Vilen's First Taste | PROSPECT WATCH

Playing in the American Hockey League is a grind. Teams typically play three games in four nights every week, which includes lengthy late night bus rides on road trips.

That grind is all part of critical player development. If you can survive the physical and mental demands, it’ll set you up for future success.

One season is a grind. Three can be torture. But that is the sacrifice that is sometimes required on the road to the NHL. And it takes a certain inner strength to persevere through those years for that goal.

That’s exactly what Topias Vilen did.

The Finnish native has played the past three seasons with Utica of the AHL. He played in over 170 contests in that span before finally receiving the news – on April 10 – that he would be called up to the National Hockey League by the Devils.

“(That call) means a lot. It’s a dream come true for sure,” he said after joining the Devils for his first practice. “It’s been three years and I think I’m ready for this chance and this opportunity.”

“It’s a good opportunity for him to get some experience,” Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe said. “The organization believes he’s earned it over his three years here and we’ll get a chance to look at him.”

Vilen, who had returned from a concussion, was slow walked into his NHL debut. He joined the team for practice, took warmups in Detroit the following day and then playing against Ottawa in the Devils’ home regular-season finale.

“The organization believes in him and wanted to see him get an opportunity,” Keefe said upon his arrival in New Jersey. “For Vilen, being his first recall there’s a little extra there to it.

“Timing got thrown off because he’s coming off a bit of an injury in Utica and hasn’t played any games, but he’s cleared to return and play. We’re mindful of that.”

The 6-foot-1, 194-pound Vilen played in the final two regular-season games for New Jersey, making his NHL debut on April 12 against the Senators. The neophyte blueliner logged 12:28 minutes, blocked a shot and finish with a plus-1 in his premiere NHL showing.

“His first couple of shifts he looked very confident,” Keefe said. “He didn’t play a lot through the game that you’d typically see for a defenseman (due to game circumstances).

“I thought it was a good first game for him.”

The Devils won the game, 4-3 in overtime, and after Vilen was ecstatic about his first taste of the Show.

“I was excited for the whole day,” he beamed. “Being around the guys and getting a skate in for the morning, then it was just a fun experience.

“It was faster (than the AHL) and fun to play.”

Vilen, 23, followed that by appearing in 18:27 minutes at Boston to finish off Devils’ season.

The fifth-round pick (129^th overall) in 2021 was returned to Utica to finish the season in the AHL. He posted three points (all assists) in two games to help the Comets pull to within one point of a playoff spot (if not for Rochester forcing OT against Hershey in the season finale, Utica would have earned a postseason berth).

The left-shot D-man finished his third AHL campaign with four goals and 27 points. And along the way has made steady progress.

“The compete level. It’s been improving all these years,” he said of his game. “I think I’m ready for that, being sharp every day, trying to be physical and play with the puck.

“Breaking out pucks from our end. Good first passes, being physical and making some points inside.”

Vilen and the Devils organization waited three years to get a look at the young defenseman. And after years of toil, he got to show what he can do.

For both sides, it was worth the wait.