Seamus Casey (ice hockey) explained

Seamus Casey
Birth Date:8 January 2004
Birth Place:Miami, Florida, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:10
Weight Lb:180
Position:Defense
Shoots:Right
League:NHL
Team:New Jersey Devils
Prospect League:AHL
Draft:46th overall
Draft Year:2022
Draft Team:New Jersey Devils

Seamus Casey (born January 8, 2004) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the second round, 46th overall, by the Devils in the 2022 NHL entry draft.

Early life

Casey was born in Miami on January 8, 2004, to Steve and Karen Casey. When he was around the age of five the family moved to Fort Myers, Florida, where he met now-Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Gavin Brindley, who became a close friend and with whom he would play youth, junior, and collegiate ice hockey.[1]

At twelve, Casey moved to Detroit to play for the Compuware Youth Hockey AAA program.

Playing career

Casey was scouted by the University of Michigan while playing for Compuware, at a game in which he was moved to forward due to injuries. He committed to Michigan in October 2018.[2]

Casey was drafted by the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), but elected instead to play for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP). Had he chose to enter the OHL, he would have voided his NCAA eligibility.[3]

In the 2020–21 season with the NTDP, Casey's 36 points and 28 assists in 48 games ranked first among U17 team defensemen.[4]

Returning to the NTDP for the 2021–22 season, he scored 33 points in 48 games, second among defensemen on the U18 team behind Lane Hutson.[5] He was chosen as one of the top draft-eligible junior players in the United States to attend the 2023 USA Hockey All-American Game. After the season, he was selected in the second round of the 2022 NHL entry draft, 46th overall by the New Jersey Devils, the team he supported as a child.[6]

Making good on his commitment to Michigan, Casey joined fellow Devils draftees Luke Hughes and Ethan Edwards on the Wolverines for the 2022–23 season.[7] He scored a respectable 29 points in 37 games, second to Hughes among Michigan defensemen, and played one game at center, an exhibition match against the NTDP in which he had two goals and an assist. Michigan won the Big Ten Conference, but lost in the semifinals of the 2023 Frozen Four to the eventual champions, Quinnipiac University.[8]

In his sophomore season, the 2023–24 season, Casey recorded seven goals and 45 points in 39 games, earning All-Big Ten First Team and First Team All-American honors. For the second straight year, Michigan won the Big Ten only to be eliminated in the Frozen Four semifinals by Boston College.[9]

Casey turned professional on May 6, 2024, after signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils.[10]

International play

In his lone under-18 tournament appearance, Casey represented the United States at the 2022 IIHF World U18 Championships, scoring six points in as many games.[11]

Casey traveled with Team USA to the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, but did not dress for any games. Michigan teammate and fellow Devils draftee Luke Hughes also attended the tournament.[12] The following year, however, at the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he would be rostered,[13] and would record six assists in six games en route to a gold medal. He missed one game due to illness.[14]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
2020–21U.S. National Development TeamUSHL30 2 18 20 8
2021–22U.S. National Development TeamUSHL17 3 10 13 14
2022–23University of MichiganB1G37 8 21 29 9
2023–24University of MichiganB1G40 7 38 45 14
B1G totals77 15 59 74 23

International

YearTeamEventResultGP G A Pts PIM
2022United StatesU186 3 3 6 2
2024United StatesWJC6 0 6 6 2
Junior totals12 3 9 12 4

Awards and honors

AwardYearRef
College
All-Big Ten Freshman Team2023[15]
Big Ten All-Tournament Team2023, 2024[16]
All-Big Ten First Team2024[17]
AHCA West First Team All-American2024[18]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kingsley . Noah . 2022-12-22 . Michigan the latest step in Gavin Brindley, Seamus Casey journeys . 2023-11-08 . The Michigan Daily . en-US.
  2. Web site: Staff . MiHockey . 2018-10-28 . Recruiting: Seamus Casey commits to Michigan . 2023-11-04 . MiHockey.com.
  3. Web site: Baumgartner . Alex . 2020-08-29 . Seamus Casey's journey from Estero, Florida to the US National Team . 2023-11-25 . Intermission Sports . en.
  4. Web site: Elite Prospects – NTDP Stats 2020–2021 . 2023-11-04 . eliteprospects.com.
  5. Web site: Elite Prospects – NTDP Stats 2021–2022 . 2023-11-04 . eliteprospects.com.
  6. Web site: Amoia . Daniel . 2023-07-26 . Devils' Prospect Seamus Casey Should Switch to Forward . 2023-11-04 . The Hockey Writers.
  7. Web site: Zuke . Ryan . 2022-07-08 . Michigan hockey signee Seamus Casey picked in second round of NHL draft . 2023-11-04 . MLive.com.
  8. Web site: Season Ends for Michigan After Frozen Four Loss to Quinnipiac . 2023-11-04 . MGobBlue.com.
  9. Web site: Gaudio . Julian . Two Devils Prospects Eliminated In The Frozen Four; Charlie Leddy Advances To National Championship Game . thehockeynews.com . The Hockey News . April 12, 2024 . April 11, 2024.
  10. Web site: Casey Signs Entry-Level Contract . nhl.com . New Jersey Devils . May 6, 2024 . May 6, 2024.
  11. Web site: Seamus Casey at eliteprospects.com . 2023-11-04 . eliteprospects.com.
  12. Web site: 2023-11-04 . 2023 World Junior Championship rosters NHL.com . 2023-11-04 . NHL.com.
  13. Web site: Earegood . Connor . USA balancing risk and reward with Buium-Casey defense pairing . thehockeynews.com . The Hockey News . March 19, 2024 . December 19, 2023.
  14. Web site: Nichols . James . Devils Seamus Casey, Team USA Win Gold at World Junior Championship . newjerseyhockeynow.com . New Jersey Hockey Now . January 5, 2024 . January 5, 2024.
  15. Web site: Seamus Casey . mgoblue.com . University of Michigan . March 19, 2024.
  16. Web site: 2024 Big Ten Hockey Tournament All-Tournament Team . https://web.archive.org/web/20240324040233/https://bigten.org/documents/2024/3/23//All_Tournament_Team.pdf?id=9888 . dead . March 24, 2024 . BigTen.org . Big Ten Conference . March 23, 2024 . March 23, 2024.
  17. Web site: Big Ten Conference Announces Hockey Postseason Awards . https://web.archive.org/web/20240319162317/https://bigten.org/news/2024/3/14/mens-ice-hockey-big-ten-conference-announces-hockey-postseason-awards.aspx . dead . March 19, 2024 . BigTen.org . . March 19, 2024 . March 19, 2024.
  18. Web site: 2024 All-American Teams . ahcahockey.com . . April 12, 2024.