Devils Add 2-Way Power Forward in Moe | FEATURE

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Mason Moe is Minnesota through and through.

The native of Eden Prairie grew up watching and attending the University of Minnesota Gophers hockey and football games. And Moe came up through the state’s hockey programs, from bantam to Minnesota high school hockey and now, fittingly, next year he’ll be a member of the Gophers hockey club.

“I kind of grew up going to the University of Minnesota hockey and football games,” he said. “A lot of family went there as well, so it was kind of always a dream to go there as a kid. I have the opportunity to go there for school, and I’m looking forward to playing there in the fall. So yeah, super grateful.”

And down the line, perhaps Moe will take his talents to Jersey after he was selected by the club in the third round (90^th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft, held in Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, on Saturday afternoon.

“A lot of excitement and built-up emotion, obviously,” Moe said via Zoom of being picked by the Devils. “A little bit of relief, just hearing your name called is a super exciting, surreal feeling.”

The 6-foot-2, 192-pound power forward already has a thick frame. He played this past season with the United States National Team Development Program, as well as Madison of the USHL, scoring 17 goals and adding 43 points in 51 games with the Capitals.

“Playing at the Madison Capitals the full year, my biggest focus was improving my overall game and 200-foot game as a center especially,” Moe said. “Working with my coaches and over a lot of film, I ended up improving that.”

Thanks to his efforts, Moe become one of the best two-way forwards in the USHL.

“I think it’s just playing away from the puck, kind of being in the right spot,” Moe said. “As a center, it’s important to stay in the middle of the ice, whether you’re in the D zone or the offensive zone. I was watching film a lot and worked on that, and it helped me get the puck back quicker.”

And his offense really took over in the postseason, potting those five goals in six games.

“Our season ended shorter than we wanted to, but I think my teammates and I were coming together pretty well in playoffs,” he said. “Especially my linemate (first-round selection) Riker Lee, and I just started clicking well in playoffs. We couldn’t quite get the job done, but made a good run.”

But it’s his internal drive and motivation that makes Moe such a special player.

“I love to win, hate losing, and I want to compete and do what I can to help the team win,” he said. “I’ll improve my weaknesses as a player and become the player I want to be. That’ll be my biggest focus throughout the year.

“I think it’s just the inner mind. You obviously want to win a championship and not wanting to lose, doing everything you can to win at the end of the day.”