New Jersey Devils Recall Eight Players
The New Jersey Devils announced multiple additions to their 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs roster today in the form of eight Black Aces from the AHL’s Utica Comets:
F Graeme Clarke
F Nolan Foote
F Brian Halonen
F Alexander Holtz
F Tyce Thompson
D Šimon Nemec
D Topias Vilén
G Nico Daws
Clarke, a third-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, tallied 25 goals and 33 assists in 68 regular-season games for the Comets and added six points in six playoff games. Foote, initially a Tampa Bay Lightning first-round pick in the 2019 draft, notched 37 points in 55 games for the Comets this season and added a goal in six games for New Jersey.
Halonen, an undrafted free agent signing late last season out of Michigan Tech, recorded 17 goals and 13 assists in 57 games with Utica in his first full professional season. Holtz, the seventh overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, had the most NHL experience this season out of any of the above recalls and scored three goals and an assist in 19 games with the Devils.
Thompson, a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, scored 26 points in 56 games for the Comets after missing most of the 2021-22 campaign with an injury.
The Devils also added two promising young defenders to their playoff roster in Nemec and Vilén. Nemec, the second overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, broke out for 34 points in 65 games with the Comets in his post-draft year, a remarkable feat for a 19-year-old. Vilén, 20, played one playoff game for Utica after playing nearly all of the 2022-23 season with Pelicans in the Finnish Liiga.
Daws, 22, posted a .904 save percentage and two shutouts in 33 games for Utica after making 25 appearances for New Jersey in the 2021-22 season.
Devils Recall Graeme Clarke
Graeme Clarke has played his way into becoming one of New Jersey’s more intriguing prospects and he was rewarded for his efforts as the team announced (Twitter link) that he has been recalled from Utica of the AHL.
The 21-year-old was a third-round pick by the Devils back in 2019 (80th overall) but has outperformed his draft stock since then. He’s actually in his third season of professional hockey already – a rarity for a major junior-drafted player – and has shown steady improvement. After putting up 24 points in 52 games last season, Clarke has been considerably more productive this year with 20 goals and 24 assists in 51 contests; his 44 points place him first on the Comets in scoring.
This will be Clarke’s first opportunity at the NHL level and it’s possible that it will be a short-lived one. Recently acquired winger Timo Meier isn’t yet ready to play as he continues to battle an upper-body injury and Clarke may simply be up until Meier is ready to make his debut. New Jersey had an open spot on their roster thanks to them losing Scott Harrington on waivers to Anaheim earlier today so no further moves needed to be made to bring Clarke up.