Prospect Info: 2022 Post-Deadline Devils-Centric Mock Draft 2.0 (thru NJ 2nd round)

[Eggtimer]

Is Slafkovsky a better prospect than Kakko?

I’d say yes. Kakko was seen as a very safe pick but doesnt have anything that screams “elite” . I’d say Slafhas a higher ceiling but Kakko has the better floor . Slaf has the potential to be a force on his line and dominate play even on the wing . Kakko I see as a very good complimentary winger

 

[StevenToddIves]

I just wanted to add to my earlier post (#242 on this page) about the value of going into the draft with a specific strategy in mind.

The top pick of Slafkovsky was pretty easy for me, but after that? The strategy came to light. These were my particular priorities:

1) Falling Russians: every draft, it is important to be not only have a strategy, but be willing to abandon this strategy if a great player falls for superficial reasons. In 2017 this happened with Jason Robertson, in 2018 with Alexander Romanov, in 2019 with Bobby Brink, in 2020 with Marat Khusnutdinov, and so on. This year, there is possibility great players like Miroshnichenko, Perevalov and Trikozov fall, and you need to be prepared to snatch them up.

2) Right Defense: This is a very good year for the position, both at the top of the draft and in terms of potential sleepers. The problem is, in real life, RD go quicker than in mock drafts and bureau rankings, as they're more coveted by NHL front offices. Jiricek and Nemec are likely top 7 picks, and Chesley in the top 15. But there are some really good names for later on in Luneau, Rinzel, Lamoureux, Warren and then some intriguing very-late round sleepers. The Devils simply must get at least two more players for the position.

3) Interior Forwards: the Devils have the greatest discrepancy in goals off the rush vs. goals off the cycle for a reason -- the team is too soft up front. Though the Devils have addressed this to some degree with the acquisition of Nolan Foote and draft pick of Chase Stillman, more work is to be done in some respect. This is a great draft for power/interior forwards, with names to remember like Reid Schaefer, Jiri Kulich, Devin Kaplan, Jani Nyman, Kirill Dolzhenkov and so on. The Devils need a couple of these guys.

4) Center Depth: with Boqvist graduating, the Devils need depth centers in the prospect pool, and badly. The top center prospect is probably Jaromir Pytlik, with Salminen not likely a strong enough skater or defender to remain at the position. There will be some nice late options here, and one guy I'll keep mentioning is over-ager Logan Morrison, who is ridiculously under-rated.

5) Goaltending: it's always a good idea to take one of them every draft. The best for 2022 looks to be Prince George's athletic 6'4 net minder Tyler Brennan, and I might grab him if he's there in the 3rd round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don’t think the rangers will risk doing something like that and they may not be too worried about the center position if they feel that Copp can somewhat keep up his hot start with them long term and they can resign him. He has 10 points in his first 9 games and has looked good from what I’ve seen. Strome also isn’t terrible. But I don’t think they would risk or could afford to risk trading a way a highly talented 2nd or 1st overall pick who will only be 20-21 and could still turn into a great player. Although he has definitely fallen behind some of those players he could still turn in to one of the best players in the draft class in the right situation.

If the Rangers have a chance to get Scheifele (as has been rumored, though it's all speculation), I don't think they'd hesitate to offer Lafreniere or Kakko. But I agree with most of what you say here.

 

[Goptor]

Current bottom of standings

1- Coyotes, -5 pts (likely ahead if tied) 14.5

2- Canadiens, -3 pts (likely behind if tied) 14.1

3- Kraken, -2 pts (ahead if tied) 15.3

4- Devils 18.3

5- Flyers, +3 pts, (tiebreaker is close) 19

6- Senators, +4 pts, -1 GP (ahead if tied) 18.2

7- Chicago, +5 pts, (behind if tied) 19.3



All have 11 games left except for Ottawa who has 12.

The number at the end is the average standing of that teams remaining competition. The bottom 3 teams all have the harder schedules.

I think it is unlikely that we get passed by the Coyotes or that we pass Chicago or Ottawa at this point. We’ll probably finish in the 2-5 range although I would bet that we end up closer to bottom of that if we continue losing like we have been lately. Montreal has been much better of late and could definitely make up the 3 point gap. Seattle is just 1 win behind and they will be ahead if tied. The devils have also been worse than them lately. Our game against them next week will be huge. The devils may realistically finish second last.

If it matters - Arizona, Philly, and NJ (With Hammond/Gillies) are the 3 worst teams not counting records.

 

[Eggtimer]

If it matters - Arizona, Philly, and NJ (With Hammond/Gillies) are the 3 worst teams not counting records.

Hopefully Hart can get hot for a few games amd we finish behI don’t them. I think this is very important as they value players like Slafkovsky (likely gone by when we and the Flyers will pick )so more importantly Jiricek , I can see the Flyers greatly value the type of player he is. If we miss on Slafkovsky and want Jiricek , we need to pick before the Flyers or there is a very very good chance they take him with their pick,

 

[StevenToddIves]

Hopefully Hart can get hot for a few games amd we finish behI don’t them. I think this is very important as they value players like Slafkovsky (likely gone by when we and the Flyers will pick )so more importantly Jiricek , I can see the Flyers greatly value the type of player he is. If we miss on Slafkovsky and want Jiricek , we need to pick before the Flyers or there is a very very good chance they take him with their pick,

Flyers big needs are center and RD. Though they have two good Cs with Couturier and Hayes, neither are young anymore and there's nothing coming up in the prospect pool except Elliot Desnoyers, who projects as a good bottom 6er. Flyers have some nice young LD in York, Murchison and of course Provorov and Sanheim, but they're pretty barren on the right side beyond bottom-4 prospect Ronnie Attard.

I don't see either wing being prioritized, as Farabee and Brink lead a fairly good young cache, but of course if a Slafkovsky falls in your lap, you throw the "need book" out the window.

I'd assume -- judging on their needs, tendencies and proclivities that Jiricek would have to be the top target for Philly come draft day.

 

[Billdo]

@StevenToddIves if it comes down to the Devils having their pick of Slaf, Jiricek, or Nemec, who do you see them taking?

 

[StevenToddIves]

@StevenToddIves if it comes down to the Devils having their pick of Slaf, Jiricek, or Nemec, who do you see them taking?

Slafkovsky. I think he could go #1 overall due to a rare skill-set.

Although the Devils certainly have a need all throughout the organization at RD, I think Slafkovsky's second half has him pretty established as the likely #2 overall pick. We're certain to see him rise in all the final rankings, especially McKenzie's scout poll.

From a completely objective view, the Devils are the wild card at the draft.. along with Seattle. Either of these teams can conceivably take Slafkovsky at #1, or Jiricek at #2, or whatever. Nothing would really shock me. Fitzgerald has stated a need for the Devils to get more physical and better defensively. So, I'd circle Slafkovsky, Jiricek, Nemec and Gauthier as 4 big potential Devils picks.

 

[Guttersniped]

I just wanted to add to my earlier post (#242 on this page) about the value of going into the draft with a specific strategy in mind.

The top pick of Slafkovsky was pretty easy for me, but after that? The strategy came to light. These were my particular priorities:

1) Falling Russians: every draft, it is important to be not only have a strategy, but be willing to abandon this strategy if a great player falls for superficial reasons. In 2017 this happened with Jason Robertson, in 2018 with Alexander Romanov, in 2019 with Bobby Brink, in 2020 with Marat Khusnutdinov, and so on. This year, there is possibility great players like Miroshnichenko, Perevalov and Trikozov fall, and you need to be prepared to snatch them up.

2) Right Defense: This is a very good year for the position, both at the top of the draft and in terms of potential sleepers. The problem is, in real life, RD go quicker than in mock drafts and bureau rankings, as they're more coveted by NHL front offices. Jiricek and Nemec are likely top 7 picks, and Chesley in the top 15. But there are some really good names for later on in Luneau, Rinzel, Lamoureux, Warren and then some intriguing very-late round sleepers. The Devils simply must get at least two more players for the position.

3) Interior Forwards: the Devils have the greatest discrepancy in goals off the rush vs. goals off the cycle for a reason -- the team is too soft up front. Though the Devils have addressed this to some degree with the acquisition of Nolan Foote and draft pick of Chase Stillman, more work is to be done in some respect. This is a great draft for power/interior forwards, with names to remember like Reid Schaefer, Jiri Kulich, Devin Kaplan, Jani Nyman, Kirill Dolzhenkov and so on. The Devils need a couple of these guys.

4) Center Depth: with Boqvist graduating, the Devils need depth centers in the prospect pool, and badly. The top center prospect is probably Jaromir Pytlik, with Salminen not likely a strong enough skater or defender to remain at the position. There will be some nice late options here, and one guy I'll keep mentioning is over-ager Logan Morrison, who is ridiculously under-rated.

5) Goaltending: it's always a good idea to take one of them every draft. The best for 2022 looks to be Prince George's athletic 6'4 net minder Tyler Brennan, and I might grab him if he's there in the 3rd round.

I’ll believe it when I see when it comes to RHD and this team. I can see them drafting one (or none just to troll us at this point) but they don’t seem to see it as a need/a thing teams pursue or they would have got off their asses and got some already.

Please, no one tell me this is about BPA, I’ve heard it all before and I’ve been annoyed by this for years. The Kings target RHD to the point where they are drowning in it, it’s so annoying.

 

[Guadana]

BPA is a myth. No one will draft Broberg over Hughes because of "need", but every scout have their own vision who will make bigger impact on their team. If everyone one will draft players with higher ceiling(let's tell me what does it mean for every specific role), players like Morrow or J Perreault would not fall so much. Every scout have vision what kind of skillset they will prefer.

And need is a big thing. Of course like I said noone will not want to draft player for need over OBVIOUS talent, but if they are closer - picture will change.

Anyway "higher upside" is a very muddy picture. Who have a better "upside" - offensive playmaker with 70+p potential, two way winger with 50+p potential or big defenseman with good skating, good defensive skill and 40p potential?
Did you ask yourself? Its a Lapierre/Mercer/Sanderson example.


Slafkovsky over Cooley.
And I think Kakko situation is more about his health and rangers. He is very talented player.

 

[nugg]

To give an idea about a solid draft mindset, I just re-used the latest draft simulator with trades: Draft Simulator

Needless to say, I won the lottery. I traded down to #2 and then down again to #3, since Arizona was picking and they need a center, I figured I still had a chance for Slafkovsky at #3. My plan worked, and I made a series of other trades throughout the draft to get guys at positions of NJ organizational need and high-upside prospects. Of course, the draftprospects.com rankings suck, and someone should provide a mock draft engine using the McKenzie rankings, which have been proven time and time again to be the most accurate. My draft:

3 LW Juraj Slafkovsky -- NJ gets a future 1st-line superstar power F to pair with Hughes forever.

34 RD Ryan Chesley -- no way he falls here in real life, the best shut-down D in draft likely goes top 15

37 RW Alexander Perevalov -- this is actually possible with the New Russian Factor, and Perevalov has superstar, top-line upside as a ultra-competitive and high-scoring elite-skill winger

41 C Nathan Gaucher -- I solve the Devils problems in the face-off circle (Gaucher is among best in draft), future 3C (Gaucher is a two-way beast) and physicality up front (Gaucher is very, very mean)

49 RD Sam Rinzel -- very raw prospect, but trying to build up the organizational RD with a 6'4 skilled two-way guy who skates like the wind seems like a good idea in the 2nd

69 LW Reid Schaefer -- if there's a Tom Wilson in the draft, it's him -- an incredibly tough 6'3-215 beast who topped 30+ goals in the WHL for Seattle

94 G Tyler Brennan -- considered by some the best G in the draft, 6'4 and athletic

95 RW Gleb Trikozov -- even with the New Russian Factor it's doubtful he falls so low, but since he was there I traded 3 picks to move up and get this high-skill, high-upside high-scorer

113 RD Noah Warren -- 6'5, mobile and physical with puck skills, I set out with the goal of bolstering RD and with Chesley/Rinzel/Warren we can put a big-time check-mark here

124 LW Kirill Dolzhenkov -- 6'6-240 LW with puck skills and skates, my #2 job after RD was bolstering the physicality and interior play of the Fs, and with Perevalov/Gaucher/Schaefer/Dolzhenkov we can put a check here as well.

Though I don't feel a draft this amazing is humanly possible, it was fun. If I failed in one place, it was collecting more center depth for the prospect pool, but at least I stole Gaucher in the 2nd round. If this was for real, I would've dealt a spare part like Johnsson for a 6th round pick and grabbed over-age C Logan Morrison, who is one of my favorite sleepers in the 2022 draft.

They have a dropdown menu for using different draft rating lists. They have last year's Mackenzie list, and even a 2023 list (Bedard and Michkov anyone?). I would imagine they will soon add Mackenzie's 2022.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Results to look for today in terms of improving our draft position and chances at Slafkovsky.
Saturday:
DAL win vs NJD

SEA win vs CAL

MTL win vs TOR

PHI win vs ANA

OTT win vs NYR

ARI win vs VGK

If we lose and Seattle win they would pass us.

 

[StevenToddIves]

As of today, the Devils draft 4th, and even with a win they cannot catch Philly who has a 3-point cushion in 5th. If the Devils lose in regulation and Seattle wins, the Devils fall back in a tie with the Kraken for 3rd. Unfortunately, Seattle plays a very strong Calgary team, so we have to be conservative when estimating their chances.

Montreal is at Toronto, who they traditionally play very well, so I give them a good shot at 2 points. The Devils are just 3 points ahead of the Habs right now. Arizona has a 5-point cushion over the Devils as the team currently in the #1 overall draft slot, and it's tough to imagine them coming out of Vegas with a victory.

 

[Rydev]

Would we take David Jiricek over the winger and center you have listed before them?

Im curious which position we would go if we were 2nd overall. Is one clearly better than the other in this grouping?

2022 Devils-centric Mock Draft 2.0 (through NJ 2nd round) — Post Trade Deadline

As always, I remind you fine folks this is NOT a draft ranking. It’s based on the consensus rankings, mixed on organizational draft tendency/need.

1. Montreal: C Shane Wright, Kingston OHL the Habs get a future franchise player in the high-scoring, two-way center who possesses every trait necessary to be a superstar at the NHL level.
2. Seattle: LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Finland as an expansion team, the Kraken are needing organizational depth virtually everywhere and tough to predict. Slafkovsky is a rare prospect — 6’4 with elite skill and a power game. You pass on a player like this and it may be years before another comes along.
3. Arizona: C Logan Cooley, US-NTDP the Coyotes desperately need a 1C and gate attraction, and would fall all over themselves to get Wright at the top of the lottery. Here, they still do quite well with Cooley, the best skating center in the draft with terrific skill and excellent two-way acumen.
4. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen Czechia the Devils biggest organizational skating position of need, both at the professional and prospect levels, is RD. Tom Fitzgerald has shown a preference for bigger-bodied, more physical defenders. Jiricek is precisely what the doctor ordered — a fast-skating, highly physical, shut-down-type D with very good puck skills and an absolute howitzer of a shot. The idea of a thunder/lightning future D pairing of twin elite talents Luke Hughes/David Jiricek is absolutely too much to pass up.
5. Ottawa: C Conor Geekie, Winnipeg WHL the Senators like them big and North American. Their biggest organizational need is up the middle, and Geekie offers elite skills in a 6’4 frame. Questions about his compete level and skating have dropped him towards the back end of several top 10s, but as last year’s draft proved, Ottawa does not care what you think about their modus operandi.
6. Philadelphia: RD Simon Nemec, HC Nitra Slovakia the Flyers blueline is in shambles and I feel this will be a 2022 draft priority. Nemec is tearing apart scoring records for a teenager in the Slovakian men’s league as a 17/18 year old and is even better on the defensive side of the puck. He and Jiricek may represent the only high-percentage bets to become 1D stars at the NHL level in the 2022 draft.
7. Buffalo: C Matt Savoie, Winnipeg WHL the Sabres are not certain if Dylan Cozens’ future is at C or RW, nor do they know if Peyton Krebs will be a C or LW. I feel they will prioritize pivots at the 2022 drafts, as well as RD. But with Jiricek and Nemec already gone, the Sabres take the player with maybe the most pure offensive upside in the class in Savoie, who has absolutely shredded the WHL all season long.
8. Columbus: RW Joakim Kemell, JYP Finland the Blue Jackets need players who can put the puck in the net aside from their one, true weapon in Patrik Laine. Kemell has performed with similar stellar scoring totals in Liiga as Laine in his draft year, and Jarmo Kekkalainen is the only Finnish GM in the NHL and loves to draft out of his home country.
9. Detroit: RW/C Frank Nazar, US-NTDP Wings GM Steve Yzerman has always drafted exceptionally and one of the reasons is his high priority for taking high-compete, high-IQ players. Nazar has an elite combination of intangibles to combine with elite puck skills and outstanding two-way acumen.
10. San Jose: RW Brad Lambert, Pelicans Finland despite the best combination of elite skating and puck skills in the draft, Lambert has struggled in his draft-eligible season and his compete level has been called into question. He has dropped from his pre-season consensus ranking of #2 behind only Wright to the back end of the top 10. I feel this is a chance the Sharks would be willing to take, as the idea of pairing a player of such extreme speed and ability with a more two-way force in 2021 1st-rounder William Eklund is potentially a game-changer.
11. Anaheim: LW Cutter Gauthier, US-NTDP the best power forward in the draft aside from Slafkovsky, Gauthier is the most Matt Tkachuk-y player available in the draft since Matt Tkachuk. Gauthier is big, mean, fast and hits like a freight train, his interior dominance not inhibited in the least versus players 4 and 5 years older in the US-NTDP’s games against NCAA competition. Gauthier’s 48 goals in 60 games have him challenging Wright and Kemell for best sniper in the draft, though he scores more of his goals in the crease. Though Anaheim has a new GM in Pat Verbeek, their scouting staff has shown a perennial preference for toughness and size and Gauthier is no doubt on their draft-day radar.
12. NY Islanders: C Marko Kasper, Rogle Sweden the best Austrian prospect for the 2022 class is Kasper, a two-way beast with elite wheels — he might be the second-fastest center in the 2022 class aside from only Cooley. Isles’ GM Lou Lamoriello loves the high-compete, two-way players and Kasper adds enormous physicality and a penchant for making opponents pay a heavy price for playing with their heads down. Kasper may lack the PPG ability of a typical top-12 pick, but he’s extremely skilled and a perfect projection for an NHL 2C.
13. Vancouver: RD Ryan Chesley, US-NTDP the Canucks are desperate for prospect D, especially on the right side. Chesley is the best pure defender in the draft, a physical shut-down beast for the US-NTDP in the vein of Kings Uber-prospect Brock Faber but with greater offensive ability and an absolute bomb of a shot from the point.
14. Columbus: C Rutger McGroarty, US-NTDP the Blue Jackets greatest positional need is clearly at center, and as such we should fully expect them to address this with at least one of their pair of top 15 picks in 2022. McGroarty is one of those “great at everything but an average skater” types who would be a surefire top 10 guy were he faster, but he’s also probably the most physical center in the entire draft class.
15. Winnipeg: RW Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgardens J20 Sweden Jr. the Jets routinely draft exceptionally well, and generally abide by a “best player available” philosophy. Lekkerimaki is a devastating pure goal scorer who compares in several ways to Joakim Kemell, but lacks Kemell’s 200-foot game. His shot is undeniable, and his upside is as a perennial 30+ goal scorer, so I’d expect him to be gone in the top 15.
16. Buffalo (from Vegas): RD Tristan Luneau, Gatineau QMJHL the Sabres’ pressing needs are likely RD and C. If they miss out on Jiricek and Nemec at the top of the draft, I expect them to look for a RD with the Vegas pick. Luneau is not a sexy pick, but he’s just terrific both ways and has a high floor as a steady, all-situations mid-pairing type the Sabres could envision on a future pairing with either of LDs Power or Dahlin.
17. Dallas: LW Filip Mesar, Poprad Slovakia since 2019, the Stars have used all of their 1st/2nd round picks on C, RW and D and there is now a looming organizational need at LW. Mesar is an outstanding skater with tremendous skill who is a bit under the radar but has slipped into several 2022 top 10 lists with his sublime talent.
18. Los Angeles: LW Danila Yurov, Magnitogorsk KHL okay, I suppose it’s time to deal with perhaps the biggest question for the 2022 draft, which is: how far will the Russians fall? Yurov is a top 8 pick and maybe even top 5 in normal circumstance, but we can expect all the Russians to fall in the 2022 draft due to world events. With the best prospect pool in the NHL (and many Russians among them), the Kings are a team which can afford to take a risk. They are stocked in the prospect pool at virtually every skating position, but lack a LW with the high-end intangibles and down-low abilities of Yurov, who reminds me in some ways of Dawson Mercer with his off-the-charts compete level and IQ.
19. Edmonton: LW Liam Ohgren, Djurgardens Sweden perennially, the Oilers need weapons for elite center duo McDavid/Draisaitl. Unfortunately, Edmonton has a history of drafting poorly and making boneheaded picks, from Tyler Benson over Alex DeBrincat to Philip Broberg over Trevor Zegras. Here, I have them making an uncharacteristically very good pick, with an excellent prospect in the big, skilled and fast two-way forward Liam Ohgren,
20. Nashville: C Nathan Gaucher, Quebec QMJHL Gaucher is not only skilled but also a big, physical two-way future NHL middle 6 C. Predators GM David Poile loves this type of player and Nashville has a clear need to bolster the center depth in the prospect pool.
21. Washington: LD Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw OHL the Caps might be one of the few teams not scared off Russian prospects and the fact Mintyukov is already in North America might make him less frightening for an NHL organization to draft. Mintyukov is a very flashy offensive force with high-end scoring upside, and he also adds terrific size and skating — a combination which makes him the best LD in the entire 2022 class.
22. St. Louis: LD Lian Bichsel, Leksands Sweden with no picks in the top two rounds spent on D since Scott Perunovich in the 2018 2nd round, there is a clear organizational need here for the Blues. You may not have heard of Bichsel, but the Swiss-born player is both 6’5 and mobile, a combination which should see him drafted higher than his consensus ranking in the early 2nd round.
23. Minnesota: RD Sam Rinzel, Chaska HS USHS Minnesota the Wild have drafted exceptionally well since dumping disastrous ex-GM Paul Fenton, but they still have organizational needs on the blueline, especially on the right side with a looming Matt Dumba trade this off-season. Here, I have them finding an extremely high upside local high school product with 6’4 size and an outstanding combination of skill and speed. Rinzel compares in many ways to Scott Morrow, who went in the 2nd round last year to Carolina but in a 2021 re-draft is already a likely top 20 pick.
24. Anaheim (from Boston): LD Kevin Korchinski, Seattle WHL after trading off Manson and Lindholm, the Ducks clearly have a need to rebuild the blueline from the bottom up. Korchinski is a tremendous combination of size and near-elite skating, and also possesses mid-pairing type offensive skills.
25. Toronto: LW Isaac Howard, US-NTDP the Leafs MO is to draft the best available scorer with every early pick, and in this case the argument could be easily made for Howard, a sniper with a high compete level and very good two-way game.
26. Pittsburgh: RW Jimmy Snuggerud, US-NTDP the Pens are on a perpetual search for wingers to compliment Crosby and Malkin, and Snuggerud is a huge kid who plays an interior game with high compete.
27. NY Rangers: C Jack Hughes, Northeastern University NCAA in this particular scenario, we can cue the jokes about the competitors-across-the-river making up for the Kakko mistake and finally getting themselves a Jack Hughes. But this particular Hughes fills the Rangers organizational need up the middle with a high-compete, two-way stud who also features dazzling playmaking skills.
28. Tampa Bay: LD Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw WHL after years of competing for a cup, the Lightning have dealt away a ton of picks and have needs in the prospect pool virtually everywhere. Mateychuk is a sublimely skilled and highly competitive undersized (5’11) D who, unlike most smaller offensive D prospects, is able to produce points at an astounding rate without sacrificing his 200-foot game. Were Mateychuk 6’2, he’d be a threat for the top 10.
29. Montreal (from Calgary): LW Jiri Kulich, Karlovy Czechia the Habs have a great young center in Ryan Suzuki and, in this scenario, I have them getting another in Shane Wright. They also feature a pair of high-end RWs in Gallagher and Caufield. They’re a bit weaker on the left side, so here I have them taking the criminally overlooked Kulich, a high-compete power forward with size, skill and speed, giving him palpable top 6 scoring upside at the professional level.
30. Arizona (from Colorado): LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current WHL the Chychrun deal might have to wait until the off-season, but the Coyotes still need to rebuild that blueline. Pickering combines a hulking 6’4 frame, excellent mobility and some intriguing offensive tools to work with.
31. Buffalo (from Florida): RD Maveric Lamoureaux, Drummondville QMJHL with a trio of 1st round picks and a need at RD, the Sabres take a chance on Lamoureaux, an incredibly physical 6’7 bruiser who skates well and has drawn a few comparisons to Zdeno Chara.
32. Arizona: C Adam Ingram, Youngstown USHL the Coyotes close out the 1st round by continuing an emphasis on drafting up the middle; Ingram is a rangy and projectable 6’2 with excellent skates and the type of skill which has seen him dominate the USHL this year in terms of scoring.
33. Montreal: LW Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omsk VHL with 3 picks in the top 33 and a hatful of mid-rounders, the Habs can afford to roll the dice on Miro. This kid’s upside is, quite simply, best player in the entire 2022 draft. However, not only is he Russian, but has also been recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. It’s a big chance to take and probably a long wait, but the only winger in the entire draft who can approach this type of upside is Slafkovsky, who is a surefire top 3 pick.
34. Seattle: RW Devin Kaplan, US-NTDP the Kraken have shown a draft-day liking for two-way players with size and compete, and the Bridgewater NJ native Kaplan is an outstanding prospect for the future of any team’s middle 6.
35. Arizona: RD Elias Salomonsson, Skelleftea J20 Sweden Jr. in recent drafts, the Coyotes have shown no emphasis on hockey IQ or compete level whatsoever, instead making picks based on nepotism and size/speed combos and stats. Salomonsson has every tool available to become a star 1D at the NHL level, but questions about his tool box have dogged him as his on-ice play has failed to impress.
36. NEW JERSEY DEVILS: RW Alexander Perevalov, Yaroslavl MHL this might be another pipe dream, but the Russians are going to fall. The Devils have shown their MHL scouting is something special -- we see you, Mr. Gritsyuk. Now that the Devils have built up one of the best young talent cores in the NHL, they can afford to take a chance on Perevalov, a likely top-12 talent who combines elite shooting, stick handling and passing vision with an off-the-charts intangible combination of ferocious compete level and almost psychic hockey IQ. This pick would be like getting a free top 15 pick, and hopefully in the remainder of the draft the Devils can fill some organizational needs at RD and with the C depth.

 

[Hisch13r]

Would we take David Jiricek over the winger and center you have listed before them?

Im curious which position we would go if we were 2nd overall. Is one clearly better than the other in this grouping?

I’d probably take Jiricek over Cooley. I’d take both over Slafkovsky

 

[Rydev]

I’d probably take Jiricek over Cooley. I’d take both over Slafkovsky

Thats interesting because Id guess the right side of the defense is our weakest spot in terms of younger guys. So itd be fitting if hes also better than those two.

Hopefully no team in front of us catches onto that lol

Is Shane Wright a cant-miss prospect? I see him first overall a lot

 

[Rydev]

I also heard Shane Wright's name before this year so Im guessing hes really good

 

[StevenToddIves]

Would we take David Jiricek over the winger and center you have listed before them?

Im curious which position we would go if we were 2nd overall. Is one clearly better than the other in this grouping?

I'd say the Devils draft board -- outside of winning the top overall pick which represents an entirely different can of worms -- would look like this:

1 Slafkovsky
2 Jiricek
3 Nemec

It's possible to me that you could flip-flop Slafkovsky and Jiricek, depending on how great Fitzgerald sees the need for a top RD in the system. Jiricek and Slafkovsky both seem to be precisely the type of player Fitzgerald covets -- high skill guys with a physical, interior game. Nemec lacks the physicality, but he's a RD who is amazing at outlet passing and transition and excels in all three zones.

 

[Hisch13r]

Thats interesting because Id guess the right side of the defense is our weakest spot in terms of younger guys. So itd be fitting if hes also better than those two.

Hopefully no team in front of us catches onto that lol

Is Shane Wright a cant-miss prospect? I see him first overall a lot

Wright's going 1 for sure. I'm hoping Montreal or Seattle win the 1OA then Arizona gets 2. If that happens I imagine the top 3 will be Wright to Montreal/Seattle, then Cooley to Arizona, and Slafkovsky to Seattle/Montreal. If we're 4th I think Jiricek's there. 5th and 6th are maybes. I could see him dropping a bit and Nemec being the first D off the board in part because of Jiricek's injury but also Jiricek is exactly the type of D that NHL teams covet.

Wright's stock has fell a lot compared to a couple of years ago but he's still the 1OA. A couple of years ago he was looked at as like a Tavares level prospect. Now I'd say he's more like a Nico. He'll be a really good player but likely won't be elite.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’d probably take Jiricek over Cooley. I’d take both over Slafkovsky

Jiricek or Slafkovsky over Cooley is not even an argument, and we can likely throw Nemec in that mix as well. The Devils are not using a top 5 pick on a player who would project to be their third-line center. If we're talking "best available player" -- which is a perfectly legitimate argument -- these four can be arranged in multiple orders depending on who you talk to. Personally, I rank Cooley 3rd or 4th out of the 4 right now, but that's not my argument either because it's pretty close between them.

The argument would be based in the concept of "team building vision". The Devils are absolutely desperate at RD and absolutely desperate for a power forward to create room for their smaller skill guys, and you'd be passing on both for a center who is positionally redundant to Hughes and Hischier and stylistically redundant to Hughes and Bratt.

If Cooley were the straw that drove the US-NTDP, I'd still say okay, you have a point. But I'm not sure he's better than Nazar.

This is from Elite Prospects, and I'm not saying whether they're right or wrong, but it's an interesting comparison:

Frank Nazar III, C, USNTDP U18s – From No. 10 to 4

The two top-5 debutants, Frank Nazar and Logan Cooley, flip their placement on the ranking. Now, Nazar is ahead one spot ahead.

A dynamic, explosive attacker with an unrelenting inside-driven style, Nazar brings a unique skill set to this draft. He doesn't just overwhelm defenders with pace, he misdirects them with deceptive handling, crossovers, and eyes, and then explodes to the inside. His improvements as a decision-maker – deking less, passing more – and his application of manipulation skills to quick-possession plays earned him the fourth rank on the board.

Considering his natural explosiveness, we anticipate his skating to accelerate ahead of the curve as his mechanics improve.

Logan Cooley, C, USNTDP U18s – From No. 9 to 5

Cooley is more in the Shane Wright mould. He's best when making quick, short-to-medium range plays that put himself in the middle of every play. As the season's wore on, he's started experimenting with a style that leans heavier on individual skill and flash. Concerns of sustainability aside, learning what works and what doesn't only bode well for his future.

Essentially, Nazar's and Cooley's games are converging after being strikingly different to the start year, and that's to the benefit of both. For this exercise, we deemed Nazar's ultimate upside to be higher, but there's a sound argument for the other way around. Keep an eye on this ranking moving forward.

Now, ultimately I don't have a problem with Cooley as a player -- as I've stated at length, I really like him. His skating is explosive and his skill is high-end. But he's a perimeter forward if anything, and the name of his game is flash-and-dash. For the Devils, Nazar would clearly make more sense out of the two, as he's just as skilled -- if not moreso -- and plays a more interior style.

Again, Cooley is a great player and he's going high in the 2022 draft. Along with Lambert, he's the best skater in the entire class. But at some point, team building involves acquiring different types of players to handle different roles, and Cooley's role would be "center who is not as good as Hughes or Hischier" or "skill/speed forward who is not as good as Hughes or Bratt". Yes, maybe he develops into a player as good as Hischier or Bratt, though he has no hope of rivaling Hughes' talent. But the Devils have no Jiricek anywhere in the organization, they have no Nemec anywhere in the organization, and there might not be a Slafkovsky in the entire NHL.

Though I hate arguing against players I'm high on, I don't foresee Cooley being even top 5 on the Devils draft board come June. He's an exciting prospect, but he will wind up somewhere else. I can see him as a target for a center-starved team like Arizona, Montreal, Philadelphia, Columbus, etc.

 

[Offseason Champs]

If the Devils find a way to walk away from this draft with Slaf/Jirichek and Miro I don't even care about the other picks. I think it's a good time to take a swing for the fences. I know Miroshnichenko is really sick, but there's a good recovery rate and we're in a spot where we can also wait like 3 years for him to be back up to speed if needed to add another elite level player to the squad on an ELC when the team should be humming.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Wright's going 1 for sure. I'm hoping Montreal or Seattle win the 1OA then Arizona gets 2. If that happens I imagine the top 3 will be Wright to Montreal/Seattle, then Cooley to Arizona, and Slafkovsky to Seattle/Montreal. If we're 4th I think Jiricek's there. 5th and 6th are maybes. I could see him dropping a bit and Nemec being the first D off the board in part because of Jiricek's injury but also Jiricek is exactly the type of D that NHL teams covet.

Wright's stock has fell a lot compared to a couple of years ago but he's still the 1OA. A couple of years ago he was looked at as like a Tavares level prospect. Now I'd say he's more like a Nico. He'll be a really good player but likely won't be elite.

I agree Arizona would take Cooley at #2, but I think either Montreal or Seattle take Slafkovsky #2. The Devils at #2 would likely take Slafkovsky or Jiricek in my opinion.

 

[Hisch13r]

I agree Arizona would take Cooley at #2, but I think either Montreal or Seattle take Slafkovsky #2. The Devils at #2 would likely take Slafkovsky or Jiricek in my opinion.

They'd be taking Slaf at 3 with what I was saying. It would go Wright at 1 to one of them. Cooley at 2 to Arizona. Slafkovsky at 3 to whichever didn't get 1.

 

[StevenToddIves]

If the Devils find a way to walk away from this draft with Slaf/Jirichek and Miro I don't even care about the other picks. I think it's a good time to take a swing for the fences. I know Miroshnichenko is really sick, but there's a good recovery rate and we're in a spot where we can also wait like 3 years for him to be back up to speed if needed to add another elite level player to the squad on an ELC when the team should be humming.

First off, you should always care about the other picks. That's the difference between a Devils management which took Gritsyuk and Sharangovich in the 5th and Bratt in the 6th and a management which took Shlaine and Vilen in the 5th and Baumgartner in the 6th. It's a huge demarcation.

But I agree with your other sentiments. If Miroshnichenko is available in the 2nd round, I take him. His upside is as a top 3 player from the entire 2022 draft class. I would also expand this to include Perevalov -- who is in my top 10 -- and Trikozov -- who is in my top 20. If the Russians fall, the Devils need to take advantage, at least in the 2nd-4th round range.

 

[Offseason Champs]

First off, you should always care about the other picks. That's the difference between a Devils management which took Gritsyuk and Sharangovich in the 5th and Bratt in the 6th and a management which took Shlaine and Vilen in the 5th and Baumgartner in the 6th. It's a huge demarcation.

But I agree with your other sentiments. If Miroshnichenko is available in the 2nd round, I take him. His upside is as a top 3 player from the entire 2022 draft class. I would also expand this to include Perevalov -- who is in my top 10 -- and Trikozov -- who is in my top 20. If the Russians fall, the Devils need to take advantage, at least in the 2nd-4th round range.

Okay okay it was definitely hyperbole because I do care about who they draft later on because of gems and role players who you will definitely need in the future. Mostly said it because I really would love to see them draft Miroshnichenko in the 2nd round if he gets there. But yeah, I hope they have the stones to grab one of these Russians who are likely to fall. You figure they're gonna try and get Gritsyuk/Muk to the states eventually, so they shouldn't shy away from the work they may need to put into it. I also hope they some teams are more gun-shy on drafting a guy who is questionable as to when he may be ready to play again let alone play in the states.

Also just having Miroshnichenko and Sharangovich with Mukhamadullin could be one of the longest scoring plays ever.