Samu Salminen is in a spot that could end up helping the New Jersey Devils if things break the right way.
The 3rd-round pick, taken 68th overall by New Jersey in the 2021 NHL Draft, became eligible on August 15th to leave after finishing his NCAA career and sign elsewhere. That window has opened for a handful of drafted college players, but Salminen has not taken the step of walking away from the Devils organization yet.
That leaves a few possibilities on the table. He can still choose another NHL organization or head to Europe whenever he wants, but there’s also a chance New Jersey is working with him on a deal of its own. For now, he remains tied to the Devils, and that alone is notable.
If he does stay, the path to the NHL probably won’t be immediate. The more realistic starting point is with the Utica Comets, where a strong stretch could make him a legitimate call-up option. He can play both center and wing, which gives him some useful versatility as he tries to climb.
Salminen’s NCAA career took him through two seasons at UConn and two at Denver. His final year with the Pioneers, the 2025-26 season, came with a captaincy role as an alternate captain on a team that won the National Championship. That run also gave him meaningful leadership experience under head coach David Carle.
On the ice, Salminen already brings a solid two-way base. The next step is offense. He finished with 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in 43 games during Denver’s championship season, a respectable total, but not one that suggests he’s done growing in that area.
That’s really the appeal here: he has enough of a foundation to project as a useful pro, and if the offensive side keeps coming along, he could develop into the kind of middle-six forward teams want.
For a Devils pipeline that is trending backward, keeping Salminen would count as a real positive.
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