Prospect Info: 2020 Devils-Centric Mock Draft, Conference Finals Edition

[Ripshot 43]

@StevenToddIves

At 7, the only forwards I would want ahead of Rossi are the top 3 on everyone’s boards (maybe even over Stutzle just because I admittedly haven’t seen as much video of him).

At 18, I love your Mercer pick. If Schnieder or Askarov were available, I would be hard pressed to pass on either, even if we ended up with Drysdale or Sanderson at 7. I don’t think this will be a year where the 1st goalie taken falls to the late 1st because there are a few teams with multiple 1st before the late 1st and I think teams targeting a goalie know they can’t trade back into the late 1st to snag Askarov. For us, I would love to have that stud goalie prospect in the system that we can’t let marinade for a few years.

At 20, I was thinking the same thing as you interns of Gunler or Holloway. I may lean towards Gunler as well to take the guy who may end up putting it all together and becoming a mainstay on our offense. Your write ups of Holloway in the past have made me fall for him (in a hockey love kindve way). He sounds like a better version of our Anderson. Maybe a Foote type big body (not as good of a shot) but a player who can hang with top 6 skilled guys but not drive the play on his line. Am I far off in my thinking of Holloway here?

 

[Nicomo Cosca]

Well, my choice at #7 came down to Raymond vs. Rossi. The common perception is that Raymond has greater upside, but I'd say that's specific to scoring. I'd prefer an 80+ point guy who can absolutely excel whether his role is to defend, play PK minutes, play center or wing and muck it up to a 90+ point winger who has a solid 200-foot game but is mostly out there to score.

Ultimately, I think the Devils familiarity with Rossi will also play a part. Everything I have heard about Rossi's character and work ethic is exceptional. I don't think the Devils pass on him unless a defenseman is also available alongside him at #7.

I know there’s the obvious 67’s connection, but I’ve also heard Nico and Rossi know each other? They played for the same coach in Switzerland, but did they ever play together? Their ages don’t seem to match up for that to have been the case.

 

[beekay414]

I'd be so mad if we missed out on Perreault.

 

[glenwo2]

Look, I'm a big fan of Raymond, but there's no argument I will accept that he's better than Rossi in any aspect of the game except offense, and even there it's closer than many think. Raymond is a significantly better skater -- which is saying a lot, because Rossi has become a very good skater. Raymond has better hands and vision, but these categories are extremely close. Rossi is a better shooter, but again Raymond can really score so it's certainly not too much of a separation here, either.

In terms of zone entries, it's very close. Rossi's biggest edge offensively would have to be forechecking -- he's relentless on the boards and in the corners where Raymond is notably weak. Rossi has -- and this cannot be overstated enough -- absolutely no weaknesses in his game. If you were coaching an 18 year old center, you could just give him video of any game Rossi slayed all last year and say "do that". This is not the case with Raymond, who (again) has sky high upside, but is still a work in progress.

Where Rossi also gets a big nod is in the crease. Rossi's game is like a magnet towards the opposing net, he's going to get a ton of greasy goals. Raymond likes to skate around the perimeter, using his incredible skating gifts to opening up passing lanes and shooting lanes, which he does not miss on. But a greater percentage of Raymond's points are going to come on the man advantage and from outside the circles. Rossi is just a beast everywhere.

So, again -- if the Devils take Lucas Raymond, I will be thrilled. He's sort of a Marner/Gaudreau hybrid, and he's capable of putting up video game numbers at the NHL level one day. He's going to make highlight reel plays which knock you off the couch. But in terms of what wins hockey games, I don't think you can say his upside is much more than Rossi's. Though I don't expect the near-100 point seasons for Rossi which Raymond is potentially capable of, I think you're talking about a PPG guy who can truly shine in every aspect of the game. Rossi is the type of player whose game does not diminish like some scorers in the playoffs because he adapts to any situation in order to beat you. If there's space to be pretty, he'll be pretty. But if it's a playoff battle and there's no room, he'll out-think, outwork and out-hustle you to shut you down and score that big goal.

My first big battle for my next draft ranking -- to blow the suspense -- is who's #3? Because to me, Rossi and Stutzle are very close. That's how high I am on Marco Rossi. If you want another example, last year Rossi would have been my #2 overall after only Jack Hughes. He's really that good.

You make it sound like Rossi is a more talented version of Zach Parise (with a better shot). (which is not a bad thing)

 

[Nubmer6]

You make it sound like Rossi is a more talented version of Zach Parise (with a better shot). (which is not a bad thing)

Actually, after watching some video of Amirov, for some reason he really reminds me of Parise. Not sure if it was just the few clips I saw, and I definitely don't have an eye for such things, but it was eerie to me.

 

[beekay414]

I'm with @Forge on this one. In the event that Raymond, Rossi and Holtz are all still available, I try to get Minnesota to move up to 7 and gain that additional pick and take whoever's left. Either way, it's a home run pick.

 

[Ripshot 43]

I'm with @Forge on this one. In the event that Raymond, Rossi and Holtz are all still available, I try to get Minnesota to move up to 7 and gain that additional pick and take whoever's left. Either way, it's a home run pick.

Personally, I don’t mess around with trading down and letting other teams decide who I get to draft. If I’m sitting there at 7 with all 3 of those guys left, I’ve done months of not years of scouting to decide who is the best player of the bunch and I take that player instead of getting a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Rossi to me sounds like he’s on another level than the other 2, so I’m taking him and running.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

With three picks in the 1st round, the Devils really need to get at least one defenseman, even if it means they trade down a few places with the 20th pick.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I'll be shocked if Sanderson goes pick 4 and Lundell goes pick 5.

I just don't see both teams overlooking Perfetti, Rossi, Raymond and Drysdale, to pick these two.

Unless they are afraid of picking smaller prospects.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I would be extremely happy to get Quinn and Askarov with two of those picks.

If you want Quinn, I think you must take him at #7 overall. No way on earth he lasts until #18.

 

[StevenToddIves]

@StevenToddIves

At 7, the only forwards I would want ahead of Rossi are the top 3 on everyone’s boards (maybe even over Stutzle just because I admittedly haven’t seen as much video of him).

At 18, I love your Mercer pick. If Schnieder or Askarov were available, I would be hard pressed to pass on either, even if we ended up with Drysdale or Sanderson at 7. I don’t think this will be a year where the 1st goalie taken falls to the late 1st because there are a few teams with multiple 1st before the late 1st and I think teams targeting a goalie know they can’t trade back into the late 1st to snag Askarov. For us, I would love to have that stud goalie prospect in the system that we can’t let marinade for a few years.

At 20, I was thinking the same thing as you interns of Gunler or Holloway. I may lean towards Gunler as well to take the guy who may end up putting it all together and becoming a mainstay on our offense. Your write ups of Holloway in the past have made me fall for him (in a hockey love kindve way). He sounds like a better version of our Anderson. Maybe a Foote type big body (not as good of a shot) but a player who can hang with top 6 skilled guys but not drive the play on his line. Am I far off in my thinking of Holloway here?

At #18, my only question to myself was: Steve, do you really think Mercer will last this long? But ultimately, with every permutation I could think up -- one great forward is likely to fall. It seems to be generally suspected that Florida at #12 is looking for a D and it seems to be generally expected that Montreal at #16 is looking for a D. Carolina is very likely to take Askarov at #13, and it's even quite possible that Nashville goes in that direction at #11. We can all agree that it's an almost 100% likelihood that Quinn and Lundell will be taken.

What this all means is two RWs (a position the Devils really need) who would be top 10 picks in almost any draft year -- Seth Jarvis and Dawson Mercer -- could conceivably fall to the #18 pick. This is the dream I'm holding out for, really. The big wild card is what does Toronto do at #15? Their blueline is a disaster, but their GM is so out of touch he does not seem to realize it. Their forwards are in desperate need of some guys who can crash creases and win in the corners, but again their GM does not seem to get it. This is a team which needs a Braden Schneider or Dylan Holloway like nothing else, but they're just not the type of player Kyle Dubas seems to respect.

Speaking of Holloway, I'd say a better comparison for him would be as an Anders Lee-type or maybe vintage-era Dustin Brown. He's versatile and strong in every respect of the game, he's physical and smart and high-compete, he just lacks the offensive vision and creativity to be a PPG guy. But I can see him in the 50-60 range while digging pucks out of the corners for Jack Hughes and providing a net-front presence. I really like him a lot.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I'd be so mad if we missed out on Perreault.

Along with Lapierre and Gunler, Perreault is perhaps the wild card of the 2020 draft. I think he's the 2020 Kaliyev. On one hand, you could make the argument that his overall skill set is superior to Holtz and Quinn. On the other hand, scouts get really annoyed when they fly in specifically to see you play and then you seem disinterested for 90% of the game. So, we're talking a kid who could push for the top 10 or drop to the second round. It's tough to predict.

 

[Ripshot 43]

At #18, my only question to myself was: Steve, do you really think Mercer will last this long? But ultimately, with every permutation I could think up -- one great forward is likely to fall. It seems to be generally suspected that Florida at #12 is looking for a D and it seems to be generally expected that Montreal at #16 is looking for a D. Carolina is very likely to take Askarov at #13, and it's even quite possible that Nashville goes in that direction at #11. We can all agree that it's an almost 100% likelihood that Quinn and Lundell will be taken.

What this all means is two RWs (a position the Devils really need) who would be top 10 picks in almost any draft year -- Seth Jarvis and Dawson Mercer -- could conceivably fall to the #18 pick. This is the dream I'm holding out for, really. The big wild card is what does Toronto do at #15? Their blueline is a disaster, but their GM is so out of touch he does not seem to realize it. Their forwards are in desperate need of some guys who can crash creases and win in the corners, but again their GM does not seem to get it. This is a team which needs a Braden Schneider or Dylan Holloway like nothing else, but they're just not the type of player Kyle Dubas seems to respect.

Speaking of Holloway, I'd say a better comparison for him would be as an Anders Lee-type or maybe vintage-era Dustin Brown. He's versatile and strong in every respect of the game, he's physical and smart and high-compete, he just lacks the offensive vision and creativity to be a PPG guy. But I can see him in the 50-60 range while digging pucks out of the corners for Jack Hughes and providing a net-front presence. I really like him a lot.

Funny you bring up Lee because while I was watching yesterday’s game 7, I quite a few times said to myself how it would be great to have a player like him.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Personally, I don’t mess around with trading down and letting other teams decide who I get to draft. If I’m sitting there at 7 with all 3 of those guys left, I’ve done months of not years of scouting to decide who is the best player of the bunch and I take that player instead of getting a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Rossi to me sounds like he’s on another level than the other 2, so I’m taking him and running.

I spend a lot of time talking up Rossi here, I get that. But I can't say that Raymond and Holtz are not also on elite levels in their own right. Holtz is a bit one-dimensional, sure, but wow is that dimension something else. I think he's a kid who will top 30+ goals in an off year. You just can't stop that shot, and the rest of his game is good enough to hold it up.

Raymond is just a dynamic talent with a world of offensive upside. His combination of skating/hands/vision is just rare, and he's capable of turning nothing plays into goal-scoring opportunities in the flash of an eye. I really see him as a Marner/Gaudreau type.

We don't know how the draft will shake out or who the Devils will take, so I think it's important to familiarize ourselves with the benefits and merits of all of these young talents.

 

[longislanddevil]

If Drysdale is off the board, Rossi is hands down the player I want and it’s not very close IMHO.

@StevenToddIves In your scenario, you have Drysdale going 6 to Anaheim. The Ducks typically like size across their lineup. Assuming Sanderson is off the board, how confident are you that they’d take Drysdale over Rossi, Holtz or Raymond? I know the three aforementioned are not big guys either really. From an organizational needs standpoint, it seems like Anaheim could use anything really. I’m really curious what you think their decision will boil down to.

Basically...I’m trying to figure out a viable scenario, as unlikely as it may appear, in Drysdale falling to 7.

Many thanks as always. You are a gift to this Devils community!!

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I’m still convinced that if both dmen are off the board and Rossi is available at our pick, he’s the guy we’re taking. As good as Raymond might be, Rossi is just elite at every aspect of the game. Just like Hischier, I absolutely love the fact that he’s as effective in open ice and along the boards. If you can get a player who has smarts, skills and a compete level that is through the roof, to me that’s the perfect trifecta of qualities I look for in a 17-18 year old prospect.

For our 2nd pick of the first round, getting Dawson Mercer at #18 would be almost as big as getting Rossi at #7. I love Travis Konecny and Mercer plays the exact same way. A relentless 2 way player that has the same 3 qualities as Rossi but not as polished to be picked in the top #10.

As for pick #20, just like you, I want us to swing for the fences with our 3rd pick in the first round... especially if we already picked up Rossi and Mercer! As good as Gunler might be, being disinterested is pretty high on my list in terms of red flags. You can have all the skills in the world but if you’re not competing, at the highest level against the best players in world, you’re not going to cut it. My choice for our homerun pick would be Hendrix Lapierre, hands down. Yes, he’s had injuries and concussions, I get that and it’s also a pretty big red flag but anyone can get injured or concussed. Patrice Bergeron had his fair share of concussions but he’s still one of the best players in the game. If it wasn’t for his injuries, Lapierre would be gone by pick #8, guaranteed. The kid is that good and if we’re swinging for the fences, forget about a homerun, we’d be hitting a grand slam!

Leaving the draft with Rossi, Mercer and Lapierre would be completely insane. On a side note, under no circumstances would I trade down from pick #7. If you have your guy in the crosshairs, take him. Trying to get an extra pick only to get screwed by another team a spot or two below you would be fireable offense. Just take your guy and if you want to add more picks, trade down using picks #18 or #20, not #7.

 

[Darkauron]

Awesome mock draft again Steven. Id be ecstatic with that draft. Rossi, Mercer, and Gunler is a great haul

 

[StevenToddIves]

I'll be shocked if Sanderson goes pick 4 and Lundell goes pick 5.

I just don't see both teams overlooking Perfetti, Rossi, Raymond and Drysdale, to pick these two.

Unless they are afraid of picking smaller prospects.

With Sanderson, it would not be a matter of "overlooking" anything. I would assume that approximately half the teams in the NHL have him ranked as the #1 overall defenseman in the 2020 draft. NHL scouts and executives fall all over themselves for players with Sanderson's unique skill set.

With Lundell, I would agree with you somewhat -- this is never going to be a player to challenge for the scoring crown. But again, big two-way centers with intelligence and scoring pop are coveted more in NHL from offices than among draft writers. Ottawa -- as much as any team in the NHL -- has an old school front office which covets this type of player.

 

[StevenToddIves]

If Drysdale is off the board, Rossi is hands down the player I want and it’s not very close IMHO.

@StevenToddIves In your scenario, you have Drysdale going 6 to Anaheim. The Ducks typically like size across their lineup. Assuming Sanderson is off the board, how confident are you that they’d take Drysdale over Rossi, Holtz or Raymond? I know the three aforementioned are not big guys either really. From an organizational needs standpoint, it seems like Anaheim could use anything really. I’m really curious what you think their decision will boil down to.

Basically...I’m trying to figure out a viable scenario, as unlikely as it may appear, in Drysdale falling to 7.

Many thanks as always. You are a gift to this Devils community!!

I'm 50% confident at best. Drysdale is not tiny -- he's 5'11-180 -- so I can see the Ducks bending a bit due to Drysdale's phenomenal talents. Though I do think they would prefer Sanderson, Anaheim is desperate for some defensive talent in the prospect pool. I would say that, due to the Anaheim tendencies which you mentioned, they are a team which could have Holtz ranked higher than players like Raymond, Rossi and Perfetti. I would say the same thing about Ottawa, although you might need to omit Rossi from that because he plays in their backyard and they're certainly more familiar with him than most teams.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’m still convinced that if both dmen are off the board and Rossi is available at our pick, he’s the guy we’re taking. As good as Raymond might be, Rossi is just elite at every aspect of the game. Just like Hischier, I absolutely love the fact that he’s as effective in open ice and along the boards. If you can get a player who has smarts, skills and a compete level that is through the roof, to me that’s the perfect trifecta of qualities I look for in a 17-18 year old prospect.

For our 2nd pick of the first round, getting Dawson Mercer at #18 would be almost as big as getting Rossi at #7. I love Travis Konecny and Mercer plays the exact same way. A relentless 2 way player that has the same 3 qualities as Rossi but not as polished to be picked in the top #10.

As for pick #20, just like you, I want us to swing for the fences with our 3rd pick in the first round... especially if we already picked up Rossi and Mercer! As good as Gunler might be, being disinterested is pretty high on my list in terms of red flags. You can have all the skills in the world but if you’re not competing, at the highest level against the best players in world, you’re not going to cut it. My choice for our homerun pick would be Hendrix Lapierre, hands down. Yes, he’s had injuries and concussions, I get that and it’s also a pretty big red flag but anyone can get injured or concussed. Patrice Bergeron had his fair share of concussions but he’s still one of the best players in the game. If it wasn’t for his injuries, Lapierre would be gone by pick #8, guaranteed. The kid is that good and if we’re swinging for the fences, forget about a homerun, we’d be hitting a grand slam!

Leaving the draft with Rossi, Mercer and Lapierre would be completely insane. On a side note, under no circumstances would I trade down from pick #7. If you have your guy in the crosshairs, take him. Trying to get an extra pick only to get screwed by another team a spot or two below you would be fireable offense. Just take your guy and if you want to add more picks, trade down using picks #18 or #20, not #7.

Thanks for the kind words!

I would not compare Mercer to Konecny. Mercer is a more complete player at the same age. They're both relentless forecheckers, but Mercer is a better two-way guy and more physical. I would say Konecny is a better skater, but Mercer has truly elite hands which separates him in this case.

I'm a big fan of Konecny, I had him ranked at #11 overall in his draft year if I recall correctly. His compete level is just infectious. But aside from the skating, I would say that Mercer has better offensive upside in this particular comparison.

I'm a big fan of Lapierre, most people on these threads know that, but he is more concerning than just being a perfect player with an injury past. When he came back from his injuries last season, he looked very tentative and played a bit of a perimeter game. He's never been a "dirty areas" guy and he's all pass. While his vision I rank #2 in the entire 2020 class after Lafreniere, we're talking about a kid who can be predictable in his reticence to put the puck on net.

So, you're really taking a chance with Lapierre. Will he get back to 100% and become the dominant force we saw at the last Hlinka-Gretzky tourney? I really hope so. But the Devils need big-time goal-scoring, so if my choice came down to Lapierre or one of the Perreault/Gunler duo, I'd take Perreault or Gunler right now.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Awesome mock draft again Steven. Id be ecstatic with that draft. Rossi, Mercer, and Gunler is a great haul

Unfortunately, the Devils still seem to have very little interest in hiring me. But I'm sure glad you guys seem to appreciate me!

 

[R8Devs]

Another one from Holtz, on an unscreened goalie

 

[glenwo2]

Another one from Holtz, on an unscreened goalie

Holtz' nickname should be "Howitzer" with that shot.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

My wish list is:

Draft Drysdale/Sanderson at 7
Draft Mercer/Amirov/Quinn/Jarvis
Trade the third pick

I hope thats not too much to ask for Mr Fitzgerald!

 

[Forge]

Holtz' nickname should be "Howitzer" with that shot.

The accuracy is so sick when he has time. He's a safe pick if for no other reason than you know he'll be a pp stud.