Devils Announce 2016 Prospects Challenge Roster

The Devils have announced their attendees for the 2016 Prospects Challenge. The tournament, in Buffalo, is the weekend of 16th and will run through the 19th of September.

The tournament, which the team participated in last year, will include Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins prospects as well and will function as a round-robin among the three squads.

While the team will practice Friday the 16th, their first game will take place Saturday at 7 p.m. against the Buffalo prospects. The second game, against the Bruins, will be Sunday afternoon at 7 p.m.

Players to Watch

The Devils will be sending most of their top prospects to compete including 2015 pick, Pavel Zacha. Zacha, who was recovering from an injury at Development Camp, will be healthy enough to compete and should highlight a replinished group of forwards. Among that group also includes 2014 pick, John Quenneville and 2016 1st-rounder Mike McLeod.

On defense, the Devils will be highlighted by Boston College standout Steve Santini and Sarnia Sting defenseman Josh Jacobs. Both players are expected to be competing for an NHL roster spot during training camp and will provide a look into New Jersey's future on defense.

In addition to the prospects the Devils hold the rights to, they have multiple invitees including Jan Mendat, Kevin Rooney, Marcus Crawford, Colby Sissons, Ralph Jarratt and Alexander Kuqali. A name to watch is Marcus Crawford, who played in the OHL as a teammate of 2016 draftee Evan Cormier.

Your Thoughts

Who are you excited to see in the prospects tournament? Who do you expect to stand out? How will the Devils' prospects fare against a deep pool like Buffalo? Let us know your thoughts and as always, thank you for reading!