As New Jersey Devils Public Address Announcer Adam Hamway announced the in-game Dessert Race from his booth at the top of Prudential Center on Friday night, down below on the ice was Colton White skating small laps near his team's bench.
In the nine games he has appeared in for the Devils this season, you can count on the 28-year-old to take advantage of every TV timeout, jumping over the boards for a quick skate to keep his mind in the game and his focus sharp.
Since being called up on Nov. 05, White has averaged 11:58 of ice time, serving as a depth defenseman. His minutes are limited, but that doesn't mean they are easy, as any player or coach can speak to the challenges of waiting long periods in between shifts.
"It is extremely hard to play (limited minutes)," Andy Greene previously told The Hockey News. "They are sitting there for 15 minutes at a time, and all of a sudden they get their shift, and it is, 'Oh my God, what do I do?'
"The guys that can do that and can figure it out, they are usually always around," Greene continued. "There is always a job for them."
Understanding the disadvantages and struggles of filling a depth role makes White's numbers even more impressive.
In many defensive-zone metrics, White's numbers rank first or second among the Devils' defense. Of course, it is a small sample size, but he is playing hard minutes. With the team on the road, he is not getting the desired matchups. He has played with multiple defensive partners, including Dennis Cholowski, Brenden Dillon, and Simon Nemec. He has also spent most of his time playing on his off-side. It is for these reasons that MSG Networks Devils Analyst Bryce Salvador has called White's contributions invaluable.
A Long-Awaited Return To The NHL
940 days.
It took 940 days of commitment, hard work, persistence, and having the right attitude to lead White to this moment and opportunity.
After a short stint with the Anaheim Ducks organization, White contacted the Devils and showed interest in returning to the organization that drafted him in 2015. In July 2024, he signed a two-year, two-way contract, reuniting him with the Devils. In the first year of his contract, he spent the season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Utica Comets. He was quickly named an alternate captain, getting an 'A' stitched to the front of his jersey, an honor he has this season as well.
Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon had a simple message for White: if he was going to be with the Comets, he needed to take hold and own that leadership and mentor role, not just for the younger defensemen, but for every player in that room.
Well, he has done that in spades. His teammates will be the first to tell you that White is among the first to congratulate someone on a call-up or check in to see how they are doing. One player he specifically took under his wing was defenseman Seamus Casey, who began his professional career last season.
"(White) is the best," Casey previously told The Hockey News. "He is such a good person, first and foremost. I think he is definitely someone who constantly looks out for me here. One of my favorite guys that I have played with, for sure."
Even during this current stint with the Devils, White is keeping a close eye on the Comets. In addition to checking the box scores, he is keeping in contact with those in Utica.
"When I am with New Jersey, I keep track of how the team is doing, and I talk to a lot of the guys, some almost every day," White told The Hockey News. "It is asking how games are, but also seeing how things are going with them off the ice as well."
Part of what makes him a favorite among his teammates is his approach and positive energy, regardless of where the team is in the standings.
"His attitude day in and day out is always incredible," Casey said. "When things are going good for the team or if they are going bad, he has got that unwavering positivity, and his work ethic matches it and his consistency. It is no surprise he is thriving in an NHL lineup."
Doing What Is Asked
When the organization recalled White, Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe knew precisely what type of defenseman he would be inserting into this lineup, as he first met White when he was a teenager.
"He is a more mature version of who I have always known," head coach Sheldon Keefe said. "I coached him as a 16-year-old kid coming into junior hockey. And at that time, you really appreciated his demeanor. He is a very genuine person, works hard, is a good teammate, and has a good skill set-a broad skill set. I don't think he's ever had one thing that he has really latched onto. He is good at a lot of things. A very solid defenseman. He can skate, move the puck, but is also smart enough to defend. And again, that's what we need from him here."
The thing with White is that he is not a flashy player; most of his contributions won't show up on a stats sheet or scoreboard. Still, he has received praise from those around the game, from Keefe to goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who, when asked explicitly about Simon Nemec's performance post-game, also said that White is not getting enough credit for his contributions.
The question becomes: what is it about White's game that does not necessarily get recognized by fans but is praised by those around the game?
"He is such a good skater and plays with a lot of skill, but also plays a very smart and patient game and rarely makes mistakes," Casey explained. "Guys will always appreciate someone who is a constant driver of the puck, making their jobs easier. He can play pretty much every role on the backend as well."
"He puts a lot of value in the defensive side (of the game), but when you put him in the position where he gets a call-up, he knows exactly what he needs to do to stay and be impactful for the team," Comets' head coach Ryan Parent said. "He essentially puts all of his focus into making sure he's sharp on all those details. That is what his priority is. That is what he believes he has to do to help the team out. It is about the way you are preparing for the game and what your expectations of a good game are."
One person who has been an asset to White is Devils' assistant coach Brad Shaw, who has given the Ontario native attention he didn't necessarily get in the past.
"Brad has been really helpful," he said. "He is very detailed, always communicates, and is very patient with me. In games, practice days, or video sessions, he takes his time with everyone, and that is something I haven't had before, usually being the extra defenseman. Just little tidbits of information to help my game and play to my strengths."
Any Day In The NHL Is A Good Day
White is usually one of the last players off the ice on practice days, and among the first to arrive on game days. Not a participant in the team's overly competitive sewer ball game, he opts to find a quiet place to go through his own routine before he hits the ice for warmups wearing no. 45.
A quiet and polite individual, White will never be the center of attention, nor is that something he strives for. Being a good teammate and a good person is enough, and for now, he is just soaking in the moment, his return to the NHL.
"Any day in the NHL is a good day," he said. "It is a privilege to be here. It takes a lot of work to stay here. I am just doing my best day-by-day, whether it's in a practice or in a game, just doing what's asked of me and try to contribute any way I can."
It is unclear how long White will remain with the Devils, but two things are clear. The first, is he has done an excellent job playing hard minutes. The second, he is valued and respected by those around him in both the AHL and NHL.
"At the end of the day, everyone wants to get to the NHL; that is everyone's dream," Angus Crookshank said. "He deserves to be up there, and I couldn't be happier for him, seeing the success he is having."
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