Florida Panthers prospect Jack Devine will be one to watch this season.
The former 2022 seventh-round selection and two-time NCAA Champion is set to embark on his first full pro season after signing a three-year entry-level contract with Florida in April.
Over the past couple weeks, Devine has been experiencing the Panthers†development and training camps for the first time as a professional.
His first taste of pro hockey came earlier this year, however, when he joined Floridaâ€s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, for their run to the Calder Cup Final.
Considering the championship pedigree he was a part of at the University of Denver, itâ€s no surprise that Devine was able to contribute when it mattered most, picking up two goals and two assists on nine shots over the three games he played against the Abbotsford Canucks in the Final.
“I thought that playoff run was something that was super special,†said Devine. “Being able to come in after my year in college and get a taste of it, it was something that was super beneficial, and something I’m very grateful for.â€
Finding success after advancing levels in hockey is nothing new to Devine.
A native of Glencoe, Illinois – about 45 minutes north of Chicago – Devine has been able to avoid the struggles that many players go through when moving up to a higher level of the game.
Going from AAA hockey to juniors to playing with the U.S. National U17 and U18 clubs and then to the highest level of collegiate hockey, all in the span of five seasons, did not phase Devine as he continued to grow his game and absorb everything his coaches had to offer.
“In every level, Iâ€ve had really good teammates and really good coaches,†he said. “I’m always eager to learn, and I’ve always been fortunate enough to have some really elite coaches at every team I’ve gone to.â€
That enthusiasm to learn has done Devine well, and itâ€s stayed with him all the way up to the professional level, where heâ€s quickly earning a reputation as someone always looking to learn and improve.
“Guys have been joking this week that itâ€s trying to be like a sponge, just soaking it all in, so that’s kind of the mindset,†Devine said. “Obviously, this the best organization in the NHL, two Stanley Cups back-to-back as of late, so Iâ€m just trying to learn from everyone here. They’ve had success, so it’s an easy thing to do.â€
Devineâ€s eagerness to absorb as much valuable information as he can and translate that knowledge to improving his game on the ice has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff, either.
“He’ll be a guy that I think that the game will get easier for him the higher level he plays,†said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “Heâ€s a smart, intuitive player, very serious about his game.â€
Maurice went on to cautiously compare Devine to a current Panthers player, while quickly providing cover that nobody should be going out and saying, ‘Jack Devine is the next so-and-so.â€
“He’s got a great pedigree of winning and being part of those cultures,†Maurice began. “So he is, I hate doing this to a guy, so you’re going to be careful, he’s in the mold of the style of game of Sam Reinhart. He doesn’t rely on pure speed to beat people, but he skates well enough, he’s got some hands, and he can figure out the game. So that’s the kind of style of hockey that we would like him to follow into.â€
Devine is expected to start the season with the Checkers in Charlotte, and if things continue on their current path, heâ€ll be on a short list of players under consideration for an NHL call-up if and when the need arises.
While the idea of fulfilling his dream of putting on an NHL sweater is something that certainly does not escape him, Devine is keeping his focus on being the best professional he can be, knowing that if he does, things should work themselves out.
“That’s definitely a goal,†Devine said of being called up. “I think for me, though, it’s just day-by-day, trying to get better. Whether I’m in Charlotte, whether I’m in Florida, wherever I’m at, I just want our team to be successful and to win. I think wherever I’m at, I just want to be present there and give my best every day.â€
Itâ€s that hard-working, positive attitude that has helped land Devine a prime position on the radar of Floridaâ€s front office.
When youâ€re the 221st player selected at the draft, you know from the start that itâ€s going to be an uphill climb to reach the NHL.
Devine has faced that challenge head-on, and now heâ€s on the cusp of achieving something heâ€s been striving toward for most of his life.
“I definitely worked hard to be where I’m at,†he said. “It was a dream of mine as a kid to put on an NHL sweater, especially the team that drafted me. It’s not only myself, but my teammates in the past, the development staff here, that helped me get to where I’m at, so I can’t only say it’s myself, but just being fortunate enough a couple years later to be here and work and try to prove myself on a roster is pretty special.â€
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Photo caption: Sep 24, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Jack Devine (38) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second period at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
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