Courtesy of Dave Waddell from the Windsor Star, a great article outlining the development and upside to Devils prospect, Adam Henrique:

Almost from the first time he saw him play NHL scout Marcel Pronovost knew Adam Henrique was a Devil.

A gritty, two-way forward with a touch around the net, the six-foot, 196-pound Henrique seemed born to wear a New Jersey uniform.

"Right now, he's becoming the perfect player to go two ways in the National League," said Pronovost, the long-time New Jersey scout and NHL hall of fame defenceman.

"He's not afraid to play defence.

"He doesn't care who gets the points. He know's he'll get his share.

"The thing that has always impressed me the most is his willingness to share. He never takes the credit for himself."

The Windsor Spitfires centre is getting more than his fair share of points in the OHL over the past month. Henrique is the hottest player in the league totaling 25 points (14 of them being goals) in the past 13 games.

The Burford, Ont.-native has goals in 11 of those 13 games and his 27 tallies makes him the top marksman in the OHL.

"I don't know about being a perfect player, but I'm working hard at being as close to perfect as I can," said Hernrique, one of four Spitfires who have been invited to Canada's World Junior camp this month.

"I don't think I've ever had a stretch like this.

"After Christmas last year I felt I started to play really well. I feel like I've just carried that over to this season."

Having scored at least 20 goals in his first three seasons, including a 30-goal campaign last winter, Hernrique knew he was capable of more offensively this season.

"I knew I was going to have a strong year, I could feel it," said Henrique, who said signing a three-year contract with the Devils earlier this fall has helped him just focus on playing.

"I'm not overly surprised by how it's going. I'm just working at keeping it rolling."

When Pronovost was one of the loudest voices telling Devils's draft guru David Conte to take Henrique in the 2008 NHL draft (third round, 82nd overall), he did so based on what he knew not projections.

Henrique was always a solid offensive contributor, but he's only three goals shy of tying his career-high of 30 goals in a season after just 30 games.

"We don't envision things like this," Pronovost said. "He could be a perfect player both offensively and defensively.

"He's very strong on face-offs. He's gained 10 pounds and you can't move him off his feet.

"Right now, he's playing at the calibre needed at the AHL level. That's not to say, if we had a few injuries, he couldn't play at the NHL level depending on who he played with."

Pronovost said Henrique's unselfish nature and his willingness to play a surprisingly physical game for a player of such skill makes him the perfect foil for Taylor Hall.

"Hall likes playing with Adam," Pronovost said. "One is a flash of blades and the other (Henrique) has a helluva shot.

"He's so quick shooting the puck. It's on the blade and bang it's in the net."

Henrique agrees with Pronovost that his pairing with Hall has something special about it.

The two have combined for 44 points in 13 games and their names top the OHL's points race with Hall totaling 57 points while Henrique sits second at 51.

"That (scoring race) is something we've never talked about," Henrique said. "If you're going to battle with someone at the top, it might as well be a teammate.

"Taylor and I don't care who scores the goals. We only care that the puck keeps going in and we win."

Most impressively, certainly from the Devils' and no doubt Spits' coach Bob Boughner's perspectives, is Henrique's offensive outburst hasn't come from sacrifices made in his defensive and physical games.

Henrique is tied for fourth in the OHL with Hall at a plus-24. Teammate Mark Cundari leads everyone with a plus-30.

"That's a big part of my game," Henrique said.

"When I'm playing physically, that's when I'm at my best. I feel like I get the puck more. I'm more involved in the game."

An admitted goal setter, Henrique started with the goal of the Spitfires retaining the Memorial Cup this year.

On a personal level, his most important goals are intertwined as one will likely lead to the other.

"My main goal was making the world junior team," Henrique said. "That's not quite there yet, but it's getting closer. I feel I have a good shot at it.

"I also wanted to more consistent. I wanted to do what I needed to each night to help us win.

"That's also what's going to get me to my goal next year of making the NHL club. I've always felt my style fit perfectly with the Devils."

Do not be surprised to see Henrique play for Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships later this month and play for the Lowell Devils next season in the AHL. His offensive game might take time to develop at the next level, but he certainly will be an asset in all other facets of the game immediately and has the looks of an effective 3rd line center within a couple years for New Jersey.



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