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

[Guttersniped]

I don’t think it’ll matter because unless Daws goes on a run again we’re not winning many going forward. Personally I’m hoping to stay at 4th worst or drop to 3rd worst but I don’t really want to drop further and I don’t want to jump higher. I think that gives us the best chance at Jiricek with Slafkovsky already being off the board since the most likely pick for us would be 4th or 5th.

I don’t see us catching Seattle, though the game against them is a big swing since one team gains rare points on the other.

The mushy 4-7 is close (56-59 points) and everyone is losing a lot so it’s impossible to call until we get closer.

There’s always unexpected wins like ours over Dallas. (Dallas being underwhelming choke artists helped.)

I don’t see Ottawa dropping below us, they have a cake walk schedule and win enough.

Chicago is iffier but they have 3 point lead.

Philly is a coin flip. They’re missing a bunch of players and their starters have been pretty gross lately. They do have their starters though.

 

[Hisch13r]

I don’t see us catching Seattle, though the game against them is a big swing since one team gains rare points on the other.

The mushy 4-7 is close (56-59 points) and everyone is losing a lot so it’s impossible to call until we get closer.

There’s always unexpected wins like ours over Dallas. (Dallas being underwhelming choke artists helped.)

I don’t see Ottawa dropping below us, they have a cake walk schedule and win enough.

Chicago is iffier but they have 3 point lead.

Philly is a coin flip. They’re missing a bunch of players and their starters have been pretty gross lately. They do have their starters though.

I think a healthy Blackwood returning and being good again could throw a wrench in my plans. If not for that I’d feel confident we don’t jump even with us being tightly packed

 

[MakoSlade]

Someday we should stop with this masakhism. I want to draft Slafkovsky a lot, but not as much, as I can restain the pain.

I'd rather us win more and draft Gauthier 6th-ish. I'm hoping for some tank-busters

 

[nugg]

It seems like every year there's a player that I wonder how to pronounce their name. Last year it was Matty Beniers. Is it Ben-ears, or Ben-yay? I think I heard it was ears... Anyway, this year, is it Lamb-bear, or Lamb-bert?

 

[Hisch13r]

I'd rather us win more and draft Gauthier 6th-ish. I'm hoping for some tank-busters

Unless those wins are off the back of a healthy Blackwood showing he’s the guy moving forward then they mean nothing to me. A better pick is worth more than racking up a few more meaningless wins

 

[Guttersniped]

It seems like every year there's a player that I wonder how to pronounce their name. Last year it was Matty Beniers. Is it Ben-ears, or Ben-yay? I think I heard it was ears... Anyway, this year, is it Lamb-bear, or Lamb-bert?

Lamb-bert

 

[Devs3cups]

It seems like every year there's a player that I wonder how to pronounce their name. Last year it was Matty Beniers. Is it Ben-ears, or Ben-yay? I think I heard it was ears... Anyway, this year, is it Lamb-bear, or Lamb-bert?

As for Matty Beniers, it's Ben-ears!

 

[My3Sons]

Unless those wins are off the back of a healthy Blackwood showing he’s the guy moving forward then they mean nothing to me. A better pick is worth more than racking up a few more meaningless wins

I get that but if it inspires the players that’s more important. This team has to start moving forward. If a few meaningless wins starts that process then they aren’t meaningless. I hope NJ gets another great player from the draft but I think the players would prefer the wins and they are more important than what we want.

 

[Hisch13r]

I get that but if it inspires the players that’s more important. This team has to start moving forward. If a few meaningless wins starts that process then they aren’t meaningless. I hope NJ gets another great player from the draft but I think the players would prefer the wins and they are more important than what we want.

I really don't think winning a few games at the end of the year will matter at all for how they're feeling.

 

[My3Sons]

I really don't think winning a few games at the end of the year will matter at all for how they're feeling.

Maybe yes maybe no. Probably not that simple and it varies by player.

 

[Hisch13r]

Maybe yes maybe no. Probably not that simple and it varies by player.

I look at a team like the Sens last year winning 9 of their last 12 and then still sucking this year or the 16-17 Avs losing 11 of their last 13 and still going on to make the playoffs next year and I see that if a team is bad then they'll lose games and if they're good then they'll win them regardless of winning or losing some meaningless games the year before. Winning a couple more games in a lost season to end the year does no good.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Maybe yes maybe no. Probably not that simple and it varies by player.

I think it makes very little to no difference. The team will change in the off-season and everyone will come in with optimism as long as they’ve had a good summer and feel good. Getting a few more games won’t affect that.

They all know how quickly and easily things could go the other way and there’s so many teams that go from really bad to good very quickly and vice versa. It’s all gonna come down to how ready the players are coming into the season, how good the group of players are, and then a decent amount of luck. The final 10 games at the end of this season won’t really change anything. Won’t change how they go into the summer and what they do or how they feel going into next season. That will be dependent on their summer and training camp goes, and what transpires with the team in the off-season.

 

[Nubmer6]

Unless those wins are off the back of a healthy Blackwood showing he’s the guy moving forward then they mean nothing to me. A better pick is worth more than racking up a few more meaningless wins

I don't really care about winning, but I'd love to see guys like Zetterlund rip it up the rest of the year. If we win because of it, so be it.

 

[Mgd31]

I'd like to see good finishes for Hischier, Bratt, Mercer, Sharangovich, Boqvist, Zetterlund, Smith and Hamilton. And I guess Daws (if he's still up here) and Blackwood (?)

If those efforts lead to wins or losses, doesn't matter to me.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

I think you're coming up with wrong conclusions off of partially true suppositions. While it's true Holtz is not a line driver, it's also important to note he was not drafted to be a line driver -- but rather to be a weapon and a finisher for Hughes or Holtz. In this respect, Holtz's potential is absolutely phenomenal.

I disagree he is a one-dimensional player. Holtz's passing and vision are actually quite good, and his puck-handling is pretty nifty as well. While none of these are elite tools like a true-line driver like Hughes or Bratt would possess, they are both strong enough abilities to play with top talent as the finisher on the line.

Like all goal-scorers, Holtz has been forced to re-learn the ability to find the soft areas on the ice to get open and unleash his shot at each new level. The speed in which he has done this in the AHL is quite impressive. This will be his initial task -- along with rounding out his two-way play -- when he comes to the NHL next season.

Alexander Holtz is a sniper of rare potential, and also one who has the potential to be more than just a one-dimensional shooter. Though he is not a line-driver, he can be an outstanding compliment for a line with a player who fits that role, like Hughes or Bratt or Hischier. We should all be very excited about him.

Agree I think his passing and vision is very underrated and I think that trait shows u he sees the game at a fast pace and can make decisions quickly....Hopefully his play away from the puck has improved I think that will round out his overall game...

 

[Hisch13r]

Agree I think his passing and vision is very underrated and I think that trait shows u he sees the game at a fast pace and can make decisions quickly....Hopefully his play away from the puck has improved I think that will round out his overall game...

I was rewatching the Scouching video on Holtz last night and he also said that Holtz has a pretty good motor in the NZ/OZ and will apply pressure to guys and hunt down pucks. In zone D was a mess though.

Also 83% of the shots he tracked from Holtz were coming from low danger areas which was a pretty big cause for concern. The little I’ve of him this year he seems to be getting more medium and high danger looks. I don’t even think he needs to be a high danger king. If he can hang out as a guy who gets a ton of just medium danger looks at 5v5 then the skill is the limit playing alongside the playmaking talent we have.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I was rewatching the Scouching video on Holtz last night and he also said that Holtz has a pretty good motor in the NZ/OZ and will apply pressure to guys and hunt down pucks. In zone D was a mess though.

Also 83% of the shots he tracked from Holtz were coming from low danger areas which was a pretty big cause for concern. The little I’ve of him this year he seems to be getting more medium and high danger looks. I don’t even think he needs to be a high danger king. If he can hang out as a guy who gets a ton of just medium danger looks at 5v5 then the skill is the limit playing alongside the playmaking talent we have.

These are all aspects which pure scorers learn in development. Scouching is ok but I feel he's never played or coached hockey at any level because he has a propensity to assume players are static and doesn't foresee little keys which may unlock aspects of their games.

At lower levels, there's always open ice at the top of the circles, and players like Holtz with elite shots can just sort of hang there and wait to unleash the howitzer. At higher levels, these "pure scorer" types must find their own ways to create soft areas. It's not the same as an interior forward always funneling to the net and banging pucks home -- you literally want Holtz to fade out to the perimeter sometimes and just wind it up. His shot is good enough, he's the rare player who can score from anywhere and the "high danger/low danger" thing is less relevant with a player such as him.

The best goal scorer in the league right now is Auston Matthews and his best weapon is that he is the weapon -- he can score so many different ways he's virtually impossible to contain. Holtz is not that player of course, but the fact that he's also a very good (and underrated, don't ask me why) playmaker and puck handler will afford him a bit more time and space. When you combine this with the fact he'll get a ton of ice time with elite playmakers like Hughes or Bratt -- well it's not impossible to see this kid having 40+ goal upside. All he needs to do is find ways to find soft ice, and with Hughsie or Bratt the puck will find him. Where that ice is? Well it's almost immaterial.

I like Scouching, but he is what he is -- he has his mathematical idea of hockey and he gets blind spots when looking outside of it. But I would agree with you that a medium-danger chance for him is a high danger chance for pretty much anyone else, and with the NJ playmaking talent he'll get plenty of opportunities to wind it up anywhere.

 

[Hisch13r]

These are all aspects which pure scorers learn in development. Scouching is ok but I feel he's never played or coached hockey at any level because he has a propensity to assume players are static and doesn't foresee little keys which may unlock aspects of their games.

At lower levels, there's always open ice at the top of the circles, and players like Holtz with elite shots can just sort of hang there and wait to unleash the howitzer. At higher levels, these "pure scorer" types must find their own ways to create soft areas. It's not the same as an interior forward always funneling to the net and banging pucks home -- you literally want Holtz to fade out to the perimeter sometimes and just wind it up. His shot is good enough, he's the rare player who can score from anywhere and the "high danger/low danger" thing is less relevant with a player such as him.

The best goal scorer in the league right now is Auston Matthews and his best weapon is that he is the weapon -- he can score so many different ways he's virtually impossible to contain. Holtz is not that player of course, but the fact that he's also a very good (and underrated, don't ask me why) playmaker and puck handler will afford him a bit more time and space. When you combine this with the fact he'll get a ton of ice time with elite playmakers like Hughes or Bratt -- well it's not impossible to see this kid having 40+ goal upside. All he needs to do is find ways to find soft ice, and with Hughsie or Bratt the puck will find him. Where that ice is? Well it's almost immaterial.

I like Scouching, but he is what he is -- he has his mathematical idea of hockey and he gets blind spots when looking outside of it. But I would agree with you that a medium-danger chance for him is a high danger chance for pretty much anyone else, and with the NJ playmaking talent he'll get plenty of opportunities to wind it up anywhere.

I mean a guy like Matthews is the best goal scorer on the planet in large part because he gets inside so much. It’s a big part of what has separated him and say a guy like Laine who in his career is scoring at a 35 goal pace and after his sophomore year is scoring at 31 goal pace. Laine has the shot to be in the conversation for best goal scorer behind Matthews or maybe even challenge Matthews but he doesn’t because so many of his shots are low danger shots. He’s still managed to be a great goal scorer but it’s held him back from hitting higher heights. It was a very valid concern to bring up with Holtz as something that could limit his higher end potential if it was something he couldn’t figure out.

 

[Rydev]

I mean a guy like Matthews is the best goal scorer on the planet in large part because he gets inside so much. It’s a big part of what has separated him and say a guy like Laine who in his career is scoring at a 35 goal pace and after his sophomore year is scoring at 31 goal pace. Laine has the shot to be in the conversation for best goal scorer behind Matthews or maybe even challenge Matthews but he doesn’t because so many of his shots are low danger shots. He’s still managed to be a great goal scorer but it’s held him back from hitting higher heights. It was a very valid concern to bring up with Holtz as something that could limit his higher end potential if it was something he couldn’t figure out.

Auston Matthews also utilizes a very quick snap shot instead of wrist shot a lot of times, especially in close like you say he loves doing.

Its part of why hes one of my favorite players in the league right now. His ability to pull back the puck and snap it with such force and accuracy, instead of just ripping the usual wrister with a screen, is kind of unique in the league right now.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I mean a guy like Matthews is the best goal scorer on the planet in large part because he gets inside so much. It’s a big part of what has separated him and say a guy like Laine who in his career is scoring at a 35 goal pace and after his sophomore year is scoring at 31 goal pace. Laine has the shot to be in the conversation for best goal scorer behind Matthews or maybe even challenge Matthews but he doesn’t because so many of his shots are low danger shots. He’s still managed to be a great goal scorer but it’s held him back from hitting higher heights. It was a very valid concern to bring up with Holtz as something that could limit his higher end potential if it was something he couldn’t figure out.

I would agree with everything you say here.

However, I would add that Laine's big problem has always been consistency of compete level, and this does not seem to be an issue with Holtz.

I'd say my hope for Holtz would be to blossom into a consistent 30-goal scorer with maybe a couple seasons where he tops 40, while being a good enough all around player and constant weapon on the PP. I think that's what we drafted him for, and I remain optimistic after his impressive performance in his first year on North American ice.

 

[Rydev]

I would agree with everything you say here.

However, I would add that Laine's big problem has always been consistency of compete level, and this does not seem to be an issue with Holtz.

I'd say my hope for Holtz would be to blossom into a consistent 30-goal scorer with maybe a couple seasons where he tops 40, while being a good enough all around player and constant weapon on the PP. I think that's what we drafted him for, and I remain optimistic after his impressive performance in his first year on North American ice.

Adjusting for scoring and its absolutely insane jump, which I expect to level out and maintain, a 40g scorer is probably closer than 30 for Alex and his shot, right?

If the worlds best snipers are looking more like 60+ a year, then that probably means we need to readjust our outlook on production and add about 10 to every stat going forward.

Just my personal opinion on scoring and I do think Alex's shot will be one of the best when hes older. Not Ovechkin or Matthews level but a top-10/15 shot seems possible for him.

 

[Hisch13r]

Adjusting for scoring and its absolutely insane jump, which I expect to level out and maintain, a 40g scorer is probably closer than 30 for Alex and his shot, right?

If the worlds best snipers are looking more like 60+ a year, then that probably means we need to readjust our outlook on production and add about 10 to every stat going forward.

Just my personal opinion on scoring and I do think Alex's shot will be one of the best when hes older. Not Ovechkin or Matthews level but a top-10/15 shot seems possible for him.

Yeah considering the jump in scoring and the talent he has around him I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s more 35-40 than 30-35. I’ll still keep my expectations lower and say the 30-35 though

 

[StevenToddIves]

Adjusting for scoring and its absolutely insane jump, which I expect to level out and maintain, a 40g scorer is probably closer than 30 for Alex and his shot, right?

If the worlds best snipers are looking more like 60+ a year, then that probably means we need to readjust our outlook on production and add about 10 to every stat going forward.

Just my personal opinion on scoring and I do think Alex's shot will be one of the best when hes older. Not Ovechkin or Matthews level but a top-10/15 shot seems possible for him.

The best goal-scorers score in myriad ways, like Matthews and Draisaitl. Of course, then we have Alex Ovechkin who scores 200 goals per season on the same exact shot. But I think we'd all agree Ovie is pretty rare.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Shame there's no clear-cut stud goalie ala Askarov. I'd legitimately entertain taking one with a top-10 pick.

 

[Goptor]

Shame there's no clear-cut stud goalie ala Askarov. I'd legitimately entertain taking one with a top-10 pick.

They would still be years away from the NHL and even more until they become full time starters