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The 2025 NHL Draft has concluded, and the New Jersey Devils had seven picks in this year's draft. Still, the team would not call a name in the first round of the draft, and would not make a pick until the 50th selection overall. Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald did make some solid picks this year. While his focus is on rounding out the roster for the upcoming season, he may have also made some moves that could help the franchise for years to come.
Fitzgerald joined the Devils as the assistant GM in July 2015, and since then, the franchise has made some solid picks. In his first draft, they took Jesper Bratt with the 162nd overall pick, which has been a steal for the Devils. In 2017, they took Nico Hischier with the first overall pick, then Jack Hughes two drafts later with the first overall pick. Then, in his first draft as the general manager, he took Dawson Mercer with the 18th pick, and the next year, he would snag Luke Hughes.
Since then, there has not been a lot of production. Only two players from the 2022 through 2024 drafts have played NHL minutes, both coming from 2022 picks. Simon Nemac has played 87 games at the NHL level, while Seamus Casey has played 14. While New Jersey did not have a first-round pick this year, they are hopeful some later picks will pan out. Still, was this enough to earn a solid grade?
Did the Devils reach for Conrad Fondrk?
With their first pick in the draft, the 50th overall selection, the Devils took Conrad Fondrk. He is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and the recently turned 18-year-old plays center. He will be playing at Boston University next season. Last year, he spent time with the US National U18 team and the USNTDP Juniors of the USHL. He did not have amazing production at either stop, but was solid. With the national team, he scored 13 goals while adding 14 assists in 40 games. With his USHL squad, it was six goals and six assists in 15 games.
There are a lot of positives with his game. To begin with, he is a leader. The American has been given high praise for his leadership and work ethic both on and off the ice. He is also solid on both ends of the ice while playing on both the powerplay and penalty kill. He is also noted for his physical play and solid work on the faceoff. The Devils will need a center of the future, and his solid shooting, plus ability to move the puck, make him a solid prospect.
Still, there are some concerns about Fondrk. First, he is a pass-first forward. While this can be good in many situations, it can also be a hindrance. He will pass instead of taking the open shot. Further, he does not have great top-end speed. While he is a solid skater, he struggles to separate from defenders. Finally, his production was lacking despite his minutes on the ice in recent years. While he was solid in the last two years, the center was well below the production per minute on ice of other forwards on the team. There are concerns about his ceiling as a prospect, and many places had him ranked as a third-round pick. This was a low-risk pick by the Devils, but it may have been both too early and may not bring in enough reward.
A great pick with Ben Kevan
With their second pick of the second round, New Jersey selected Ben Kevan, a right winger from the UHSL. Hailing from Fairfield, California, he spent time in the last two seasons with the Des Moines Buccaneers of the UHSL. He was also playing with the US National U18 Team. He was solid with the Buccaneers last year, playing in 51 games with 13 goals and 30 assists.
The creativity of the American winger has earned high praise. He is a confident puck handler who is not afraid to take chances. While those chances often pay off, they do create unnecessary turnovers. Still, he led his team in assists last year, and can fit the puck in tight spaces on the pass. He is also the opposite of the first pick the Devils took. Kevan is a high-volume shooter, with nearly six shots per game, and 3.5 of those hitting the goal. He has a quick release and is willing to shoot anywhere on the ice.
Further, he can play well in all three zones. He is a physical presence on the ice, willing to deliver the hit when needed. He plays at such a fast pace that it can be overwhelming for the players he is defending. While he has a lot of positives, there are some concerns. First, he does turn over the puck with regularity. He needs to learn when to make the risky pass and when it is just too risky. Kevan has not honed that skill yet, and that has led to over seven turnovers per game. Further, he is a high-volume shooter, but with low efficiency. His accuracy in shots leaves something to be desired. While Fondrk needs to shoot more often, Kevan needs to make the pass at times instead of taking the shot.
The rest of the Devils' draft and the final grade
In the third round, the Devils took Mason Moe, their third straight pick out of the USHL. Moe is a solid skater out of Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The American-born forward is solid at both creating space and making plays happen in front of the net. While he is a physical presence, he does not move the puck well, nor does he shoot well. This was the safe pick here in the third round. He will be on the bottom two lines of an NHL roster at some points, but there were other options available. A player like Cameron Schmidt could have been taken here, who has better top-end speed and a better shot. With his frame, he was seen as a small risk, but a third-round pick is where you take those big-time risks.
With the 99th pick in the draft, the Devils took Trenten Bennett. Bennett has not played a ton, playing just 31 games for the CCHL Kemptville 73s. He was solid, though, with a 2.92 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage. Still, he struggled when playing better teams, as shown by his playoff numbers. He played in four games, with a 4.44 goals against average and a .859 save percentage. There is some concern about his overall ability to stop shots on the break. Further, his frame limits both his mobility and speed. While he is good in close, the NHL has plenty of players who can shoot from distance, which is a struggle for him.
Later in the fourth round, the Devils took Gustav Hillstrom. The Swedish center has a ton of upside. He is a physical presence who is a great two-way center. Some sources had him picked much higher than the 114th pick in the draft. He is not a major offensive threat, but his defense more than makes up for it. He will capitalize on high-quality scoring chances, and is solid in the face-off circle, but overall, his defense is what makes him solid. Hillstrom will not be a top-two-line center in the NHL unless his offensive capabilities improve, but he could turn into a reliable part of the bottom two lines with penalty kill upside.
After not having a pick in the fifth round, the Devils had two picks in the sixth round. They started with David Rozsival. The Czech left winger is very similar to Hillstrom. He is a strong skater who is solid on both ends of the ice. He does not do great in transition and does not have the strongest shot. Still, he is great on defense. His positioning is fantastic, and when he has the puck, he does not turn it over. On offense, his best attribute is in front of the net. This is a defensive winger overall, though, and another player who could make waves on the bottom two lines of an NHL roster.
The Devils' final pick of the draft was Sigge Holmgren, and it also may have been their worst. To begin with, the defender has not played since playing five games with a Swedish Junior team in the 2023-24 season. He has been out with an injury since then. He was solid on offense when playing, but was not the best defender overall. His physical tools make him a great prospect, but his injury history at a young age makes him a massive concern going forward.
Best Pick: Ben Kevan, 2nd round, 63rd overall
Worst Pick: Sigge Homgren, 6th round, 178th overall
Devils Final Draft Grade: B
