Devils Top 10 Prospects: Post-Trade Deadline 2025

Where does the New Jersey Devils prospect pool stand after the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline?

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Now that the trade deadline has passed, let's reassess the New Jersey Devils' prospect pool. It's not what it was a few years ago when they were rebuilding, but there are still some notable prospects, especially atop the system.

Out are Chase Stillman and Herman Traff, who were used in the trades to acquire Cody Glass and Brian Dumoulin, and in is Shane Lachance, who the Devils acquired for being third-party facilitators in the Trent Frederic trade. Let's look at their top prospects.

10. Cam Squires, Right Wing

The Devils didn't have a first-round pick in the 2023 draft, but between Cam Squires and Lenni Hämeenaho, they seem to have found two intriguing prospects. Squires leads the Cape Breton Eagles in scoring, with 71 points in 56 games; 20 of those points are goals.

Squires impressed me at the Prospects Challenge back in September. He showed some playmaking and forechecking ability and was one of the Devils' better players. There's some scoring upside here, and it'll be interesting to see what he looks like when he turns pro next season.

9. Matyas Melovsky, Center

I usually don't get too excited about double overagers as prospects, but Matyas Melovsky is having an excellent season in the QMJHL. He has 25 goals and 78 points in 55 games, second in team scoring on Baie-Comeau to Justin Poirier (Carolina Hurricanes).

Melovsky impressed at the 2024 WJC, totaling 11 points in seven games for Czechia, who took home the bronze medal. Melovsky's strength is his playmaking ability, and he has good hockey sense. His ceiling is likely that of a first-line AHLer/bottom-six NHLer, but he's an intriguing prospect for where the Devils drafted him in 2024 (171st overall).

8. Jakub Málek, Goaltender

The Devils will have to eventually think about life after Jacob Markström and Jake Allen since both are in their mid-30s. It starts with Jakub Málek, the closest of the Devils' goaltending prospects to being NHL-ready.

Malek is having another solid season for Ilves in the Finnish Liiga, totaling a .910 save percentage through 33 games. The strength of his game is his athleticism, especially at his size (6-foot-4, 190 pounds). He signed his ELC last spring and will likely join the Comets next season, so we'll get a closer look at him then.