New Jersey
New Jersey Devils Prospect Update: Where Are They Now? Defensemen Edition
Prospect analysis takes a bit of guesswork. So, sometimes to predict the future it’s helpful to reflect back on the past. Today we take a look at five former defensemen prospects for the Devils and what happened in their careers.
Adrian Foster
In short
Never made the NHL but did play for Grizzlys Wolfsburg in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, which is a fantastic name for a hockey club.
In long
Scott Cruikshank of the Calgary Herald sums up the problem with Adrian Foster’s career.
As a 16-year-old with the Calgary Canucks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, he collected 32 points in only 18 appearances. But slamming into an unforgiving post one night, the fearless forward cracked his right hip.
Mechanics thrown off, body out of whack, the other hip suffered. Then came abdominal troubles and subsequent operations — one side, then on the other.
Nevertheless, New Jersey was sold.
Sold they were. The Devils selected Foster in the first round (28th overall) selection in the 2001 NHL entry draft, a bit of a reach at the time, due to his injury history. Unfortunately, for Foster and the Devils, the defenseman’s injury woes did not end there. The article continues.
buoyed by a clean bill of health after a stretch in the American Hockey League — concussions spoiled more winters.
Then in a single 60-game stretch — spread over three hobble-filled seasons — Foster suffered two high-ankle sprains, a broken foot, a broken ankle.
Somewhere amidst all that hobbling, Foster skated in 205 AHL games before finishing his career in a two-game stint plus eight playoff contests in 2015-16 for the Stony Plain Eagles of the Chinook Hockey League.
Matthew Corrente
In short
Bad shoulder, but finished NHL career with exactly twice as many penalty minutes (68) as he had games played (34).
In long
Drafted by the Devils in the first round (30th overall) in 2006, there was considerable hype amongst Devils faithful in Corrente at the time. Development came slow, as it often does for physical defenders, but Corrente filled in with the big club in limited minutes during the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 seasons. Unable to stick in the Devils lineup, by the time Corrente was entering his prime, injuries proved to be the final nail in the coffin of his career, culminating with a season-ending shoulder injury in 2012. This was after missing much of the previous season with another shoulder injury in 2011. After the shoulder surgery in 2012, Corrente played two more seasons bouncing around the AHL before bowing out after a demotion to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL in 2015-2016.
Brandon Burlon
In short
Once put up 27 points in 30 games in one strong season for the Oilers, the Stavanger Oilers of Norway’s Fjordkraftligaen.
In long
The Devils 2nd round pick (52nd overall) in 2008, Brandon Burlon always seemed to be on the fringe of conversation, but always outshined by the next shiny new defensive prospect added to the system. Surpassed by players such as Reece Scarlett who once finished 11th on this site’s Top 25 Under 25, who like Burlon, never got the call, the 2nd rounder did give the Albany Devils five respectable seasons of defensive hockey, even breaking out with 36 points one year. Burlon would finish his playing career in 2019-20 after bouncing around Europe in Germany, Sweden, Norway and the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. Per LinkedIn, Burlon is now a site operations manager for TMG Builders, a Canadian condominium building company.
Alexander Urbom
In short
Upset many Devils fans when the Washington Capitals claimed him off waivers. Was reclaimed by the Devils twenty games later. Never played in the NHL again.
In long
Urbom showed a lot of promise early on for a defenseman drafted in the third round, especially on a team that had few legit prospects in the early 2010s. (For example, Urbom finished 5th in the ILWT Top 25 Under 25 in 2012). Urbom earned cups of coffee with the Devils in three consecutive seasons starting in 2010-11 before he was claimed by the Washington Capitals at the beginning of the 2013-2014 season. This upset many Devils fans, who thought Urbom had a future. The large defender played 20 games for the Capitals that year, the most of his career, before being reclaimed by the Devils and stashed in Albany. That would be Urbom’s last stint of North American hockey, bouncing around the KHL, SHL and some lesser leagues later in his career, which ended in a short playoff run with EC Salzburg of the ICEHL in 2020-21.
Jeremy Davies
In short
A 7th round pick who after earning some hype with a stellar college career, became part of the P.K. Subban trade and played in 23 NHL games to date.
In long
The Nashville Predators actually got more usage out of Jeremy Davies than they did the more-established defender in the deal, Steven Santini. Davies suited up 22 games for the Predators over two seasons, while Santini only played two games in Nashville before signing with the St. Louis Blues. Davies’s career is still ongoing and overall, despite his limited call-ups, the 7th rounder must be considered a successful pick as most players drafted there do not make it to the NHL.
Final Thoughts
Now it is time to tell us what you think. Should I do more articles like this as summer rolls on? Give me your thoughts in the comments below.