Late Pick, Real Promise | PROSPECT WATCH

It’s never too late.

Not even in the NHL Draft. Whether you’re a late-round pick or a late-round pick in a later-than-expected draft, it’s never too late.

Just take a look at Devils prospect Matyas Melovsky, and you’ll get it.

Taken in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Melovsky didn’t arrive with much noise, which does suit his overall demeanor. An overage pick who had already been passed over once, he arrived in the New Jersey system with something that will take him far.

"His (hockey) IQ, the way that he flows and moves through a game, he has this level of deceptive skating and speed," Meghan Duggan, Devils director of player development, described. "Just a really smart, solid kind of two-way hockey ply- two-way hockey player."

Before turning pro, Melovsky final junior season with Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL gave the organization plenty to latch onto. He was a driving force in the playoffs and earned Defensive Forward of the Year honors, an early signal of the kind of detail and responsibility in his game that an organization craves.

He's made himself a really intriguing prospect in his first year with the Utica Comets.

"I think in seeing him," Duggan said, "We were just like, 'Wow, this kid is, like, no question gonna be able to play in the top nine of a good NHL team, long-term."

When Melovsky arrived in Utica, the plan was fairly standard. Just ease him into the lineup and let him adjust to the pro game.

But from early on, the Utica coaches and development staff saw the value in Melovsky coming into the system as an over-ager, joining the Comets at 21.

Utica head coach Ryan Parent recalled hearing about Melovsky playmaking ability,a pass-first center, but for his slender size, how would that translate physically at the American Hockey League level?

Those questions didn’t last long.

“His hockey sense was so high that it made up for kind of the immaturity,” Parent explained. “It enabled him to play right away.”

Melovsky impressed early at last September’s Rookie Camp and quickly earned a regular role in Parents' lineup

At his core, Melovsky is a cerebral player. He processes the game quickly, enabling himself to consistently put himself, and maybe more importantly, his teammates, in good positions.

That’s what stands out most to both Duggan and Parent.

“He really makes his linemates better,” Parent said. “He’s a really good puck mover. He sees the ice well… he knows when other players are going to be in good positions.”

It’s a skill that doesn’t always jump off the stat sheet but becomes obvious over time, especially when it’s missing.

During a stretch where Melovsky was out of the lineup, that absence was felt. Not necessarily in dramatic results, but in areas of a team game that are highly valued: puck movement, for one, and perhaps the most important for any hockey team, stability down the middle of the ice.

As Duggan put it, you notice when he’s not there.

“I think it was, to me, I was like, "Oh wow, we really missed ... We, we missed Mello." Duggan shared. “And he adds a lot to our team as a whole. And think that just speaks to a, player when he's out, how much, does the team miss you?”

Off the ice, Melovsky doesn’t necessarily command attention. He’s quiet and reserved. He’s also very self-aware.

But that doesn’t mean he lacks presence.

“He’s a quiet, confident type person,” Parent said. “He’s really aware of where he’s at and what he needs to improve on.”

That self-awareness shows up in how he approaches his own growth. He knows he’s made a mistake before he gets back to the bench, and it can be pointed out by coaches. And it’s kind of a dream scenario for a coach like Parent, who knows that his player is fully aware when he commits a mistake, but also that any feedback the staff provides, he’s able to process quickly, make those adjustments and just carry on with his game.

That is also about a level of maturity Melovsky brings to the game. It was something Duggan noticed before he joined the Comets. It has already been brewing in Baie-Commeau.

“We actually saw him really take a step leadership-wise and confidence-wise,” Duggan shared. “We were like, ‘Oh, wow, we got ... We have a pretty mature, thoughtful person here.”

Melovský’s game is still evolving and the biggest area, Parent says, is the physical side.

“He’s learning how to be a hard-to-play-against centerman,” Parent said. “Because without that, it’s going to be hard to make the next step. Even if he was fabulous and terrific and a top defensive centerman for us right now, we would still be working on form, because it's so important to make the next level.”

For Parent, in his role as an American Hockey League coach, the goal is to find those identifying marks and work with the player to make them better. He wants to see the players he coaches head to the National Hockey League and never look back.

For the Devils, finding value outside the early rounds is essential. And while it’s still early, Melovský is giving every indication that he could be one of those finds.

A smart, responsible center. A player who stabilizes a lineup. Someone who makes others better.

And maybe most importantly, someone who understands exactly what he needs to become—and is already putting in the work to get there.

“Great kid, wants to get better, very motivated and competitive, all the things that you want,” Duggan shared.

And when the development comes around and the time comes?

“I think we're all pretty, pretty excited about him as a full-time NHL option for us.”