Seamus Casey is heading into a pivotal stretch with the New Jersey Devils, and the path to an opening night job is pretty clear: stay on the ice, keep driving offense, and make the roster math uncomfortable for the front office.
That’s the opportunity in front of him as he enters the final year of his entry-level deal. He’s not knocking on the door of a massive payday yet, but he is at the point where he needs a real NHL runway. A shortened preseason only tightens the window, though the upcoming four-game exhibition slate should still give him a chance to turn one question mark into a period.
Health comes first, because injuries have already slowed his rise. Casey got into 14 games as a rookie in 2024-25, but what was supposed to be a full push toward becoming an NHL regular was derailed by a lower-body injury in training camp last year.
The issue lingered through 29 games with the Utica Comets, kept him out of the AHL All-Star Classic, and eventually led to corrective surgery. The Devils have been battered by injuries in recent seasons, but Casey appears to be past his own setback.
With Johnathan Kovacevic’s knee rehab opening a temporary lane, staying healthy and ready is the first box he has to check.
The second one is the part that makes him intriguing in the first place. New Jersey likes defensemen who can tilt the ice offensively, and that’s Casey’s calling card.
He picked up two assists in his two preseason games in 2025, then posted the same point-per-game pace in the rookie games against the New York Islanders while skating with Anton Silaev. Even in an injury-shortened year in Utica, he still produced 19 points in 29 games.
He already showed that skill can translate at the NHL level too, putting up four goals and eight points in 14 games during his 2024-25 call-ups. If he can hold up defensively at least as well as Johnathan Kovacevic, the upside on the puck-moving side gives him a real edge.
Then there’s the roster squeeze itself, which may end up being Casey’s best ally. First-year GM Sunny Mehta has already made his presence felt, using his first offseason to add forward depth, move less-than-stellar contracts, and show he’s willing to be aggressive about building a contender. The Devils’ blue line still carries some tricky contracts from the Tom Fitzgerald administration, but Mehta’s job is to make sure the six or seven available spots go to the players who earn them.
That means Casey has to do more than survive camp. He has to force a decision.
Kovacevic won’t be sidelined forever, and the regular right-shot defensemen all have some form of trade protection through the 2026-27 campaign. A seven-defenseman setup could be part of the answer, and a trade is another possibility.
Dougie Hamilton’s 10-team trade list could still come into play. However it shakes out, Casey’s task is simple: make himself impossible to ignore.
If he stays healthy and keeps playing his game, he has a real chance to slide into Kovacevic’s third-pairing spot and give Sunny Mehta exactly the kind of roster headache teams want.
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Devils Camp Is Starting To Reveal Who Fits This New Standard
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Dillon has noticed the shift around camp, too, and he sees a team carrying more energy and a clearer sense of expectation after missing the playoffs last season. With the coaching staff still sorting through who fits best in which role, these early practices are starting to show which players can handle the standard the Devils want to set before the real tests begin. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Power Play Is Already Reviving A Familiar Concern
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Nico Hischier's role is part of what makes the setup interesting, because there is already a sense that the current configuration could lean too heavily on Hughes in the moments that matter most. The alternative is not about taking the puck out of Hughes' hands entirely, but about finding a way to make the power play less predictable and more efficient, which is the sort of balancing act that could matter a lot once opponents start matching up and the games get tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Brett Pesce Holds A Big Key To The Devils Blue Line
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The larger question is whether Pesce can stay on the ice long enough to make that impact over a full year. He is entering the third season of his six-year contract, and if health cooperates, he is also on track to clear 800 NHL games, a milestone that speaks to how much experience he brings. For the Devils, the value is obvious: a veteran defenseman who can absorb tough minutes, settle the rotation and give the rest of the blue line a more dependable structure - if the injuries finally stay out of the way. [Read more 🡒]