Seamus Casey made his preseason debut for the New Jersey Devils last night in a 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders.
The 21-year-old had been sidelined at the start of preseason due to injury and, aside from playing one game in the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo, had not seen ice time until two nights ago.
Casey played 14 games with the Devils last season after being drafted 46th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, recording eight points in the NHL.
Ahead of the game, Casey spoke with NHL.com about how he felt going into his debut:
“Body feels great. Iâ€m ready to go,†he said. “Itâ€s been a great week of preparation. Itâ€s so exciting. Iâ€ve been waiting since last year to get a game going.â€
On the ice, Casey made an immediate impact, tallying two points on assists. Reflecting on returning to action, he added:
“Itâ€s been a long summer. Iâ€m just pumped to get out there with the guys. I missed the first two games, so Iâ€m just excited to be out there.â€
Despite the strong start, Casey emphasized that he knows itâ€s a long process:
“You have to prove it every day. Itâ€s ‘what have you done for me lately.†You canâ€t be happy with the way things went in the past and think thatâ€s going to carry you forward. I have to keep getting better, and it starts tonight. Itâ€s going to be a long season of getting better and adding more consistency. It starts now.â€
Head coach Sheldon Keefe also acknowledged the progress Casey has made:
“You look for him to take a step in his confidence, sense of belonging—just be himself, go out and play. I felt he did a good job of that last year, thatâ€s why we felt comfortable putting him in. This year the circumstances are a little different. There are maybe more expectations since he played last year and is more comfortable.â€
With defenseman Johnathan Kovacevic out at the start of the season due to an injury sustained last year, thereâ€s an opportunity for Casey to secure a more permanent spot on the roster.
Keefe praised the young defensemanâ€s performance last season, saying:
“I really like the way that he played for us last year when he was up.â€
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