Ty Smith

In a season in which virtually every Devil played poorly, Smith, a rookie, was arguably New Jersey's best and most consistent player all year long. Smith posted two goals and 23 points in 48 games, including seven power-play points. He was calm and cool under pressure and almost always made the correct decision with the puck on his stick. Smith's minus-nine plus-minus rating was more indicative of poor goaltending and the lack of talent around him than anything else. The 21-year-old is going to be a cornerstone piece for the Devils for many years to come, but the addition of Dougie Hamilton as an unrestricted free agent will almost certainly limit Smith's time with the man advantage in 2021-22. Fantasy managers who pencil Smith in for roughly 35-40 points should come away happy with their investment.

Smith's a high-upside defensive prospect who has exceeded a point per game in each of the last three seasons with the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL. New Jersey's first-round selection from the 2018 draft may require some AHL seasoning, but given the team's lack of options on the blue line, it wouldn't be surprising to see Smith make the jump straight to the NHL level. Power-play ice time is likely in Smith's future, but New Jersey has a dearth of playmakers up front and may opt to bring him along slowly, limiting his short-term appeal.

Smith has put up video game numbers for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL, with 142 points in 126 games over the past two seasons. The offensively gifted blueliner was New Jersey's first-round selection (17th overall) in 2018, and Smith has a bright NHL future in front of him if his WHL scoring is any indication. That said, it's hard to imagine him making the leap straight from junior hockey to the NHL, so expect Smith to start his pro career with AHL Binghamton.