New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: 2/16/21

Welcome to the 19th week of the 2020-21 New Jersey Devils prospect update! This past week was highlighted by Tyce Thompson and Patrick Moynihan producing for Providence, Cole Brady returning to NCAA play with 2 quality starts for Arizona State, Ethan Edwards earn USHL Player of the Week honors, and Daniil Misyul help Russia capture the Euro Hockey Tour trophy one stage early. Let’s check in on all of the prospects now.

QMJHL

Dawson Mercer and Chicoutimi were still in quarantine last week. They are scheduled to resume their season tomorrow against Rouyn-Noranda.

NCAA

Matt Hellickson was a -3 with a shot as Notre Dame dropped 2 games to Minnesota last weekend. He is one of 15 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award. The award “focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their athletic platforms to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.”

Aarne Talvitie and Penn State had their series against Ohio State postponed last weekend after positive COVID-19 tests within the Penn State program. The team has already gone ahead and cancelled their series against Arizona State that was supposed to happen this weekend. That series will not be made up. They are scheduled to resume their season on 2/27 against Minnesota pending no further postponements. Talvitie last played on 1/28 but left that game with a “day to day” injury so this should give him more than enough time to recover from that.

Tyce Thompson had 2 goals (1 EV, 1 SH/EN), a PP assist, +2, 6 shots, and won 2/4 faceoffs in Providence’s 4-0 victory over UConn on Friday. Thompson has been hot lately with 3 goals and 6 assists over his last 4 games. Check out the highlights from his 3 point game below:

Patrick Moynihan had a goal, +1, and 2 shots in the victory over UConn. He is on a 6 game point streak with 4 goals and 4 assists during that stretch. Saturday’s game against UConn was postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. Check out Moynihan’s latest goal below:

Case McCarthy was a +1 with 4 shots as Boston University defeated Vermont twice last weekend.

Artem Shlaine had an assist, even rating, 2 shots, and won 63.64% of his faceoffs as UConn dropped games to UMass Lowell and Providence last week. He was held off the scoresheet in Friday’s game against Providence which snapped a 7 game point streak where he had a goal and 7 assists.

Cole Brady made 36 saves on 38 shots in a 3-2 victory over Michigan State on Sunday. Yesterday, he made 22 saves on 24 shots in a 2-1 loss to Michigan State. Check out one of his latest saves below:

USHL

Ethan Edwards had 2 goals, 2 assists, +3, 4 PIM, and 5 shots across 4 games last week. He was named USHL Player of the Week by Junior Hockey News. Check out his latest goal below:

Akira Schmid made 29 saves on 33 shots in a 4-3 loss to Sioux Falls on Friday. The next night he made 36 saves 37 shots in a 3-1 victory over Lincoln. His .903 SV% ranks 5th among USHL goaltenders.

Russia

KHL

VHL & MHL

Yegor Zaitsev and Dynamo Moscow had last week off. They have 5 regular season games left and are currently in 3rd place in the Western Conference, having already qualified for the Gagarin Cup Playoffs.

Daniil Misyul had a goal, assist, even rating, 12 PIM, 3 shots, and averaged 11:43 across 3 games for Russia in the 3rd stage of the Euro Hockey Tour. Russia won all 3 games, opening with a 3-2 win over Finland on Thursday, putting up a 2-1 shootout victory over Sweden on Saturday, and finishing with a 7-4 win over the Czech Republic on Sunday. Russia has won all 3 stages of the tour so far and has already clinched the Euro Hockey Tour Trophy despite the last stage still to be played in the Czech Republic from 5/13 to 5/16. Here is his slick goal from the game against the Czech Republic:

Back in KHL action, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has 6 regular season games left and is currently 4th in the Western Conference, having already qualified for the Gagarin Cup Playoffs.

Arseni Gritsyuk is still out with the injury he picked up at the WJC. I did find this article from January 10 that suggests Gritsyuk would miss “3-5 weeks” so hopefully we’ll see him back in action soon. Avangard Omsk has 5 regular season games left and is currently in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. They have also already qualified for the Gagarin Cup Playoffs.

Nikita Popugayev and Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk had last week off. They have 6 regular season games left and have already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Shakir Mukhamadullin didn’t play in the Russia’s first 2 games in the 3rd stage of the Euro Hockey Tour. He did play in Sunday’s victory over the Czech Republic where he was a -1 in 4:33. Back in KHL action, Salavat Yulaev Ufa has 5 regular season games left and is currently 4th in the Eastern Conference, having already qualified for the Gagarin Cup Playoffs.

Finland

Liiga

Eetu Pakkila had a PP goal, an assist, +1, 5 shots, and averaged 14:04 across 3 games last week.

Sweden

SHL & Allsvenskan

Nikola Pasic and Linkoping had last week off. They have 12 regular season games left and are currently in 13th place out of the 14 team league. They are currently battling to finish higher than 13th so they don’t end up in the Relegation Playoffs.

Alexander Holtz had a goal, even rating, and 2 shots in 13:28 in Djurgarden’s only game last week. The goal snaps a 6 game streak without a point and a 12 game streak without a goal. Djurgarden has 11 regular season games left and is currently in 9th place, poised to qualify for the Eighth-finals. Check out his latest goal below:

The Rest of Europe

Swiss National League, Slovak Extraliga, Czech 1.liga, Deutsche Eishockey Liga

Benjamin Baumgartner had an assist, +1, 2 PIM, 12 shots, and won 32.00% of his faceoffs while averaging 16:27 across 4 games last week.

Jaromir Pytlik is still waiting for the OHL season to start. At this point there is no plan that is officially approved but there have been reports they will try to aim for a 24 game regular season using hub cities.

Nico Daws didn’t play in any of the 3 games ERC Ingolstadt had last week. They have 8 regular season games left and are currently 2nd in the Southern Group due to points percentage.

Your Take

Which prospects stood out to you this past week? What are your thoughts on the the seasons that the goaltenders, Cole Brady and Akira Schmid, are having? What do you think about Daniil Misyul’s play for Russia’s national team? Leave your comments below and thank you for reading!