Prospect Info: 2024 25 Devils DRAFT Thread

[StevenToddIves]

solberg hatty and a monster physical/minute munching game to force OT against the USA @StevenToddIves @Guadana solid season in sweden and another impressive international showing to end the year. obviously some risk at the time, but still feeling good about ranking him top 10 last year

I mean, let's face it guys... we're really good at this haha. I think we were talking about Solberg as a 1st round pick when everyone else -- even the big-name guys -- all had him as like a 3rd rounder.

Kudos to you two -- @Guadana and @evnted -- every year you find diamonds in the rough.

People don't realize how tough it is to project prospects, especially the lesser-known ones. I look pretty good for touting Jesper Bratt in 2016 as our steal of the draft. But I was similarly high the very next draft of 2017 with Aarne Talvitie. Every win comes with a loss, and you need to constantly stick your neck out.

But yes, I think we are looking very, very good with Stian Solberg. Kid can play.

 

[evnted]

I mean, let's face it guys... we're really good at this haha. I think we were talking about Solberg as a 1st round pick when everyone else -- even the big-name guys -- all had him as like a 3rd rounder.

Kudos to you two -- @Guadana and @evnted -- every year you find diamonds in the rough.

People don't realize how tough it is to project prospects, especially the lesser-known ones. I look pretty good for touting Jesper Bratt in 2016 as our steal of the draft. But I was similarly high the very next draft of 2017 with Aarne Talvitie. Every win comes with a loss, and you need to constantly stick your neck out.

But yes, I think we are looking very, very good with Stian Solberg. Kid can play.

think its hard to say talvitie was truly a loss for you, early trends were great and he was ultimately never the same player after that wjc injury. hope tom finally gives us more of these long range project picks again lol

 

[My3Sons]

think its hard to say talvitie was truly a loss for you, early trends were great and he was ultimately never the same player after that wjc injury. hope tom finally gives us more of these long range project picks again lol

I agree. I watched a fair amount of Talvitie after he was drafted. He looked good at the WJSS right after the draft. He was clearly able to play with the best players in his age cohort. If he stays healthy I think he would have been a player. Stylistically he reminded me a bit of Palat. Not a world beater but certainly an NHL player in his prime.

 

[StevenToddIves]

think its hard to say talvitie was truly a loss for you, early trends were great and he was ultimately never the same player after that wjc injury. hope tom finally gives us more of these long range project picks again lol

2017 was a rough year for me. I also missed on Jason Robertson and many of my sleepers did not pan out -- Heponiemi, Lipanov, Samorukov.

I think my two big wins that year were Dylan Samberg and my hot take that Lias Andersson was the worst top 7 pick of the decade.

 

[Guadana]

I agree. I watched a fair amount of Talvitie after he was drafted. He looked good at the WJSS right after the draft. He was clearly able to play with the best players in his age cohort. If he stays healthy I think he would have been a player. Stylistically he reminded me a bit of Palat. Not a world beater but certainly an NHL player in his prime.

Its annoying and sad. Devils fans could be not happy with outcome, fans of other teams may get upset, imagine being that player who never come to the level he played before some injury, dont even talk about being better. We saw it few time. Its just very depressing from the player point of view, they are putting so much effort, time, they reject many opportunities, options, and miss important events in their lives. I talked to a hockey father not so long ago. He took a very long time to decide where to give his child to - a coach with competition, tough training, but great risk to his knees, or to develop his son in a calm rhythm in his city. But without the regular opportunity to interact with the best players of their age. Only in tournaments. He preferred to keep his son's knees in health.

 

[Guadana]

This is clearly not what the Devils are doing. They drafted Holtz over Rossi and Jarvis... Salminen over Svozil, Blake, Savage and Duke... Pikkarainen and Traff over Kevin He.

The Devils are leaving as much character and work ethic on the table as they are leaving skill on the table.

The Devils have many problems in their recent draft history, but this is not one of them. The reason I mention it is because this is a gross misdiagnosis -- the Devils would not be in this situation if they were drafting the highest character and work ethic players.

They didn’t want to draft Rossi and Lundell I think. It’s more about Quinn vs Jarvis vs Holtz. They picked the worst player. It was a huge mistake twice. It was a wrong strategy - outside Nico and Jack they had only Zacha. And he was a very slow starter in his career, looked like a not so good player for center role. They should pick for potential or at least pick center.
Second mistake was a Holtz pick. Even with his good passing game he was one trick pony and I always said again and again that it is too early to wait more and he is not the best Devils prospect. I ranked Mercer and after Gritsyuk over him all that time. Both Jarvis and Quinn were better all around players with better skating, may be nit so great shooters in the moment but with better skills set for the role in the NHL.
I was very happy to not see how Devils picking Eiserman. I wish him all the best but I believe you will always have better player in top-15.

 

[Goptor]

I would like some explanation as to what qualifies as terrible? Outcome? Process?

What is terrible about last year's draft?

Holtz
Mercer
Pytlik
Schlaine
Baumgartner
Stillman
Bardakov
Hauser
Filmon
Hameenaho
Squires
Brown
Pikkarainen
Traff
Graham
Melovsky

This is all of Fitz's forwards drafted over his 5 years here. 1 guy is on the NHL team, 2 guys finished the season in the AHL and put up a total of 4 points combined. He's already dumped Traff and Graham from last year's draft as worthless throw-ins on trades.

They don't have any depth at the NHL level OR the AHL level. This list is exactly why we have nothing.

 

[My3Sons]

Its annoying and sad. Devils fans could be not happy with outcome, fans of other teams may get upset, imagine being that player who never come to the level he played before some injury, dont even talk about being better. We saw it few time. Its just very depressing from the player point of view, they are putting so much effort, time, they reject many opportunities, options, and miss important events in their lives. I talked to a hockey father not so long ago. He took a very long time to decide where to give his child to - a coach with competition, tough training, but great risk to his knees, or to develop his son in a calm rhythm in his city. But without the regular opportunity to interact with the best players of their age. Only in tournaments. He preferred to keep his son's knees in health.

Being a parent of a young promising athlete is a big responsibility. Some parents can’t handle it. I saw several kids with futures in different sports and some folks understood how to navigate it while some were impossible and paranoid.

 

[Buggsy]

Holtz
Mercer
Pytlik
Schlaine
Baumgartner
Stillman
Bardakov
Hauser
Filmon
Hameenaho
Squires
Brown
Pikkarainen
Traff
Graham
Melovsky

This is all of Fitz's forwards drafted over his 5 years here. 1 guy is on the NHL team, 2 guys finished the season in the AHL and put up a total of 4 points combined. He's already dumped Traff and Graham from last year's draft as worthless throw-ins on trades.

They don't have any depth at the NHL level OR the AHL level. This list is exactly why we have nothing.

So your measurement of terrible drafting is on forward drafting?

What about defence and goalies?

I'm not saying the devil's have been stellar at drafting, but terrible?

 

[Billdo]

So your measurement of terrible drafting is on forward drafting?

What about defence and goalies?

I'm not saying the devil's have been stellar at drafting, but terrible?

I'd say not good. Probably not terrible but I wouldn't even say mediocre.

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Holtz
Mercer
Pytlik
Schlaine
Baumgartner
Stillman
Bardakov
Hauser
Filmon
Hameenaho
Squires
Brown
Pikkarainen
Traff
Graham
Melovsky

This is all of Fitz's forwards drafted over his 5 years here. 1 guy is on the NHL team, 2 guys finished the season in the AHL and put up a total of 4 points combined. He's already dumped Traff and Graham from last year's draft as worthless throw-ins on trades.

They don't have any depth at the NHL level OR the AHL level. This list is exactly why we have nothing.

That’s an odd way to put it. Cam Squires had 4 points in 3 AHL games after a decent season.

Lenni had about as good of a year as we could’ve hoped from him. Fitz has not done well drafting forwards and hasn’t drafted enough centers, but it’s a bit misleading to ignore that most of our high value picks have been on D. Those top picks are usually the ones that do anything a couple years after being picked.

 

[Goptor]

That’s an odd way to put it. Cam Squires had 4 points in 3 AHL games after a decent season.

Lenni had about as good of a year as we could’ve hoped from him. Fitz has not done well drafting forwards and hasn’t drafted enough centers, but it’s a bit misleading to ignore that most of our high value picks have been on D. Those top picks are usually the ones that do anything a couple years after being picked.

I put it that way because it directly effected the team this year and was the single biggest cause of the poor play to finish the season. It seems to be a problem for next year also because everyone here is looking to bring in expensive free agents to fill the voids that typically get plugged in with cheap prospects.
Squires and Lenni weren't eligible to be brought up to the NHL squad last year so they were not options.

Look at the final draft from Shero. He had Clarke and Thompson as later round draft picks that plugged in as depth when they were needed. I know you're going to say they were bad, but at least they were available. The team ran a 13th forward energy winger as their 4th line center and plugged in a 3rd line AHL center as an injury replacement because there was literally nobody else available. That one draft had more useful later round forward picks than all 5 of Fitz's drafts combined.

 

[Buggsy]

I put it that way because it directly effected the team this year and was the single biggest cause of the poor play to finish the season. It seems to be a problem for next year also because everyone here is looking to bring in expensive free agents to fill the voids that typically get plugged in with cheap prospects.
Squires and Lenni weren't eligible to be brought up to the NHL squad last year so they were not options.

Look at the final draft from Shero. He had Clarke and Thompson as later round draft picks that plugged in as depth when they were needed. I know you're going to say they were bad, but at least they were available. The team ran a 13th forward energy winger as their 4th line center and plugged in a 3rd line AHL center as an injury replacement because there was literally nobody else available. That one draft had more useful later round forward picks than all 5 of Fitz's drafts combined.

I mean I kindve see your point, and I agree that they need to take high skill swings later rounds, but you're comparing 2 forwards drafted in 2019 who were absolutely nothing's to drafts where most late round picks are defenceman.

Stillman and Salminen are notable whiffs.

But no need to detail the thread anymore, just thought terrible was an extreme take.