Matyas Melovsky is making a strong case in Devils camp that his NHL future is coming sooner rather than later.
The New Jersey Devils grabbed the overage center in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and even then the pick looked like one of ex-General Manager Tom Fitzgerald’s better value swings over the last couple of seasons. Melovsky had already put together a draft year that turned heads in the QMJHL, topping a point per game in both the regular season and the postseason.
He only built on that after being selected. In his final season in the QMJHL, Melovsky piled up 83 points in 57 regular-season games before moving on to the AHL in 2025-26.
His first pro year with the Utica Comets came on a team that had a hard time scoring, but he still managed 10 goals and 26 points in 55 games while spending most of his time in a middle-six role. Injuries cost him some games, yet he remained an important player whenever he was available.
The appeal was easy to see. Melovsky was a nuisance on the forecheck, leaned on his physical game to create offense, and brought confidence with and without the puck. That edge also showed up in his defensive work, which was just as sturdy.
Now he’s carrying that same package into Devils preseason action, and it’s showing up again. Through two appearances, Melovsky has two assists, one primary and one secondary.
In the Devils’ shootout loss to the New York Rangers, he led the team in GameScore and stood out for the kind of relentless pressure that keeps plays alive. He kept hunting on the forecheck, stayed active defensively, and refused to let sequences die.
The preseason line combinations suggest he’s headed back to Utica to start the year, where he looks likely to skate on the top line with Lenni Hameenaho and Ben Steeves, both of whom are also trying to push their way toward the NHL. New Jersey’s depth up front leaves no real opening for Melovsky right now, but a fourth-line center role could be there as soon as next season.
His long-term upside may settle in the bottom six, but Melovsky looks like a real NHL bet. He should get his chance before long, and for now he appears set to be a key piece for a stronger-looking Utica team in 2025-26. A step forward from last season’s production would not be a surprise.
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Devils Camp Cuts Put The Spotlight On Whos Really In The Mix
The Devils continued trimming their training camp roster by sending a group of players, including prospects Anton Silaev and Lenni Hmeenaho, to their AHL affiliate in Utica. It is the kind of early fall move that usually tells you a lot about where a team thinks its young players stand, and in this case it gives New Jersey a chance to keep two of its more interesting prospects active while camp sorts itself out.
Silaev and Hmeenaho are waiver-exempt, which means the Devils can move them between New Jersey and the Utica Comets without the risk of losing them on waivers. For a team trying to balance immediate NHL decisions with long-term development, that flexibility matters, and it suggests the front office is comfortable giving these players more runway in the minors rather than forcing them into a rushed battle for jobs before the roster is ready to settle. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Larkin's Trade List Just Created A New Devils Problem
The Devils have spent the offseason trying to build around Nico Hischier, locking him up long term and adding pieces like Anthony Mantha and Luke Evangelista to deepen the forward group. On paper, it has been the kind of aggressive summer that suggests New Jersey is aiming to stay in the mix, but the latest development involving Dylan Larkin has added a wrinkle the front office probably would rather not have to consider.
Larkin has requested a trade from Detroit, and Elliotte Friedman reported that his expanded list includes Colorado, Washington, Dallas, and Tampa Bay. For New Jersey, the concern is less about those specific destinations than what they signal about the market around a proven center, especially with the Red Wings still operating without a full-time general manager after Steve Yzerman's departure. The Devils' roster already looks built for a certain kind of cap and depth picture, and any movement on a player like Larkin could have ripple effects that make the rest of the summer more complicated than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Just Got A Big Boost In Their Quinn Hughes Chase
The Devils long-range planning may have just gotten a little easier. With the NHL projecting the salary cap to rise to $127.5 million for the 2028-29 season, New Jersey would have more room to maneuver when the time comes to build out the roster around its core, and that matters when a franchise is eyeing a major extension for a defenseman of Quinn Hughes caliber.
For the Devils, the appeal is obvious: more financial flexibility could help them chase a player who would change the shape of the blue line and strengthen the teams competitiveness for years. The cap projection does not guarantee anything, but it gives New Jersey a better backdrop for one of the more important decisions in its future roster building. [Read more 🡒]