On the Devils Placing No. 8 in The Athletic's Pipeline Ranking

Despite some graduations and trades, the New Jersey Devils' U23 system still looks pretty solid heading into 2024-25.

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The New Jersey Devils' prospect pool isn't what it used to be, but that doesn't mean they don't have young talent coming up. Corey Pronman completed his NHL pipeline rankings on Thursday, with the Devils checking in at No. 8.

Pronman's pipeline ranking isn't a traditional ranking since it includes U23 players, some of who are already in the NHL. Let's review some highlights and what Pronman had to say about some of the young talent in the Devils' system.

Luke Hughes Leads the Way

Surprise, surprise, but not really, Luke Hughes ranks No. 1 in the Devils' pipeline. For whatever reason, non-Devils fans around the league don't seem to think Hughes is any good, but his potential is sky-high.

The youngest Hughes brother is an elite skater and showed his offensive potential as a rookie, totaling 47 points in 82 games. He'll likely continue to improve, especially defensively, as he adds more strength to his frame, and he should eventually become a top-pair defender for the Devils.

If it weren't for Hughes, the Devils would likely rank much lower than 8th in Pronman's pipeline ranking. But considering Pronman listed Hughes as a bubble elite NHL player/NHL All-Star, it's no surprise he props up the organization's system.

Silayev Ranked Ahead of Nemec

The first thing that caught my eye in Pronman's ranking was Anton Silayev ranked No. 2 and ahead of Šimon Nemec at No. 3. Pronman has been high on Silayev from the start, and not just because he's a 6-foot-7 defenseman. He even has Silayev ranked in the NHL All-Star tier.

It's easy to see what there is to like about Silayev. He skates very well for someone his size and has shutdown potential. Most notably, Pronman seems to think Nemec and Silayev have equal puck skills; he ranked both as NHL average.

I can't sit here and tell you Silayev has NHL-average puck skills because I did not watch him play in the KHL last season. But from what I remember reading about Silayev when the Devils drafted him, his puck skills could use some work.

I also saw enough of Nemec last season to say his puck skills are probably better than NHL average or at least have the potential to be better than NHL average. His passing is excellent, and his offensive impacts were his strongest a season ago.