Vilen Looks Like Another Late-Round Steal | PROSPECT WATCH

Born on April Fools Day but it's no joke: Topias Vilen is going to be a player.
Though you may have to crane your neck to see it, the 19-year-old Finnish defenseman is giving Devils fans a glimpse of his potential this week at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Moncton, New Brunswick.
"We have a really good team," said Vilen, in an interview with NewJerseyDevils.com's Sam Kasan before the tournament began. "I'm very excited (to be) here and play in these games. It's a unique tournament. I have a lot of confidence in our team. (We are capable of winning) gold."

Selected in the fifth-round (120th overall) in 2021, Vilen was eased into pro hockey in his country's top loop, the SM-Liiga last season with the Pelicans, a team based in Lahti. His limited ice time last year likely explains why he was not included on Finland's team at last year's World Junior. Though it's difficult to argue with lineup decisions made of a team unlucky to not have won gold last summer in Edmonton, in retrospect he likely could have helped Finland.
He clearly is now. Vilen is his country's workhorse, logging by a wide margin the most ice time of any Finnish player through two games, a win over Simon Nemec's Slovakia on Tuesday and an upset loss in overtime to the Swiss a day earlier.
Vilen has been on the ice for more than 54 minutes in two games, more than 11 minutes than the next Finnish player (Aleksi Heimosalmi, a Carolina prospect). He registered an assist in Tuesday's 5-2 victory.
As has been written in this space before, the trend of the Devils uncovering usable players and assets in the draft's later rounds will continue with Vilen. The team has gotten terrific return from the later rounds currently with the big club - see Bratt, Sharangovich and Co. - and Vilen is one of a several players taken from the fourth round onwards in recent years who are showing promise.
To that end, Vilen was signed by the Devils in the summer.
"It's a dream come true," said Vilen, of his signing. "Since I was a young kid, I dreamed of playing in the NHL. The contract is one step closer to the dream. I'm excited (and) super-hyped to get that contract and be one step closer."
Perhaps buoyed by the confidence entrusted in him by the Devils, he's been a much more effective player with the Pelicans this season. Before he left for the World Junior, Vilen had six goals and four assists in 21 games.
"This season, the start has been going really well," he said. "I'm getting those points and lots of ice time, it's huge for my confidence. And I've been impressed by our whole team. I'm happy and satisfied with my own game and our team game.
"Last season (Vilen played 50 games and recorded six assists) I didn't get much ice time, but this season I've shown that if they give me more, I can play better than last season. It's a natural progression for me."
That natural progression will soon involve a move to North America. When exactly is not yet decided but Vilen says he hopes it is soon. He's currently on loan to the Pelicans, where he plays with his brother, Elias, who is a forward and two years older.
"The plan is after this season I'm coming to North America (to) play in the AHL," he explains, "but it's not 100 percent sure. (Right now) it's day by day."
European prospects' move to North America can be complicated by a few factors, not least of which is cultural and stepping out of your comfort zone for a level below the NHL. It's one thing to move from, say, Lahti, to the bright lights of the NHL but riding the buses in the AHL can be a grind. And then there is the competition. It's a generalization but there are more players on the cusp of stepping up to the highest level on this side of the Atlantic than in Europe.
Vilen is going to be challenged to up his level, like he's done this season in Finland, every game.
Still just 19, there is plenty of time but Vilen is aware of the adjustment that is coming.
"All around, (my goal) is to get better at every part of my game, get stronger, get faster," he said. "When I was in training camp everything you must do is hard. The game is quicker there. You must think faster. Make (plays) faster. Stuff like that."
First, there is the business at hand. Vilen and the rest of his teammates will not have been happy with losing to Switzerland. To be fair, the win over Slovakia was a nice bounce-back. A game against Latvia is on tap on Thursday before a New Year's clash with Luke Hughes and the rest of the Americans, who beat Finland 5-1 in pre-tournament play. Vilen did not play in that contest but is looking forward to the opportunity on Saturday night:
"It will be interesting to play against those guys that I might be teammates with in the future. I'm looking forward to that."