Penguins forward prospect Luke Devlin reaches for NHL
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This spring, Luke Devlin had something of an offseason job, albeit temporarily.
Ambulance driver.
A native of Toronto, Devlin had to help his father, Toronto Raptors television play-by-play broadcaster Matt Devlin, get to the hospital after a mishap.
“It was an early morning, me and my brother (Ian) were getting ready to fly out to Vancouver to train,” Luke Devlin said. “I woke up to some sounds of pain and frustration from the basement. Me and my brother rushed down there and helped. Luckily, we were able to get some help right away. He dropped a 35-pound metal plate on his foot. He was ripping the bench press, and it unfortunately took a wrong turn. We got him to the hospital, and he’s doing much better now. He’s got about two-and-a-half, three more weeks until he can walk again. Just put some more weight on the foot and test it out.
“He’s getting better spirits. He’s been motoring around on the scooter in the house.”
Luke Devlin’s spirits are usually high. The Pittsburgh Penguins center prospect almost never speaks without punctuating each sentence with a smile. He even grinned a bit while discussing the 2022-23 season with the West Kelowna Warriors of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) while offering a frank critique of his junior team’s overall play.
“We underachieved a little bit,” said Devlin, an attendee of the Penguins’ recent development camp in Cranberry. “We had a good enough roster to make a little bit of a playoff run. We battled some injuries, but so is everybody at that time of the year. It was unfortunate that we came up short in the end. But overall, I really like the team.”
Individually, Devlin appeared in 51 games and scored 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists).
Moving into the 2023-24 season, Devlin, 19, will be joining a new team at the NCAA level, Cornell.
“I went on a visit in January of 2020,” said Devlin, a left-handed shot. “I just loved it. It was great getting to see the fans and everything. They have an incredible fan base. The campus and the school speak for itself. Combining all of that as well as the storied hockey program, the coaches and their interest level, it really became a no-brainer for me and my family.”
There are plenty of brains in Devlin’s family. Ian Devlin will suit up for Princeton next season. Father Matt is a graduate of Boston College, and mother Erin is an alumnus of Marquette. Maternal grandfather Ed Conroy was a college basketball player at St. Ambrose.
And perhaps most profoundly, brother Jack is a graduate of Iowa’s REACH (Realizing Educational and Career Hopes) program, which “is a comprehensive transition program for students ages 18 (to) 25 years old with intellectual, cognitive and learning disabilities,” according to the school.
Education is clearly important in the Devlin household.
“It’s definitely instilled as a family value for us,” Luke Devlin said. “It goes back to our grandparents. It’s just kind of passed down. Everyone puts a big value on education. It’s awesome me and my brother are able to play hockey while getting a great education as well. It’s really just the perfect situation. We’re super grateful for the opportunities. We can’t thank our parents enough for instilling that in us at a young age.”
Devlin was a sixth-round selection (No. 182 overall) of the Penguins in the 2022 NHL Draft. And as a late-round pick, he has a ways to go before he can graduate to the professional game.
The potential is there, but it is raw.
“That’s a good word for it,” Penguins director of player development Tom Kostopoulos said. “He’s big, he skates well, he’s powerful. I think just fine-tuning some things in his game. I love his demeanor and his work ethic. He wants to be a player, and he’s working hard at it.”
At 6-foot-3 and 187 pounds, Devlin’s physical attributes are clear to the naked eye. Blessed with long limbs, he has an impressive wingspan.
“It’s big …. to have that size and strength on the puck and the reach that he has, as he’s learning to use his body more down low and in the corners and taking pucks to the net,” Kostopoulos said. “One of the themes in camp was taking the puck to the back post, and he did it in (Monday’s) scrimmage. He just shifted the (defenseman) over and put him on his back and drove the back post and almost scored.”
Having size is one thing. Strength is another.
That’s where former Penguins power forward-turned personal trainer Gary Roberts steps in.
The cult hero for his exploits with the Penguins in the late 2000s works with a wide spectrum of clients from established superstars such as Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos to prospects looking for an avenue to the NHL like Devlin in the Toronto area.
“He’s incredible,” Devlin said. “He’s super motivating. He just loves it. He just loves being there. He just loves being around you. I love talking to him. Just kind of the wisdom you gain from him when you talk to him, it’s awesome. He gets you fired up. He gets everyone in the gym ready to go and dialed in. It’s really just a perfect spot.”
It remains to be seen what Devlin’s spot will be in the NHL if he gets there. But he has a firm idea on what kind of game he needs to offer in order to get there.
“I think I’m still growing and developing,” Devlin said. “I’m not near a finished product just yet. I’m just trying to hone in on that power forward type of game. Can just use my skating and just use my size to create offense, be reliable defensively and use that power aspect of my game to help teams win.”