Somebody has to stay at home and protect the front of the net, right? Santini's ability to do that is what earned him his shot in the NHL.

A shutdown defenseman who makes good use of his size and strength, Santini (6-foot-2, 207 pounds) first drew the attention of NHL scouts after he joined USA Hockey's National Team Development Program in 2011.

He helped the United States claim win a silver medal at the 2012 Under-17 World Hockey Challenge and was named the best defenseman at the 2013 Under-18 World Championship, where he had a plus-eight rating in seven games and the United States won silver.

Those accomplishments prompted the Devils to spend their second-round pick (No. 42) in the 2013 NHL Draft on Santini, who headed to Boston College for the start of the 2013-14 season rather than turn pro. Santini immediately stepped into a top-four role with the Eagles, furthering his reputation as a hard hitter and sound defensive player and earning a spot on the Hockey East All-Rookie Team.

During his third and final season at Boston College in 2015-16, the Mahopac, N.Y., native was named the best defensive defenseman in Hockey East. He signed with the Devils on April 8, 2016, and made his NHL debut the next day in a 5-1 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, finishing with a plus-two rating.