The New Jersey Devils are loaded with talented defensemen. Prospect Topias Vilen has stepped up his game on his journey to the NHL. John Marino had a fantastic season with the Devils in 2022-23. What do Vilen and Marino have in common? Plenty. One is a shutdown defenseman, and the other strives to be one in due time.
Sometimes, NHL teams find a hidden gem in the later rounds of the NHL Draft. In the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Devils drafted Vilen 129th overall. The following year, he signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Devils.