New Jersey Devils: Top 10 Prospects Entering the 2018 Season

9. Joey Anderson, RW [20] (3-73, 2016)

Stats (University of Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA): 36 gp, 11 g, 16 a, 27 p, 4 PPG.

Not in the top 100 in any category, but Joey Anderson was a key part of the University of Minnesota at Duluth’s Frozen Four run. He’s a better playmaker than goal scorer, scoring just 11 goals and adding 16 assists. He was good on the power play, scoring four goals, and was just 19 and in his sophomore year. His Freshman season, Anderson scored 37 points including 12 goals. There should be hope in New Jersey that he gets back to that point.

Anderson was a key part of the University of Minnesota at Duluth’s Frozen Four run

Anderson will either make his AHL transition this season, hopefully playing with a goal scorer who can score on the chances he creates, or get back in the NCAA. Either way, Anderson should hopefully get more points this season. If he does, he sets himself up for a better future, and while he’s learning to gear his game around other things, playmaking should always be his first priority.

His ceiling in the NHL is likely a third-line playmaker. He’s got a while to go before being in the NHL on a consistent basis, and he also doesn’t have the highest likelihood of playing for the New Jersey Devils. But he’s closer than Zetterlund and better than other Devils prospects. Anderson just isn’t able to be higher on this list right now.