There are 48 days until the New Jersey Devils drop the puck on a new season. In honor of the countdown, it’s fitting to highlight No. 48 himself—left winger Brian Halonen.
Halonen’s journey hasn’t been the traditional NHL path. Undrafted out of college, the 26-year-old forward signed with New Jersey as a free agent on March 28, 2022, after four standout seasons at Michigan Tech. He began his pro career in Utica with the Devils’ AHL affiliate, where he’s developed into one of the Comets’ most reliable offensive weapons.
At 6 feet tall and on a two-year, $1.55 million contract, Halonen has split time between the NHL and AHL. Over the past two seasons, he’s appeared in four games for New Jersey, logging 11:06 of total ice time. The bulk of his work, though, has come in the AHL—where last year he put together his best professional season yet: 62 games, 27 goals, 13 assists, and 40 points. That performance earned him the Comets’ Team MVP Award for 2024–25.
Despite his success in Utica, Halonen has yet to earn a meaningful NHL opportunity. Injuries to Jack Hughes, Curtis Lazar, and Nathan Bastian last season forced the Devils to dip into their depth, calling up players like Nolan Foote and Justin Dowling—but Halonen never got the call.
That decision is puzzling, given the Devils’ need for secondary scoring and the winger’s proven ability to produce. For a team that has repeatedly relied on its AHL depth to weather mid-season injuries, Halonen remains an underutilized option.
With just 48 days left until puck drop, perhaps this is the year New Jersey finally leans on Halonen. His scoring touch and steady play could make him exactly the type of depth piece the Devils need.
So why not Halonen?
