The New Jersey Devils prospects lost in a shootout against the Boston Bruins in the Prospects Challenge tournament held in Buffalo. The young Devils went 1-1-1 in the three games played in the past four days. And the future looks bright.
Alexander Holtz
2020 seventh overall draft pick Alexander Holtz made headlines when he scored two goals against the Montreal Canadiens, including the game winner in overtime. Holtz and 2022 second overall draft pick defenseman Simon Nemec looked great on the man advantage and seem to have natural chemistry of knowing where they are out on the ice. Holtz had trained with Jesper Bratt over the summer and said he put on some muscle. Look for Holtz to make the opening night roster on a very competitive roster.
Nikita Okhotiuk and Reilly Walsh
This could be a great pairing one day for the Devils. I thought Reilly Walsh had a productive tournament and seemingly was involved in the offense. Walsh showed he is a strong skater and play a physical game. Nikita Okhotiuk will be a fan favorite in New Jersey soon because he brings a physical element and edge to his game. Plus, you better not mess with Simon Nemec because clearly, he showed he will not by intimidated and will be doing the intimidating.
Simon Nemec
Give this kid some time. So far, he has been impressive. His skating and puck handling ability was evident in this tournament and is a confident player. Defense has been the trademark of the New Jersey Devils. Expect Nemec and Luke Hughes to be a dominant pairing for years to come.
Josh Filmon
I’d like to write about Aarne Talvitie but this kid Josh Filmon is simply hard to ignore. Drafted 166th overall in 2022, Filmon might be one of those late picks like Jesper Bratt and Yegor Sharangovich. He had two goals and one assist in three tournament games.