Devils sign coveted college free agent Wendt

The New Jersey Devils signed one of the top college free agents Thursday, with Western Michigan forward Dylan Wendt joining them on a two-year contract.

Wendt will initially join the Utica Comets, the Devils’ AHL affiliate, on an AHL amateur tryout for the remainder of the season. His two-year entry-level deal with the Devils will start in the 2024-25 campaign.

Entering this season, Wendt had combined to score 10 goals and 25 points in 73 career games at WMU. He broke through to become one of WMU’s strongest players and, in the process, one of the nation’s top 10 goal scorers.

The 23-year-old finished the season with 23 goals and 44 points in 38 games. Wendt led WMU with nine power-play goals and four-game winning goals. He also led the nation in shooting percentage with a success rate of 26.1%.

Wendt’s individual transformation also played an instrumental role in WMU taking the next step under third-year coach Pat Ferschweiler. WMU (21-16-1) reached its third consecutive NCAA Division I men’s tournament, which is the longest streak in program history. It’s also the first time WMU has reached the tournament in three straight seasons.

Wendt had an assist in WMU’s opening-round game that it would eventually lose to top-seeded Michigan State in overtime in the regional semifinal of the Midwest Region.