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

[Brodeur]

To elaborate:
- Jake Sanderson - possibly BPA but Marek mentions how next year's draft is D heavy and Ottawa expects to be drafting high again in 2021 (I was curious if other teams might have the same strategy and lean for forwards this year)
- Jack Quinn - General lack of organizational depth at RW (I've read that they have interest in Tyson Foerster who might be available for their pick at #28)

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Friedman also mentions that the team could move one of the later firsts for immediate help which isn't too surprising.

 

[Eggtimer]

Noooooooooooooooooo
No
Nooo
Not at 7 please god no. Definitely not.
I cannot see Fitz and co. thinking that

 

[Nocashstyle]

That would not make me very happy at all. 18 or 20...sure?

 

[youryeah]

this board would explode if they picked askarov at 7. and not a good explode

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

#SmokescreenSZN

 

[Nocashstyle]

#SmokescreenSZN

Hopefully. I remember in 2017 there was a report(s) about the Devils taking Makar first overall and we were all losing our minds.

But in hindsight if that did happen...

 

[Alex NJD]

I could also see us move up a few spots from 18 if Quinn is available as @ASK7 mentioned. I could also see Quinn being a late riser this year, and wouldn't hate it at 7 if Drysdale-Sanderson-Rossi are gone 4-6. That said after those 3 my preference at 7 would be Holtz > Raymond = Perfetti > Quinn = Jarvis

 

[Guttersniped]

“If I was under a head coach where I had to dump the puck in every time I go out over the red line and get on the forecheck, it would be frustrating and I wouldn’t be able to express how I really am as a player,” Perfetti stated.

Yeah, I might pass on this guy. You’re in juniors kid, teams aren’t dumping and chasing in the NHL because it speaks to their soul, they just can’t manage to carry the puck in. Let’s see you manage to get some successful NHL zone entries first before you complain about coaching styles.

 

[Forge]

#SmokescreenSZN

We will find out soon, because I don't think that there is any way he goes beforehand. He certainly fits the bill of "guy with the highest upside"

 

[Forge]

Yeah, I might pass on this guy. You’re in juniors kid, teams aren’t dumping and chasing in the NHL because it speaks to their soul, they just can’t manage to carry the puck in. Let’s see you manage to get some successful NHL zone entries first before you complain about coaching styles.

And here's the thing - that's one of my biggest concerns about him as a player. I think his zone entries could be a disaster lol. He doesn't have the footspeed to force defenders to be honest. They aren't going to be worried about him pushing past them

 

[My3Sons]

Hopefully. I remember in 2017 there was a report(s) about the Devils taking Makar first overall and we were all losing our minds.

But in hindsight if that did happen...

We'd still be scratching our heads most likely because he'd have spent this season paired with Greene getting caved in on a team without Nico and we'd be watching Nico play on COL and score 60 points and have a great defensive impact behind MacKinnon. Makar would maybe have 35 points which would be encouraging but he'd be a -40 and we'd be arguing about how relevant that is and on the eye test he'd be getting run over by bigger forwards after two minute shifts of being hemmed in his own end and we'd be sacrificing free range chickens to the hockey gods to turn Bahl into a good partner for him down the line. You may see him as being just as good in NJ but I'm skeptical.

 

[Darkauron]

Oh hellllllllll naw

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I want the Devils to take two forwards and I hope they do draft Ghule. He’s big, skates like the wind and has a bomb of a shot. What’s not to like. I don’t see us in on either Sanderson or Drysdale.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I want the Devils to take two forwards and I hope they do draft Ghule. He’s big, skates like the wind and has a bomb of a shot. What’s not to like. I don’t see us in on either Sanderson or Drysdale.

Sanderson is big and skates too....

 

[Nocashstyle]

We'd still be scratching our heads most likely because he'd have spent this season paired with Greene getting caved in on a team without Nico and we'd be watching Nico play on COL and score 60 points and have a great defensive impact behind MacKinnon. Makar would maybe have 35 points which would be encouraging but he'd be a -40 and we'd be arguing about how relevant that is and on the eye test he'd be getting run over by bigger forwards after two minute shifts of being hemmed in his own end and we'd be sacrificing free range chickens to the hockey gods to turn Bahl into a good partner for him down the line. You may see him as being just as good in NJ but I'm skeptical.

That sounds about right

 

[R8Devs]

Sanderson is a good skater but I don't know about big in terms of defenseman. He's 6'1 and 185 pounds which is about average size among all players (including forwards)

I'm using this as the reference for average(from the 17-18 season): Sizing up the NHL: 2017-18 NHL teams by age, height and weight

 

[R8Devs]

I just listened to the podcast that they referenced to about Askarov (starts around 44:30): Hart vs. Lindsay | Podcasts - Sportsnet.ca

It seems more of a speculative thought from other teams, EF doesn't say something about an internal belief like Marek did with Ottawa and who they pick at 5.

 

[Zippy316]

Askarov only makes sense if we’re content with our current forward core AND we manage to trade for a young defender using one of the later firsts AND the draft unfolds in a way that the Devils targets (personally for me it would be Rossi, Drysdale, and Sanderson) all happen to be gone by #7.

Then I could see the organization thinking the only thing missing in the 23-and-under pool is an elite goalie.

Either that or the Devils are trying to get a team that wants Askarov to trade up for #7 or use it as a trade chip for a young defender.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Noooooooooooooooooo
No
Nooo
Not at 7 please god no. Definitely not.
I cannot see Fitz and co. thinking that

This is not coming from the Devils organization, it is coming from other teams. So, it's pretty much 100% speculative and not worth worrying about.

 

[Guttersniped]

Askarov only makes sense if we’re content with our current forward core AND we manage to trade for a young defender using one of the later firsts AND the draft unfolds in a way that the Devils targets (personally for me it would be Rossi, Drysdale, and Sanderson) all happen to be gone by #7.

Then I could see the organization thinking the only thing missing in the 23-and-under pool is an elite goalie.

Either that or the Devils are trying to get a team that wants Askarov to trade up for #7 or use it as a trade chip for a young defender.

Or they think Askarov could potentially be the bpa. We’re drafting 7th, it not crazy to draft a high end goaltender prospect there.

Read the tweet though: “a few teams told HNIC they could see the Devils drafting Askarov at 7” It’s a very innocuous statement that makes no claim about having special inside intel about the Devils draft plans. It’s just the usual endless pre-draft chatter that fills Canadian media’s time.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I want the Devils to take two forwards and I hope they do draft Ghule. He’s big, skates like the wind and has a bomb of a shot. What’s not to like. I don’t see us in on either Sanderson or Drysdale.

If either Sanderson or Drysdale are available at #7 (which I don't think they will be), they will almost certainly be the Devils pick.

Guhle is very good and I've spoken highly of him during the entire year, but he would enter the Devils system fighting for second-best left-shot defenseman prospect along with Bahl, behind Smith. Whereas either Sanderson or Drysdale would immediately become the most talented defenseman drafted by the Devils since Scott Niedermeyer. I don't see how Fitzgerald would pass up on this, specifically because the Devils are desperate for a top-pairing D and the argument could be made for Sanderson or Drysdale as the best overall player available at #4 overall, much less #7.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Sanderson is a good skater but I don't know about big in terms of defenseman. He's 6'1 and 185 pounds which is about average size among all players (including forwards)

I'm using this as the reference for average(from the 17-18 season): Sizing up the NHL: 2017-18 NHL teams by age, height and weight

Agreed. Sanderson is average-sized, which is perfectly fine. If anything, he plays much bigger than he is and is positionally the most sound defenseman to come out of the draft in maybe a decade, especially impressive considering he is one of the younger players being considered for the first round of the 2020 draft.

 

[Blackjack]

If either Sanderson or Drysdale are available at #7 (which I don't think they will be), they will almost certainly be the Devils pick.

In your mock you have Ottawa taking Lundell at #5. Let's pretend that they take Drysdale in that spot instead. You've mentioned that Anaheim doesn't generally draft small forwards, but Rossi and Raymond would be, in my mind, by far the best players available. What do you think they would do in that spot?

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Sanderson is big and skates too....

I meant to say I doubt either will be available at the 7th pick. Hope I’m wrong. Ghule is my 3rd defensemen I would take behind Sanderson and Drydale.

 

[RememberTheName]

I'm not sure how many people know about this website, but its called pick224.com/pairings and you can type in any prospect you want and you can see a ranking of all of the people who assisted on their goals. I think its a pretty unique resource to take a look at.