The New Jersey Devils are sending some reinforcements to their AHL affiliate for one final postseason push. The Devils announced that they’ve reassigned Lenni Hameenaho to the AHL’s Utica Comets and have placed Brian Halonen on waivers to do the same.
Hameenaho, 21, has had a quality first year of professional hockey in North America. New Jersey selected the Kajaani, Finland native with the 58th overall pick of the 2023 NHL Draft, and he spent his two post-draft years with the Finnish Liiga’s Ässät.
He was more than successful over that stretch, scoring 34 goals and 82 points in 104 games with a +17 rating, proving to the Devils that he was ready for the jump to the AHL.
Although he has been unable to sustain the level of scoring he showed in Finland, Hameenaho has still registered nine goals and 22 points in 34 games for the Comets this season. He’s unlikely to finish as Utica’s top rookie, though he’s nearly there with nearly 30 fewer games played.
His NHL debut hasn’t been as promising, in contrast. Hameenaho has played in 33 games for the Devils this season, scoring two goals and eight points while averaging 12:11 of ice time in a third-line role. His 48.8% CorsiFor hasn’t provided much confidence, either, though he’s still young and has plenty of time for more development.
Meanwhile, Halonen is a much more experienced veteran and should head to Utica tomorrow. Although a team could technically claim him, he’s unable to play in the postseason and has never been considered a quality prospect. Still, he’s been a solid performer for the Comets, scoring 19 goals and 32 points in 48 games this season.