
With most of their former top prospects having already graduated, the New Jersey Devils‘ farm system may not be what it was a few years back. That’s not a bad thing; many of those graduates, like Arseny Gritsyuk, are now making a sizeable impact on the NHL squad.
Don’t get it twisted, though: the Devils’ system is certainly respectable despite the lack of high first-round picks in recent years. This is the second edition of a monthly series which will take a deeper dive into notable prospect pool storylines.
Remember: Just because a player’s stock is ‘up’ does not mean they’re a “better” prospect than someone whose stock is ‘down’, and vice versa.
In a pretty weak 2025 Draft, Rozsival going in the sixth round should have explained it all. The Czech winger came over to the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and got off to about the start you’d expect for a sixth-rounder: six points in 18 games with a minus-2 rating.
David Rozsíval has been on fire lately in the USHL.
— Czech Prospects (@CZprospects) December 6, 2025
The #NJDevils prospect added his ninth goal in his last nine games and is currently riding a six-game point streak (7G, 4A). pic.twitter.com/qnJjO90nlC
Remarkably, something unlocked after Game #18. In the following 10 games, he’s notched eight goals and five assists (13 points) and is a plus-10. Talk about a turnaround. Rozsival doesn’t turn 19 for another seven months; it will be intriguing to see if he can keep it up. If he does, he’ll shoot up the prospect rankings.
With each passing game, hopes of Silayev turning into an elite NHL defenseman diminish. That’s not to say it’s impossible…but what once seemed like a pretty solid bet is now far from a guarantee. The 6-foot-7 defenseman — who drew comparisons to Victor Hedman on Draft Day — has just one single point (an assist) in 34 Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games.
While his ice time severely diminished for a long while, it has started to climb back up yet the results are the same. There is good news in a few aspects, though. First, he only has 4 penalty minutes and is a plus-2, meaning he’s been disciplined and shown progress defensively. Secondly, he’s only 19 years old. Development isn’t always linear; it’s very possible his confidence is low right now. A move to North America (which could happen as early as after this KHL season) could help him rebound.
Speaking of how development isn’t always linear, the Finnish sniper Hameenaho is a perfect example of such. His move from the Finnish Liiga to the American Hockey League (AHL) started off very rough — no points in nine games. In the 13 games afterwards, he has six goals and two assists, which might as well be a point-per-game on a mightily struggling Utica Comets squad.
There’s no reason to rush the 21-year-old Hameenaho to the NHL. Last season in Finland, he had seven more points (51) than the next closest U21 player (44). It might take another couple years, but it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see Hameenaho become a very solid middle-to-top-six NHL player.
In the last edition, the 6-foot-8 Bennett was featured in the ‘Stock Up’ category with a hot start in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Unfortunately, he’s cooled back down to Earth. In his last four appearances, he has an .848 save percentage (SV%), bringing his season SV% down to .897%.
There shouldn’t be too much stock put into such a small sample, but Bennett doesn’t have much of a track record to give him the benefit of the doubt. Nonetheless, his early start (and an impressive showing at the Prospects Challenge) showed he possesses some certain skill. The question is how consistently he can put it all together.
Cheslock found out he got drafted while working in a Warehouse for a Tech company. The 6-foot-3 defenseman for the University of St. Thomas is breaking out offensively with 15 points — all assists — in 19 games. With three more points, he’ll already surpass his total from both of his previous collge seasons combined.
Take a look at this excerpt from Elite Prospects’ 2023 NHL Draft Guide: “Cheslock is a scary presence when he’s locked to the net. He’s like a beaver when it comes to his disdain of opposing players’ sticks. Constant chops, lifts, and timed disruption plays make it near impossible to get a shot off in the crease. Box outs, physicality, punishing crosschecks ” he makes the net-front living hell for his opponents.“
That, in combination with this newfound uptick in offensive ability, could potentially bode well for his future chance of making the NHL.
Cam Squires was a fun player to watch through his time in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Unfortunately for him, it’s been a rough start to his pro career. In eight games with Adirondack (ECHL) and seven with Utica (AHL), he’s combined for just two goals and three assists.
There’s plenty of time for the 20-year-old to develop. While playing in the ECHL isn’t always ideal for a prospect, 768 players have made their NHL Debut after playing in the league. A slow start doesn’t mean Squires can’t pan out.
As the 2025-26 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.
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