| Luke Devlin | St. Andrew’s College | CISAA | L | C | 6’3″ | 188 | Cornell | 2022 | Memphis, TN | 2004 | 2021-2022: C |
U18: True Cup in Salem, NH, January 27, 2022: The St. Andrew’s captain opened up Saturday’s game against KUA with an explosive burst of speed and a wicked wrister to put his team ahead just 18 seconds into the game. He would follow that up only a few minutes later with another blistering snap-shot where he found himself in the right place at the right time when the puck found its way out of the corner. He plays a 200-foot game and creates plays all over the ice. He is big, strong and physical. He already plays at a very-high level and it is hard to imagine him getting even better, but this would not surprise us. Grade: A
U18: St. Andrew’s vs Shattuck St. Mary’s, December 5, 2021: In the 6-5 loss to Shattuck Devlin earned 21:19 in total ice time, including 2:47 while on the power play. Statistically he finished with 1 goal, an even plus/minus rating, 4 shots on goal (0PP), 2 grade “A” scoring opportunities, 4 minutes in penalties, won 8 of 21 face-offs and had 4 hits. The long and lanky Devlin certainly played heavier than his listed 188 pounds. He won wall battles in his own end as well as races to loose pucks to start transition. In the defensive zone we liked how Devlin would scan the ice while hustling to 50/50 puck battles so he knew what to do with the puck when he won the race or established body positioning. His goal was a prime example of such a play. He won a loose puck battle at his goal, wheeled the net making a hard pass that started a clean zone exit, used his long stride to establish a middle drive at SSM’s defensive blueline and then as the shift continued he received a pass and attacked the net from the goal line making a poise play to beat the goalie to the far post for the goal. This type of three zone compete is the type of play that have NHL organizations watching him closely. Although he had two minor penalties from defensive situations neither were lazy stick penalties. On the first Devlin showed real speed and explosiveness while backchecking through the middle and on the second he took a run at a player in neutral zone. Both penalties were high effort / high compete calls that we have zero issue with, and in all honesty we loved him sending a message with the body check.
U18: St. Andrew’s College vs Culver Academy Prep, December 4, 2021: Good size forward, powerful, and physical. Luke uses all of his 6’3 frames, he battles up and down the rink. Great puck pursuit, making it hard for opponents to make plays under great pressure. In the Saturday game, Luke was hard on the puck causing a turnover below the goal line. He then would beat the defender to the front of the net for a shot off the pass from Max Seguin. Luke would knock in his rebound for the goal. It was his drive to get to the net and stack his positions in front, holding off any opponents with his body. He absorb contact and kept his arms away from his body allowing him to get the shot(s) off. Showing good speed and explosiveness all weekend, he created opportunities for his team with his compete level and ability to battle up and down the rink. Luke has the size and a lot of tools to become a special player in the next few years as he continues to develop. Keep an eye on this prospect. Grade A
U18: St. Andrews College vs. Pittsburgh Pens. Elite, December 1, 2021: The Cornell commit is a big, strong power forward who combines grit and skill. A strong skater who can move with or without the puck showed a quick burst. He’s excellent going north/south and can beat defenders using his body and hands or can get pucks deep and grind in on defenders. He had a goal and assist in today’s game and displayed an excellent shot which he can get off quick and put on net with pinpoint accuracy. He created traffic in the net both at even strength and on the PP. Luke’s a 200-foot player who plays well on the walls in his own end and looks to possess pucks coming out of the d-zone. We love how he competes every shift, if he’s not putting pucks on net he’s taking the body, blocking shots and just difficult to play against. Grade: A
U18: Prep Hockey Conference played at Mount St. Charles, November 20 – 22, 2021: Devlin pick up 3 helpers on the weekend. He’s a big, strong forward who plays a heavy game and competes in both ends of the ice. The Cornell commit has a long stride and good speed which he utilizes to get in on both the forecheck and backcheck. He brings a ton of skill but mixes that with grit and a blue-collar game. He made it uncomfortable for opposing d-men finishing checks and constant hounding below the dots. He created several turnovers on the weekend one of which led directly to a goal. He showed a quick release and ability to pick corners or shoot for rebounds creating havoc in front depending on the situation. We love his 200-foot game and overall compete level when it comes to taking care of things in his own end. Grade: A-
U18: South Kent vs St. Andrews, November 25, 2021: Devlin is a lanky but strong center who showed an excellent two-way game. He competed at both ends of the ice and we had multiple notes on how he used his long stride to backcheck through the middle of the ice to catch an opponent from behind and separate them from the puck. By our count he generated four neutral zone turnovers through pure backchecking determination and simply wanting the puck more than his opponent. Devlin played with enthusiasm and leadership. He was constantly cheering on his teammates and showed genuine excitement when they positively impacted the game. Devlin did not just fire shots hoping to pick a low percentage corner, instead he shot the puck with the purpose of generating a rebound or secondary scoring opportunity. It was obvious by how he carried himself from the moment he stepped on the ice for warm-ups that he was St. Andrew’s leader.
U18: Team USA vs Team Czech Republic at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, August 6, 2021: The second time these teams played each other in a week with Team USA winning 6-4. Devlin finished with 11:54 of total ice time including 0:42 on the power play. He finished with 3 shots on goal on 4 scoring chances, and had 2 giveaways compared to 3 takeaways. Devlin led the game with 5 hits. Overall this was a much more impactful game for Devlin. The game appeared to slow down for him and he was much more comfortable playing the power forward role on the big sheet. He was strong during wall battles and maintained defensive side or net side positioning throughout. He played with a more pace and he used his speed to make his opponents feel uncomfortable. Again, we are looking forward to a full year in the USHL.
U18: Team USA vs Team Czech Republic at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, July 31, 2021: Game #1 of the tournament for the 2022 NHL Draft eligible power forward saw Devlin finish with 9:24 in total ice time including 0:49 on the penalty kill. In Team USA’s 5-3 win he was -1 with 1 shot on net and 3 giveaways compared to 1 takeaway. We saw glimpses of his speed on both the forecheck and on the backcheck. Devlin consistently fought through incidental contact and his high motor drew a penalty in the first period. His stride looked fluid and in our opinion his posture will allow his 6’3″ frame to easily carry more muscle and weight. He lost a few mid-wall battles during breakouts which by our count were his three giveaways. We feel we are just starting to see the professional side of his potential and are looking forward to his development during a full USHL season.
USA Hockey Selects 17’s, July 14, 2021: Devlin, a big, strong, two-way forward out of St. Andrews, was one of the most complete prospects in the camp. He is strong on the puck; he shields well down low and hits back when taking contact in the traffic areas. He has a hard snap shot and wrist shot, he wins puck battles, he gets to the net and holds his ground for screens and to be in position for rebounds and is willing to take the hits to make plays. He scored a nice goal in this fashion by getting his sturdy stick on a loose puck rebound and bearing down to finish. He is hungry in the slot and net front area; he pounces on loose pucks and is strong enough and competes hard enough to get his stick on the puck for second chance plays. Devlin outmuscled and out hustled defenders on the breakout and caused several turnovers, one of which he turned into a goal where he stole the puck from the defender and walked in on the goalie and blasted it by him. He is strong on the breakout; he’ll make a quick pass to his center or weak side wing and then accelerate up ice to fill lanes and drive the net. He’s tough to knock off the puck, he has deceptive puck poise and vision and can set up his linemates and defenders in the offensive zone with precise passing and he’s also active away from the puck getting free and opening lanes for his teammates. The St. Andrews prospect is very physical in all three-zones; he finishes every check; he hunts puck carriers and wears down opposing defenders below the dots. He has a rare combination of power and skill and combines a high compete level with a high IQ. Highly versatile forward who plays the game the right way, is tough to defend against and can beat a team in a lot of different ways. Our only knock on him here would have been his stride; he lacks an explosive first step; he lacks fluidity in his transitions and pivots and while he’s strong and balanced on his edges he lacks ideal agility for the position (which is common for players this size and this age). A prospect coaches will love to have on their team and will draw a lot of interest from NHL scouts this upcoming season. College: Cornell Grade: A
USHL: Muskegon Lumberjacks vs Chicago Steel, April 24, 2021: This was Devlin’s first USHL game. The 2022 NHL Draft eligible finished with 20:44 of total ice time. He was a fixture on the power play earning 2:12 TOI, but was not a significant factor on the penalty kill (0:06 TOI). In the 5-1 loss Devlin finished -2, with an assist, 1 minor tripping penalty and 8 giveaways compared to 2 takeaways. His assist was the result of him recognizing that he was the F3 on the forecheck and winning a race to a 50-50 puck. He showed quickness, length and spatial awareness on the goal. We like that he played a very simple straight forward game that he can build on. Of note, the Lumberjacks only dressed 10 forwards.
U16: Toronto Marlies Classic, February 2, 2020: Devlin is strong on the forecheck and angles the puck carrier to the boards to run them out of space and finish his check. He delays on entries when he is outnumbered to wait for support and goes to the net hard on shot from the points. A high skilled winger with great length and decent speed, he is becoming more effective as he raises his level of compete on the forecheck. Grade: B
U16: Toronto Titans Early Bird Tournament, September 2019: Devlin a lanky winger with a long reach, above average footspeed for his size/length and an abundance of hockey skills. Delvin handles pucks well along the boards and plays a heads up game distributing pucks in transition. A player with good size and reach who has the ability to disrupt defenders on the forecheck. Delvin understands where the good scoring areas are and has enough footspeed and size to get to the net. A high IQ player we would like to see him use less IQ and more braun to bully his way around the ice. A player in our view who could raise his overall game with a more reckless, physical approach to his game. Grade: B-
USA Hockey Select 15 Development Camp, August 24, 2019: Devlin is a tall, athletic, forward with a long, fluid stride who handles the puck well and shields it from opponents on the rush. He made smart passes in the neutral zone and followed up rushes showing both the vision and the touch to find his teammates in congested areas. He needs to get stronger as hes slight and lanky, but he uses his reach and his stick skill to his advantage and was always involved in the offense. He can create both on the rush and in zone, he came out off the wall with possession and his head up looking for a pass and could finish in tight around the net. He had 2 goals and 4 assists in 4 games. What stood out to us was his overall game; he defended well in zone, was always in the right position, battled along the walls to break pucks out and took the body when needed. He’ll play for the Toronto Marlies next season and will be a coveted OHL/NCAA prospect. High ceiling as he grows into his frame. Grade: B+
2004: Junior Chowder Cup, August 6, 2019: Devlin is a dual citizen who has moved north of the border and played very well in this tournament. He has good size at 6 ft and he plays an aggressive style which puts pressure on the defense every time he’s on the ice. Despite those long limbs he has good acceleration and moves fluidly through traffic. When he winds up for a shot in the offensive zone he can really clap it using the force of that big frame. He also has the vision to recognize when one of his teammates has a better look at the net that he does and it doesn’t take him long to find a lane to get the puck to him. Put up a solid nine points in seven games as Maroon won the title. Grade: B+
Photo Credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images
Game Stats are from InStat.