Unfortunately, after presumably taking a massive step in his D+1 year, Filmon’s game has fizzled out spectacularly. It may be a lack of confidence after taking a step backward in the WHL, but he has failed to produce a point in his AHL tenure and often looked lost with the Adirondack Thunder in the ECHL. He gets bullied off the puck far too frequently for a 6-1 forward and desperately needs to bulk up if he wants that to change. His shot is still a threat, especially from the perspective of a passenger on the rush. He can easily handle a quick pass in odd-man situations and quickly release a well-placed shot. He can get into open space well in the zone and get shots off from the slot. Outside of his size, which he must fill out, his skating presents as an issue. He has the top speed to compete, but his acceleration and agility are lacking. This presents a problem in transition, where he is much better off as the passenger than the puck carrier. Defensively, he is relatively irresponsible, which is expected from an offense-first player, but he must improve should he wish to fulfill his dream of playing in the big leagues.

Filmon took a slight step back this past season. A year after scoring 47 goals, Filmon dropped to 27 and went from 75 to 67 points—a positive, seven goals in nine playoff games. Filmon played more like a playmaker this season, which explains the decrease in production. He’ll spend next season in the AHL with Utica, where you hope he can balance both scoring and playmaking effectively.

The Devils may have found a legitimate diamond in the rough in 2022 sixth-round pick Josh Filmon. The Swift Current Broncos Forward likely surprised many with a breakout offensive year, scoring 47 Goals and 75 Points in 64 Games, his Goal tally good for 4th in the WHL. Filmon has begun solidifying his all-around game, getting better at using his size (6’2) to win physical matchups. Already given a four-game look with AHL Utica, Filmon managed a Goal and looked solid against pro competition, and can only get better and bulk up even more. If his defensive growth can come the same way his offense did this year, he may become one of New Jersey’s best prospects. – Austin Kelly

The Devils’ addition of Filmon with their sixth-round pick is promising, as the prospect needs some work but displays some solid foundations on all fronts. Tall, skilled, and intelligent, Filmon’s speed and overall execution need to improve, but with some weight to put on and some good reads to his name, Filmon should be able to improve upon his 23-goal, 45-point season in the WHL and steadily climb the league’s scoring ranks over his tenure. Expect him to take two more Junior years before joining the Devils’ AHL system and working his way up.

The New Jersey Devils have selected Filmon in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL draft, 166th overall.