CRANBERRY, Pa. -- The Penguins' sixth-round draft choice, Luke Devlin (6-foot-2, 185 pounds) isn't the biggest skater at development camp this week. A handful of skaters are taller and weigh more, but nobody's physical presence was more visibly apparent than Devlin's on Day 1 of camp at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
Granted, the Penguins spent a significant chunk of Day 1 by having each skater take turns sprinting down the ice with a cable attached to their backs over and over again, so it was hard to take away much of anything regarding the players, but when small-area drills and pucks became involved, Devlin's physical edge was hard to miss.
His physicality might have been so noticeable because, among a group of young players hoping to showcase skill to the coaching staff, he was seeking out body contact and was the one to initiate it more often than not.
See for yourself, courtesy of a three-on-three drill where the objective was to pass or skate with the puck through the makeshift gates at each faceoff circle and in the high slot. Devlin is the one donning a yellow No. 13 jersey:
He wasn't recklessly seeking contact, either. There was a very calculated aggressiveness to his approach, hounding the puck-carrier before using his long reach to poke check while giving them a shove or throwing a shoulder into them. How that will translate to full-ice game action remains to be seen, but it's encouraging to see a player with that physical edge also move around as well as Devlin showcased on Sunday.
"I think I’m a 200-foot power-forward. I definitely like to play physical and I enjoy that element of the game," Devlin said when I asked him how he would describe himself as a player.
That lines up well with what Penguins director of amateur scouting, Nick Pryor, had to say about Devlin's game. He cited Devlin's mobility for a bigger guy, as well as his compete level and commitment to playing in his own end.
"I like to use my size to protect the puck, and I think in tight in those small areas I can use my size and my skill to finish some plays, as well," Devlin said. "I definitely like to use my speed and physicality to my advantage. Those are probably two of my biggest assets."
As much as his physical style is his calling-card for now, Devlin appears to possess a decent shot and some soft hands. When drills shifted to odd-man rushes, Devlin scored several times in which the goaltender seemed to have him squared up. He also had a gorgeous cross-ice pass between a defender's legs and right to the blade of his linemate crashing the back post. The puck was tapped in with ease.
Devlin couldn't help but start smiling before I made it all the way through sharing my observation of his skill.
"I was fortunate that since I wasn’t really always that tall, I always had to work on my skating and my skills a little bit, so I think once I grew, I was able to kind of maintain a lot of that."
Still, burying a couple of pucks and getting involved physically on the first day of camp solidifies absolutely nothing regarding his future, and he's well aware he has plenty of work to do to reach his ultimate goal of becoming an NHLer as a sixth round pick.
"Going forward, I obviously got tons of work if I wanna make it to the next level, which I’m totally aware of," he responded when I asked what it will take for him to reach his dream. "I think just increasing everything, working on my strength, skill and all that."
Regardless of what happens down the line, Devlin is soaking in the experience and understands how incredibly rare of an opportunity he's been given. The tone of his voice suggested he's eager to put the work in.
"I’m super grateful to be drafted. No matter what round, I think it’s a really special accomplishment and one I don’t take for granted."
