New Jersey Devils Top-10 prospects under 24
By Ed Stein
10. Reilly Walsh (20), Defenseman, 2017 3rd round (81st overall)
Reilly Walsh and Adam Fox were the dynamic duo on Harvard’s blueline last season. The two defensemen’s last twelve months kind of parallel where they will play in the future. Fox was the headline grabber and will start his pro career in Manhattan. Walsh, on the other hand, was the steady presence with an all-around solid game. He scored 31 points in 33 games for the Crimson in 2018-19.
When analyzing the Andover, NH, it all begins with his feet. Walsh is an excellent skater, who doesn’t take long to get up to full speed. That allows him to both join the rush and quickly get back into his defensive position. He sets up his teammates with good tape-to-tape passes, but can also tee it up himself. Walsh projects as a top-four NHL defenseman.
It will be interesting to see his progression as his role increases at Harvard this year without Fox.
9. Joey Anderson (21), Right Wing, 2016 3rd round (73rd overall)
He made his professional debut last year splitting time between Binghamton and New Jersey. With the Devils, Andersson put up four goals and three assists in 34 games, averaging just under 13 minutes of ice time per night. He probably would have seen some big increases had he not suffered an ankle injury which cost him some much-needed development time.
Joey Anderson is a gritty, physical player getting into the dirty areas to make plays. He has a very steady, unflashy game on the offensive end. His instincts are good and his skating skills allow him to keep up with the best of them. Anderson works hard no matter what zone he’s in. Coaches want players like Anderson on their roster because of the work ethic they display all night, every night. Additionally, he can adjust his game to fit in on any of the four lines when needed.