RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesNEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 7 : Lenni Hameenaho #29 of the New Jersey Devils warms up before the NHL regular season game against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Prudential Center on April 7, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
Lenni Hameenaho had quite the season for his first campaign in North America in 2025-26. Starting the season in the AHL with the Utica Comets, Hameenaho initially got off to a slow start with no points in his first nine games. He would come on strong after an that initial adjustment period to post 22 points in his next 25 games, earning himself a spot in the NHL for much of the remainder of the Devils’ season. His 33 NHL appearances would see him post just eight points (two goals and six assists) while mostly being used in the Bottom Six. The Devils would send Lenni back down for the final push for the Comets to make the postseason; while they came up just short, Hameenaho contibuted four points in those three games.
2025-26 was a good start for a 21 year old rookie; while you might be disappointed in his NHL point totals, keep in mind his deployment, He was typically playing on the fourth line with little to no time on special teams. He wasn’t consistently put with teammates who could help him generate offense. He did make a number of mistakes as young players often do, but by the end of the season I would argue Hameenaho was a more complete player in game 33 in New Jersey than he was in game one. This upcoming season will be a good opportunity for him to take another step forward. The only question has to be where in the organization will that be?
For 2026-27, the Devils have added to their forward depth, so much so that if Hameenaho were to be on the NHL roster alongside everyone else listed on PuckPedia, he would be one of 14 forwards. While the Devils carried 14 forwards for a portion of last season, I don’t think the argument could be made that all of them belonged at the NHL level. This season, while you could argue their role and deployment, each of the other 13 forwards is at least an NHL player. The Devils are trying to ensure future success, but also want to win now; if there’s players better than Lenni, that means 12 other Devils will be on the ice nightly, and at the same time you don’t want one of your better prospects sitting in the press box on a nightly or almost nightly basis. So is Hameenaho destined for a full season with Utica?
I think a lot of it is going to depend on how much he’s learned from last season and what he has done this summer. If Lenni spent the offseason looking over game footage, furthering his understanding of Sheldon Keefe’s system, adding muscle to his frame and continuing to improve his skills, then there’s a chance he could leap over a number of the lower tier Devils forwards and work his way onto the opening night roster. If that were the case, then the Devils would probably have to send a goaltender or fringe forward down, but hey, would the Devils really be that much worse without one of Nico Daws/David Rittich or Jesper Boqvist/Nick Bjugstad?
Conversely, Hameenaho is still a very young player, as he will just be turning 22 shortly into the upcoming season. It wouldn’t be a bad thing if the Devils could afford to let him simmer in the minors for a full season with hopes for him to dominate the competition there. If he does so, or even if he just proves himself to be a strong contributor at that level, then with a number of Devils set to hit free agency after 2026-27, Lenni might have an easier path to be an every night player in New Jersey come 2027-28.
As I said before, I think where Lenni Hameenaho winds up for 2026-27 depends upon what his summer looked like and how he performs in training camp. He will have every chance to retain his spot from last season, but if the numbers game looks to relegate him to the Bottom Six again, perhaps Utica is the best option for him with his game. This would also allow the Devils to not only have him as an injury call-up, but also to hopefully strengthen his development and have him be an impact player upon his return to Jersey.
What are your thoughts on Lenni Hameenaho for 2026-27; do you feel he most likely winds up a season long Comet? Do you think he will have improved enough to beat out a number of players for an opening night roster spot? Are you hopeful that Utica can actually help him in his development if he ends up there? Is it most likely Lenni becomes a full time Devil next season rather than this upcoming one? Leave any and all comments down below and thanks as always for reading!
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