Stand Outs from Prospects Challenge | FEATURE

The Devils finished their work in the 2025 Prospects Challenge at Buffalo’s LECOM Harborcenter Sunday afternoon. New Jersey ended tournament play with a 2-1-0 record following an 8-2 win against Columbus Thursday, 4-2 win against Buffalo Friday and a 6-4 loss against Boston Sunday.

Here are a few of the players that really stood out in the tournament…

Shane Lachance

Shane Lachance really stood out during the Prospects Challenge, and not just because he towers over the ice with his 6-foot-5, 218-pound frame. He scored two goals (three really) and added an assist for three points in a two-game showing. He leveled a few big hits and even dropped the gloves to defend a teammate.

Lachance scored a goal along the goal line against Columbus that was a thing of beauty. The puck came off the backboards behind the goal. Lachance, positioned at the goal line, snagged it off the bounce, dragged it back to just above the goal line, and then from an impossible angle somehow shot the puck off the far post and into the net. (Lachance had a goal taken away in the same game when the referees alleged that he interfered with the goaltender, however even the referees after the game admitted that there was no interference and the goal should have counted).

Lachance also scored a goal against Buffalo with some beautiful hand-eye coordination work. After some tic-tac-toe passing led to a slot shot, the rebound jumped into the air and Lachance swatted it baseball-style into the net for a power-play goal. In the same game, he helped set up a goal by Lenni Hameenaho by making a perfect pass from the corner while taking a big hit in the process.

Lachance will have a legitimate shot of making the NHL roster and his play at this tournament should only help him make a case as training camp opens Wednesday.

Lenni Hameenaho

There is a lot of excitement in the organization and Devils fanbase surrounding Lenni Hameenaho. The 20-year-old Finn scored 20 goals (team leader) and 51 points in 58 games with Assat in Liiga last year. Hameenaho, the team’s second-round pick (58^th overall) in 2023, got his first action in a Devils uniform during the Prospects Challenge and he didn’t disappoint.

The first thing that jumps out is his size. He’s added a ton of muscle in the past two years and now stands at a solid 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. Hameenaho isn’t out throwing thunderous checks, but uses his strength to maintain puck control and brush off defenders. Case in point came on the goal he scored against Buffalo. Hameenaho had the puck at the Sabres’ blue line and Buffalo’s David Bedkowski (6-foot-5, 221 pounds) had him teed up for a booming hit. Hameenaho, knowing the hit was coming, dumped the puck smartly into the corner and then braced for the collision. Bedkowski delivered the blow, but Hameenaho was strong enough to absorb the hit, stay on his feet and brush Bedkowski off. With Bedkowski now out of the play, Hameenaho had a clear lane to the net. Lachance sent him the puck and he finished the play with a quick snap shot glove side.

Hameenaho will also be battling for a roster spot in the NHL and is a very intriguing prospect. He may also benefit from some in Utica to help him adapt to the North American game. That said, he’ll certainly get an opportunity to show he belongs right no win the NHL.

Matyas Melovsky

Matyas Melovsky finished the three-game tournament with two goals and three points, though those numbers don’t tell the whole story. He centered the club’s top line between Hameenaho and Lachance (and Tag Bertuzzi for the last game). Melovsky is a smooth skater that accelerates well to top speed. He’s got great hands and smarts, which he displayed on both of his goals.

The right-hand shot split two Bruins forwards at the Boston blue line to gain the zone with the puck. He then used an inside-outside move on the defender to open up some space along the far lane. Melovsky then rips a shot from the faceoff dot into the top of the net. For his second goal, Melovsky located a loose puck in the blue paint, used his body to shield the puck as he corralled it and then lifted it over the prone goaltender.

Melovsky was also on the ice for a few more Devils’ goals. Even though he didn’t figure in on the score sheet, he had a positive impact on the play that led to the goals.

Nathan Lecompte

The Prospects Challenge is all about an opportunity. Whether you’re making an initial impression to fighting for an NHL roster spot or showing team management what you’ve got before heading back to juniors or whether you’re an unsigned invitee hoping to land a contract. Nathan Lecompte is in the last category.

And with his effort over the weekend, he should no doubt will land with an NHL club. Which team is to be determined. But he was by far the most productive player on the ice for the Devils, especially offensively.

Lecompte ended the tournament with four goals and five points, which included a three-point game (2g-1a) in the opening game. He showed great speed, great hands and great potential. The 18-year-old showed a lot of promise, and certainly made the most of his opportunity.

Noteables

• Goalie Jakub Malek got his first taste of North American hockey against the host Buffalo Sabres. And he put in a solid effort in upsetting the more talented Sabres’ roster. He stopped 26-of-28 shots against in the victory. And though sometimes it wasn’t pretty, Malek relied on his technique and positioning a lot to make some blind saves. He battled through screens and scrums and did what he had to in order to pick up the W.
• Mikael Diotte hadn’t played a competitive hockey game since November of last year due to injuries. And in his first game back he scored two goals and added an assist for three points against Columbus. Most noteworthy was his willingness to shoot the puck no matter the situation. And twice, those shots eluded the goaltender.
• Tag Bertuzzi quietly had a solid effort. He picked up three assists in the opening game despite playing on the fourth line. His play got him a promotion to the top line for the final game and all he did was pick up two more assists to help the team.
• Seamus Casey only appeared in one game during the Prospects Challenge, and it was enough to see what you wanted to see from him. He dominated the field when he was on the ice. Casey scored a goal with a nasty juke move to open up space for himself. Casey was here mostly as a leader to help some of the younger prospects, as well as providing living proof that a good camp in Buffalo can lead to an NHL spot (as Casey did last year). He got his one game and then got to rest and avoid injury so that he can perform for the upcoming NHL training camp.