Casey takes advantage of opportunity with Devils at Global Series

PRAGUE -- Seamus Casey has taken full advantage of a golden opportunity as a rookie defenseman with the New Jersey Devils.

It comes at a time when the Devils needed it, too, as they are without two key defensemen sidelined by injuries to begin the season.

The skating, competitiveness and intelligence that Casey showcased for two seasons at the University of Michigan were on full display this weekend at the 2024 NHL Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal, and the 20-year-old was rewarded with his first NHL goal on Saturday to help spark a 3-1 win against the Buffalo Sabres here at O2 Arena.

"Whenever you get one for the 'D-union' it's awesome to see," Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon said. "How can you not be happy for him and his journey ... the opportunity that's come before him here, and he's just taking full advantage of it."

Casey tied the game 1-1 with a power-play goal at 11:59 of the second period. After taking a pass at the left point from Erik Haula, he took a few strides and sent a wrist shot into the top left corner against Sabres goalie Devon Levi.

"I don't think his University of Michigan friends are going to believe his trip and I'm sure it'll be an around-the-fireplace moment where he can try to recap it for them," Haula said. "But after what he already showed in training camp, and now scoring his first goal, it's just real memorable. I'm glad I get to be on his plaque; I think it's the first one that I get to share somebody else's so that's special."

Casey, a second-round pick (No. 46) in the 2022 NHL Draft, had an open mind entering training camp last month and reiterated time and again he would go wherever the organization felt was best for his development. Little did he know that would be in the NHL.

"It's been an incredible way to start," Casey said. "I just want to keep it going. I've always viewed it as the staff would put me where they think is best and I'd just take it day by day. Obviously, I want to make the team and stay for as long as I can ... isn't that everyone's goal?"

New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe is the first to say Casey has earned his role, but it also came out of necessity when Luke Hughes was ruled out prior to camp with a left shoulder injury, and it was determined that offseason acquisition Brett Pesce would not make the trip to Prague while recovering from surgery to repair a fractured fibula.

"It's a combination of skill, intelligence and confidence," Keefe said. "If you're going to play in this league at his size (5-foot-9, 162 pounds), on defense especially, you got to have those three things. He's a competitor as well, so I'd add that to the list. But he's gotten better each day and, as we've talked about, the opportunity has presented itself here and he's taking advantage of it.

"He came through in a big moment for us on Saturday."

Casey wasn't the only newcomer on the back end to take advantage of the situation in Prague. Johnathan Kovacevic, a defenseman acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on June 30, also played a big role in the absence of Luke Hughes and Pesce.

He had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win against the Sabres in the season opener here on Friday.

"The message from Day 1 with our team is, we don't ever want to be defeated by circumstance," Keefe said. "In terms of our injuries that we're dealing with, we didn't expect or didn't hope we would be starting this season short-handed but between the defensemen who were injured and Ondrej Palat's case (the forward didn't play Saturday for the birth of his child), we don't want those things to defeat our group, mentally.

"The foundation of how you play should help you to be able to overcome those things or at least give you an opportunity to stay in the fight and that's really what we want to be about."