With most of their former top prospects having already graduated, the New Jersey Devils‘ farm system may not be what it was a few years back. That’s not a bad thing; many of those graduates, like Arseny Gritsyuk, are now making a sizeable impact on the NHL squad.
Related: Devils’ Russian Goalie Prospect Could Be Their Future in the Crease
Don’t get it twisted, though: the Devils’ system is certainly respectable despite the lack of high first-round picks in recent years. This is the third edition of a monthly series which will take a deeper dive into notable prospect pool storylines.
Remember: Just because a player’s stock is ‘up’ does not mean they’re a “better” prospect than someone whose stock is ‘down’, and vice versa.
Stock Up: RW Lenni Hameenaho (2023 Round 2, #58 Overall)
Lenni Hameenaho is a classic case of why not to put much stock into small sample sizes. After dominating the Finnish Liiga last season, he came over to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) and went point-less in his first nine games.
He followed his 21st birthday (Nov. 7) up with 21 points (9G, 12A) in his next 24 games, prompting the Devils to call him up to the NHL. In his first two games, the Devils had a 13-1 scoring chance advantage with him on the ice. He’s nailed a lot of the defensive/off puck responsibilities that show he certainly has the tools to remain in the NHL.
While he’s yet to find the scoresheet, if he could chip in enough to maintain a presence on the third line, that — in combination with his defensive prowess — could make him a very valuable part of the Devils’ future.
Stock Down: F Conrad Fondrk (2025 Round 2, #50 Overall)
The Devils viewed Conrad Fondrk as a first-round talent and seemed thrilled when he fell all the way to #50. Unfortunately, he hasn’t done much to stand out in his first season with Boston University (BU — NCAA).
Fondrk has just seven points (3G, 4A) in 16 games with a minus-7 rating. Of course, this isn’t to label him as a bust or anything like that; he doesn’t even turn 19 for another five months. With that being said, there have been some concerns surrounding his commitment to backchecking and doing a lot of the tough work that comes with pro hockey.
It doesn’t help that BU (as a whole) has struggled this season, but Fondrk still has work to do to be considered a high-caliber prospect.
Stock Up: G Mikhail Yegorov (2024 Round 2, #49 Overall)
Speaking of BU: Where would they be without 19-year-old Mikhail “Big Mike” Yegorov!? The promising Russian Devils’ goaltending prospect was featured in the “Stock Down” category a couple months ago as he got off to a slow start. That’s not the case anymore…
He’s since adjusted, boasting a remarkable .930 save percentage (SV%) over his last 10 games and showing that he’s still one of the best goaltenders in college hockey, just as he was last season. Even during his struggles, his confidence and happy-go-lucky attitude never wavered.
Yegorov said on ‘Speaking of the Devils’ that he is unsure when he’ll turn pro, as his main focus right now is trying to win a National Championship at BU. But if he keeps playing like he has, Devils fans will hope it’s sooner than later.
Stock Down: F Gustav Hillstrom (2025 Round 4, #114 Overall)
Gustav Hillstrom was once featured in the ‘Stock Up’ category after dominating the Swedish U20 league with 23 points in 16 games. That rightfully earned him a promotion to Brynäs IF‘s men’s squad at the top level of the Swedish hockey (Swedish Hockey League — SHL).
Unfortunately, he’s mightily struggled, putting up just one point (an assist) in 21 games there. His average ice time has diminished to just 8:13 per game and he’s been a healthy scratch for five of their last seven contests.
He’s now at a weird crossroads of being too good for the U20 squad but not impactful enough to continue to play with the men’s team. It’ll be worth keeping an eye on how his play/development is impacted as the SHL regular season approaches its mid-March conclusion.
Stock Up: G Jakub Malek (2021 Round 4, #100 Overall)
Just like Yegorov, Jakub Malek mightily struggled at first behind a defense that failed to give much help. As he acclimated, he’s been tremendous: a .917 SV% or better in five of his last seven starts. Since Dec. 5, he’s 5-2-0 with a .921 SV%…and he hasn’t allowed a goal in his last 138 minutes and 44 seconds.
In fact, during that same span, he’s far outplayed Nico Daws, who has an .883 SV% in 12 starts. Between Daws and Yegorov, Malek has flown under the radar. He shouldn’t anymore.
Jakub Málek stops all 3 shooters and that fella is pumped.
Hug your goalie friend.
Comets win 3-2 in a shootout.
Hämeenaho had the shootout goal.Comets are 7-15-3-1 overall as they head into Christmas break pic.twitter.com/EDbpq45Flm
— Ben Birnell (@BB_URSentinel) December 21, 2025
This success should not come as a surprise to anyone who watched him play against men in the Finnish Liiga; he had back-to-back impressive seasons of a .915 and .910 SV% there (60 total starts) before coming to North America this season.
Stock Down: D Daniil Orlov (2022 Round 4, #110 Overall)
Orlov was once in the “Stock Up” category; he had 10 points in his first 13 games, which seemed especially impressive as someone who excels as well as he does on the defensive side. Unfortunately, he’s notched just 11 points in 33 games since, creating the realization that the early surge wasn’t indicative of a player who would turn into an offensive monster.
Despite a ceiling that’s lower than some thought a couple months ago, Orlov has looked faster and has always been stifling defensively, giving the former fourth rounder a good shot at potentially making a future Devils roster as a bottom-pair defenseman.
As the 2025-26 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.
