michigan University and recorded 44 points (23g-21a) in 38 games. The 6’1”, 185lbs. forward’s points and goal totals ranked second on Western Michigan, while his nine power-play goals and four game-winners led the team. His shooting percentage (26.1%) was tops in all of college hockey (minimum 25 shots), his nine power-play goals cracked the NCAA’s Top 10, at ninth overall, and his goal total was 10th in the NCAA. Overall, Wendt earned 69 points (33g-36a) in 111 career games at Western Michigan between 2021-24.
The righthanded shot was named to the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team in 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24. He earned Western Michigan’s Most Improved Player award last season. Wendt was also on the long list as an NCAA Top Collegiate Player (Hobey Baker Award) Nominee.
Born on January 9, 2001, Wendt played three seasons of junior hockey in the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2018-19 to 2020-21. He played in 67 career games with Green Bay starting in 2018-19 until joining Muskegon in 2019-20. Muskegon named Wendt captain for the remainder of his USHL career, and he recorded a career-high 45 points (17g-28a) in 53 regular-season games during the 2020-21 campaign.
