Since returning from injury, Conrad Fondrk has started to look like a different player for Boston University.
The former second-round forward is now the latest New Jersey Devils prospect at BU to grab attention, and he’s doing it with production that has come fast and clean. After being held off the scoresheet in his first two games and then missing time with an injury, Fondrk has caught fire. He now has six points - two goals and four assists - in six games this season, matching the point-per-game pace of Devils prospect Matias Vanhanen over at rival Boston College.
This hasn’t been empty volume, either. Fondrk has been finishing plays with authority, and the shot has clearly been there. For a Devils prospect group that could use another name pushing forward, a real breakout from Fondrk would matter.
Boston University’s strong season has already been a storyline, and Mikhail Yegorov is still rolling with a 6-2 record, a 1.98 GAA, a .928 SV% and one shutout. Fondrk is now giving the Terriers another Devils-linked reason to watch closely.
Elsewhere in the prospect pool, center Gustav Hillstrom was recalled to the SHL after a short two-game run in the U20s and immediately picked up an assist. That gives him two points in 14 SHL games this season. Hillstrom was also named to Sweden’s U20s 5 Nations roster alongside former Devils prospect Alexander Command.
Goaltender Daniil Rusakovich has cooled off a bit, but his numbers are still solid: a 9-6 record, 2.18 GAA and .926 SV% for his MHL club.
Center Quinn McKenzie turned in a strong outing for the Soo Greyhounds and is up to 13 points in 17 OHL games, though he still has just one goal.
On the blue line, Chase Cheslock continues to put up numbers for St. Thomas, with two goals and five points in six games from the back end.
The Utica Comets also had a productive week, winning both of their games. Friday’s 4-3 victory over the Penguins featured Anton Silaev’s first North American assist and Lenni Hameenaho’s breakaway goal, his fourth of the season.
Dmitry Osipov then finished it off with 31 seconds left on a goal set up by his defensive partner Ethan Edwards. David Rittich got the win, stopping 20 of 23.
Utica followed that up on Sunday with a 3-2 shootout win over the Hamilton Hammers. Topias Vilen was the difference in the skills competition, while Jakub Malek earned the victory after stopping 9 of 11.
The Comets’ defense held the Hammers to just nine shots in regulation. Colin White scored his first goal of the season, and Ben Steeves added a power-play tally.
With those results, the Comets sit in third place with the best winning percentage in the North Division, still holding three games in hand on first-place Laval and second-place Toronto.
In Other News...
Devils Just Made Their Belief In This Core Impossible To Miss
Martin Brodeur made the Devils thinking pretty clear after the club landed Connor Hellebuyck, framing the move as a direct response to where this roster sits right now. With the core players in their prime, the organization viewed adding an established goaltender as a necessary step, not a luxury, and Brodeur pointed to Hellebuycks experience as a major part of why the deal made sense for New Jerseys push to stay in the mix.
Hellebuycks first night in a Devils sweater offered an immediate glimpse of what that belief looks like on the ice. He stopped 17 shots in a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars, giving New Jersey exactly the kind of stabilizing presence it hoped to add while signaling that the front office is serious about advancing this competitive window rather than waiting for it to open on its own. [Read more 🡒]
Hellebuyck Finally Addressed The Trade Request Devils Fans Keep Talking About
Connor Hellebuycks move to New Jersey has already given Devils fans plenty to chew on, but the first real public word from the goalie came in a letter aimed back at Winnipeg. In it, he thanked Jets fans for the years of support, reflected on his time with the organization, and made clear that asking out was not a decision he took lightly.
Hellebuyck also said the request was tied to personal family circumstances he preferred to keep private, which only adds to the intrigue around a trade that had already sparked plenty of speculation. For Devils fans, the important part is the arrival of a proven goaltender, but the unfinished business around why the split happened will linger until there is more to the story. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Just Sent A Message Against One Of The NHLs Best
The Devils came away from Edmonton with a shootout win after overtime, and it felt like the kind of result that can travel well. Jack Hughes scored twice to keep New Jersey in the game, while Connor Brown chipped in a power-play goal in a matchup that asked plenty of both teams, especially with the Oilers trying to lean on their top-end talent.
What stood out most for New Jersey was how well it handled Connor McDavid during regulation, forcing Edmonton to look for answers elsewhere. Connor Hellebuyck then steadied things with key saves in the shootout after a difficult night, helping the Devils turn a tight, high-level test into a statement result against one of the NHLs best. [Read more 🡒]