Devils Prospect Hämeenaho Impresses Ahead of Training Camp

The New Jersey Devils’ prospects will be joined by the full roster tomorrow in Newark for the official start of 2025 training camp.

The prospects hit the ice a week earlier at the NHL Prospect Challenge in Buffalo, where they put together an impressive showing.

Prospect Challenge Roster
Forwards: Tag Bertuzzi, Alexander Campbell, Brian Carrabes, Cole Davis, Josh Filmon, Caleb Hadland, Lenni Hämeenaho, Shane Lachance, Nathan Lecompte, Jack Malone, Matras Melovsky, David Rozsíval, Cam Squires, Dylan Wendt.
Defensemen: Mikael Diotte, Seamus Casey, Jimmy Dowd Jr., Ethan Edwards, Jeremy Hanzel, Luke Reid, Jackson van de Leest.
Goaltenders: Tyler Brennan, Trenten Bennett, Jakub Malek.

The Devils finished the tournament with a 2–1 record. They opened with a dominant 8–2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, followed by a 4–2 victory against the host Buffalo Sabres. Their only loss came in the finale, a 6–4 defeat to the Boston Bruins.

Now, attention turns to training camp, where the prospects will share the ice with the veterans while competing for spots on the 2025–26 roster. Among those who stood out in Buffalo was 20-year-old winger Lenni Hämeenaho.

Hämeenaho, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, was a difference-maker during the tournament, especially in Game 2 against Buffalo, where his play helped swing momentum. Selected 58th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, he has spent the past few seasons playing professionally in Finland, where his strong performances built anticipation for his North American debut.

Not only did Hämeenaho find the back of the net, but his hockey sense and quick decision-making drew praise and put his name firmly on the radar. While it remains likely he’ll begin the season with the AHL’s Utica Comets given the Devils’ depth, his showing in Buffalo sparked plenty of optimism about his NHL future.

Whether in Utica or New Jersey, Hämeenaho is giving fans a glimpse of the skill and promise that could make him a key part of the Devils’ future.