Devils tab Quinn McKenzie at No. 222, banking on a playmaking center for the long run

The New Jersey Devils added another offensive-minded piece to their prospect pool on June 27, selecting Quinn McKenzie at 222nd overall in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The pick, described in draft coverage as part of a Colorado-acquired asset, points to the Devils continuing to search for puck-moving forwards who can develop into middle-of-the-lineup contributors over time.

McKenzie’s draft profile has been built around production and repeatable two-way habits in junior hockey. According to the draft write-up that reported the selection, he is a right-handed center listed at 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds. In the 2025-26 regular season with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, he recorded 21 goals and 30 assists in 65 games, a line that reflects both scoring touch and the ability to contribute as a setup man.

The same account also ties McKenzie’s value to his performance in the postseason. He logged five goals and seven points in 10 playoff games for Soo, which suggests he was able to translate his role to higher-leverage hockey, even if his minutes and usage are not framed as top-line everywhere. For a late pick, the Devils are often looking for players who can keep growing physically and tactically, then earn a bigger share of offensive responsibility.

One of the central development themes with McKenzie is how his game fits the kind of modern center play that NHL teams want. The draft coverage described his skill set as strong in passing and defensive elements, referencing a prospect-tracking framework associated with “CHL tracking project” evaluations. While those are not official NHL scouting reports, the mention of both defensive and passing grades helps explain why a team might target a smaller center later in the draft rather than only chasing size early.

The selection also carries a clear college and timetable component. The reporting stated that McKenzie will be playing for the Penn State Nittany Lions in 2026-27. That matters for roster planning because it indicates New Jersey does not need him immediately inside its professional system, but can instead let him refine his game against high-level competition in the NCAA while continuing to develop strength, positioning, and decision-making at center.

For the Devils, the choice can be read as a bet on upside rather than a near-term fix. Late-round picks are typically where organizations take calculated chances on players who may have slipped down draft boards for reasons such as perceived physical constraints or uneven scouting attention. In McKenzie’s case, the coverage explicitly raised the idea that size might have played a role in how far he fell, which is the kind of draft dynamic teams sometimes turn into an advantage if they believe the underlying skills will translate.

The immediate next step for this pick will be McKenzie’s transition to Penn State and his ability to handle a full college season while maintaining the offensive instincts shown in the OHL. Over the coming months, the key questions will be whether his passing and defensive reads hold up against more sophisticated matchups in the NCAA, and whether his scoring production can scale as he settles into his role with the Nittany Lions. For New Jersey, that development track will determine whether the 222nd selection becomes a deeper forward option and, eventually, a candidate for NHL consideration.