Devils Recall Lenni Hämeenaho, Assign Colton White to Utica

The New Jersey Devils announced Saturday that forward Lenni Hämeenaho has been recalled from the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League. The move is the first NHL recall of Hämeenaho’s career. To open a roster spot, the Devils assigned defenseman Colton White to Utica after he cleared waivers earlier in the day.

Hämeenaho is in his first season playing in North America. The 21-year-old from Finland leads the Utica Comets with 21 points and is tied for the team lead in goals with nine, alongside Brian Halonen. His scoring totals include two power-play goals and one short-handed goal.

The recall follows an extended stretch of production after a slow start. Hämeenaho went without a point in his first nine AHL games. Since that span, he has recorded all nine of his goals over his last 23 games. Through 33 games this season, he has added 12 assists to go with those goals.

The Devils entered the weekend as the healthiest they have been during the season, while still managing individual absences. Ondrej Palat was listed as uncertain to play due to illness. Zack MacEwen was ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Stefan Noesen was also sidelined with a knee injury, and Marc McLaughlin was unavailable with an undisclosed issue.

New Jersey’s upcoming road game in Edmonton has positioned the team as an underdog in sportsbook pricing. Moneyline odds across major sportsbooks listed the Devils between +125 and +140, with the Oilers priced between -152 and -170. The puck line was set at Devils +1.5, with prices varying by book, while the total was posted at 6.5 goals. Betting splits showed the majority of tickets backing Edmonton. No player props were listed for the matchup on comparison boards at the time.

The Devils’ recent results have factored into the context surrounding the recall. New Jersey lost 4–1 to Carolina in Newark on Saturday night. Andrei Svechnikov scored a hat trick in that game, with Sebastian Aho assisting on all three goals. Frederik Andersen made 29 saves for Carolina. Jacob Markstrom stopped 31 shots for New Jersey. Timo Meier scored the Devils’ lone goal early in the third period, ending his six-game goal drought and snapping a Devils power-play drought against Carolina that had reached 27 opportunities.

New Jersey ranks 26th in the NHL with an average of 2.62 goals per game. The club has indicated an interest in adding a forward ahead of the NHL trade deadline, while internal options have continued to develop.

Hämeenaho was selected by the Devils in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft, 58th overall, and was New Jersey’s first pick of that draft. Following his selection, he remained in Finland and played in Liiga with Ässät. During the 2022–23 season, he recorded 20 goals and 31 assists in 58 games, finishing 15th in league scoring. He frequently wore the chrome helmet awarded to the team’s leading scorer. His performance led to the signing of his entry-level contract with the Devils in May.

Colton White’s assignment to Utica comes after an extended stint with New Jersey. The 28-year-old defenseman appeared in 23 games this season, recording four assists and averaging 12:15 of ice time per game. This season was his first NHL action since the 2022–23 campaign, when he played with Anaheim. With the Devils back to full health on defense, White returned to Utica, where he is expected to play a larger role.