Prospect Info: 2024 25 Devils DRAFT Thread

[evnted]

2025 Draft Profile:

C Milton Gastrin, MoDo J20
When talking about pro's pro draft eligibles, Milton Gastrin might be at the top of the list. His projection is essentially a wish list of things general managers want in their bottom 6: smarts, compete, skating, play driving, two-way play, etc. He has decent size, decent production, and an incredibly mature game for his age. Gastrin positively impacts play in all three zones, with or or without the puck, making a ton of good decisions along the way. He's hard on pucks, plays a heavy game down low, and loves to push play up the ice. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who genuinely dislikes him.

In saying that, though, I should mention his skill level is...just alright. Gastrin is quite good about driving the net for scoring chances, which he needs to be since he isn't exactly a high end scorer; beyond that, I haven't generally been a fan of his shot selection. His handling is also rather inconsistent, and he can be prone to turnovers, both forced and inadvertent (i.e. fumbling pucks). The playmaking game is certainly better, even showcasing some craftiness, but still not without lapses of judgment. To me, the best aspect of his offensive game is how hard he forechecks to pry pucks out and get them to linemates.

I spent pretty much all season feeling like I should like Gastrin more than I do. The strengths of his game are the building blocks that this board loves to bet on, but I've had so many viewings where I'm just asking myself 'so what?' with the player. While I do love much of what he offers, the draft isn't necessarily about finding the best and most well-rounded player today, it's about finding the best bets for tomorrow. There's little question that Gastrin will be able to slot on an NHL roster one day, but I do wonder how many players picked after him will be able to catch up and even surpass him in the long run. Ultimately, this class has a ton of 3rd-line-at-best type prospects, so while I have no problem with Gastrin as a low maintenance, easy plug and play option in the late 1st/early 2nd round, for me personally, I'd probably look for a player with a bit more specialization or more impressive flashes.

 

[evnted]

2025 Draft Profile:

C Eric Nilson, Djurgardens J20
Continuing the trend of do-all, versatile 3rd line center prospects, Eric Nilson checks the boxes while offering a little bit more optimism on the offensive side of things. He's a competitive two-way player with great positional sense and a knack for disrupting the opposition both defensively, by forcing turnovers, and offensively, by taking sticks out of lanes. He's a confident and shifty player on the puck with good judgment of when to challenge defenses. He flashes some pretty exceptional playmaking vision at times, even if the execution isn't always there right now. I particularly love his ability to spin off contact and get pucks from the boards to middle ice. He has excellent instincts and vision under pressure, and can even show off a little feistiness.

In the scouting world, calling lack of strength a weakness is usually a no-no, not because it isn't true, but because it's lazy and applicable to basically every prospect in any given class. In this case, I believe Nilson is the exception. Coming in at 6ft even and 166lb, Eric Nilson absolutely needs to bulk up if he's going to be able to scale his game to the NHL. He's simply too skinny and too weak right now to be able to play into contact and target puck carries the way he wants to. Thankfully, he'll be headed to college this upcoming season, MSU specifically, so that will be a great opportunity to hit the gym. A lot.

In spite of being a fan of Nilson's, I do have to acknowledge that his projection might fall within the scope of good but not quite good enough. The pace isn't always as high as it probably needs to be to project him to a checking line role, he sometimes has a tendency to get pushed to the perimeter, and he doesn't really have great size or hard skill to bet on. I'd like to believe a heavier frame will help alleviate some of these concerns, and it probably will to a degree, but we'll need to see him continue to drive middle ice more and clean up his intermittent overhandlings/inefficient puck movement. Still, I like him as a late 1st rounder, which might be a bit aggressive, and think he's an excellent option for pick 50.

 

[evnted]

2025 Draft Profile:

C/LW Theo Stockselius, Djurgardens J20
Next in line for the Swedish 3rd line center discussion, Theo Stockselius is probably the furthest from his long term outlook, but with the greatest foundation from which to build on. The player offers an imposing 6'3" 196lb frame, exceptional positional sense and anticipation, and tremendous on and off puck timing and vision. His playmaking game, though not often flashy, is incredibly efficient and scalable given how well he can slip pucks through triangles. He's remarkably quick to turn defensive stops into offensive counterattacks, oftentimes making it look pretty effortless. He's a smooth skater, but certainly not fast or high tempo.

The reason Stockselius's projection is so in flux, and the reason I'd argue he's most commonly ranked the lowest of the trio, is because he doesn't really understand the tools he has at his disposal. The size isn't the advantage it could be right now. In reexamining some tape from the U18s, the physical play is probably a bit better than I initially made it out to be from prior viewings, but he seems to only be scratching the surface of how to use it to fend off pressure and create separation. His pace, again, was a little better in later season viewings, but his play style in general can come off as incredibly passive and primarily focused on connecting plays, not driving pucks himself. I don't want to say his game lacks intensity, but it certainly doesn't abound with it either.

In the simplest possible terms, Stockselius needs a bit more...oomph to his game. More direct carries to the net, more physical play, heavier puck possessions, higher tempo play, so on. He's certainly capable of doing all this, it's not like he's lacking smarts or tools, and we've even seen it (sparingly) in flashes, but there needs to be more assertiveness. There's a lot to unlock with this player, and his tremendous mind for the game offers some encouragement that he can get there. Consensus might say it's too early, but I would be on board with picking Stockselius in the 2nd round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

On some level he sounds a bit like Boquist sort of project player?

Not sure if Boqvist would be my comparison.

Romano is certainly a likable player. I think he could fall strictly based on the most inane stat which causes many players to fall, which is that dreaded one inch between 5'11 and 6'0. His 25g-26a-51p line in 67 games wasn't exactly eye-popping but with a late June birthday Romano is one of the younger players in the class and he played mostly a 2nd line role in Kitchener behind 20-year old Adrian Misaljevic on a very solid and deep Rangers' team. The combination of these factors all hint at *sleeper* from my experience, especially when you consider Romano's speed, heart and all around tool-kit. He'd be a nice grab for the Devils in the 2nd round, but unfortunately in recent years NJ has been one of those teams which seems to overvalue that dreaded one inch between 5'11 and 6'0.

 

[My3Sons]

Not sure if Boqvist would be my comparison.

Romano is certainly a likable player. I think he could fall strictly based on the most inane stat which causes many players to fall, which is that dreaded one inch between 5'11 and 6'0. His 25g-26a-51p line in 67 games wasn't exactly eye-popping but with a late June birthday Romano is one of the younger players in the class and he played mostly a 2nd line role in Kitchener behind 20-year old Adrian Misaljevic on a very solid and deep Rangers' team. The combination of these factors all hint at *sleeper* from my experience, especially when you consider Romano's speed, heart and all around tool-kit. He'd be a nice grab for the Devils in the 2nd round, but unfortunately in recent years NJ has been one of those teams which seems to overvalue that dreaded one inch between 5'11 and 6'0.

Boquist was a mid size player with good wheels and enough talent to be a potential high end project. Your description of Romano sounds somewhat similar.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2025 Draft Profile:

C/LW Theo Stockselius, Djurgardens J20
Next in line for the Swedish 3rd line center discussion, Theo Stockselius is probably the furthest from his long term outlook, but with the greatest foundation from which to build on. The player offers an imposing 6'3" 196lb frame, exceptional positional sense and anticipation, and tremendous on and off puck timing and vision. His playmaking game, though not often flashy, is incredibly efficient and scalable given how well he can slip pucks through triangles. He's remarkably quick to turn defensive stops into offensive counterattacks, oftentimes making it look pretty effortless. He's a smooth skater, but certainly not fast or high tempo.

The reason Stockselius's projection is so in flux, and the reason I'd argue he's most commonly ranked the lowest of the trio, is because he doesn't really understand the tools he has at his disposal. The size isn't the advantage it could be right now. In reexamining some tape from the U18s, the physical play is probably a bit better than I initially made it out to be from prior viewings, but he seems to only be scratching the surface of how to use it to fend off pressure and create separation. His pace, again, was a little better in later season viewings, but his play style in general can come off as incredibly passive and primarily focused on connecting plays, not driving pucks himself. I don't want to say his game lacks intensity, but it certainly doesn't abound with it either.

In the simplest possible terms, Stockselius needs a bit more...oomph to his game. More direct carries to the net, more physical play, heavier puck possessions, higher tempo play, so on. He's certainly capable of doing all this, it's not like he's lacking smarts or tools, and we've even seen it (sparingly) in flashes, but there needs to be more assertiveness. There's a lot to unlock with this player, and his tremendous mind for the game offers some encouragement that he can get there. Consensus might say it's too early, but I would be on board with picking Stockselius in the 2nd round.

Great write-ups of all the Sweden Jr players, @evnted -- thanks!!

I've seen Gastrin ranked as a first rounder, which I disagree with. I like him anywhere after the first 35 or so picks, however. Nilson's sneaky upside makes him an interesting pick anywhere outside the top 40 but, to me, there's some risk there, too. Stockselius I agree is worth consideration as soon as the late 2nd round.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2025 Draft Profile:

C Ethan Czata, Niagara OHL
In the rounds 2 or 3 one of the many decisions a GM has to make is whether to swing for the fences on upside or more safely build organizational depth by drafting high-floor players who might lack in star qualities. I do not believe either decision is *wrong*, so long as the scouting is sound. Ethan Czata certainly belongs in the second category, as his entire game is tailored towards an NHL bottom 6 C role, and as such his chances of becoming this are quite good. But those looking for high-scoring upside are probably apt to look elsewhere.

Czata is a defense-first center who is extremely smart and competitive and not afraid to throw his projectable 6'1-175 frame around. His finest attribute is an irreproachable team et hic and understanding of the game, which combine to see him as one of the more responsible players in this class. His positioning is terrific, his gaps are terrific, he's always willing to help his defensemen out down low, even to the detriment of his offensive numbers. He's tough and feisty and backs down to no one.

The reason Czata is not often highlighted in top 30 draft lists is, quite frankly, that with the exception of passing his offensive tools are pretty much average-to-just-above-average across the board. He's a pretty good skater with decent hands and an ok shot. But it must be stressed that his passing vision is certainly a plus tool, I'd say it's excellent in all three zones. This is a kid who sees the ice exceptionally well and is smart enough to incorporate deception and misdirection despite the fact he can't blow by you or dangle around you with any regularity.

Though I've generally seen Czata ranked in the late 2nd to late 3rd range, I think he's a very smart pick anywhere after the first 35 or so players are off the board. He's a natural center with the size and ability to very clearly project to an NHL bottom 6, and his outstanding two-way acumen and high intelligence on ice elevate his natural tool kit. Throw in some intriguing playmaking upside and a mean streak and I think there's some bona fide sleeper potential here.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2025 Draft Profile:

RW Shamar Moses, North Bay OHL
Shamar Moses is the prototypical One Flaw Player, but the problem is the one flaw is a pretty crucial one. In a vacuum -- which is to say, once established in the offensive zone -- Moses stands out with a 6'1-205 frame, high-end passing and shooting and puck handling abilities, and a great understanding of how to both find space and use it. The problem is, to put it bluntly, he's a poor skater with poor acceleration which sees him often late to pucks and areas where he can make the most of his myriad abilities.

There's no soft way to put this, because for the most part this is a very likable player. Obviously, this is a big kid who shows good compete and features a very high hockey IQ. He's among the top 10 or so forwards in the entire draft class when it comes to pure passing vision and puck skills, he's manipulative and deceptive as hell, and though he's a pass-first player by choice he can also rocket the puck. Were Moses even an average skater, he'd be on myriad 1st round lists for the 2025 class.

The NHL game is largely predicated on skating and although we will occasionally see a winger make it without the tool, there are far more forgettable names than Dave Andreychuks out there. As such, though I really like Shamar Moses as a player, I'm not sure I'd draft him until the very late rounds and he'll probably be gone by then.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2025 Draft Profile:

RD Evan Passmore, Barrie OHL
There's little doubt Evan Passmore will be gone in the first 75 picks of the NHL Draft. Quite simply, he's a 6'4-210 very physical RD who skates very well. NHL front offices love this type of player, even if he offers little in the way of offensive ability and his most optimal outcome is as an NHL 5/6 D.

Passmore is a very basic player who does certain things very well. He's rangy and terrific at the poke-check, he's punishing to play against and he clears creases with a vengeance. Passmore moves around the ice very well and shuts down passing lanes with his huge frame. Once he traps you along the boards or down low, he's a virtual lock to win most one-on-one puck battles. Passmore plays hard and stands up for his smaller teammates.

Not to harp on the kid for not being a player he is clearly not, but his puck skills are average to below-average across the board. What he needs to and could improve are his reads, gaps and positioning -- none of which are terrible, but Passmore can currently be beat by high skill players in open ice. He succumbs to manipulation and deception -- while Passmore possesses a decent hockey IQ, he often "takes the bait" as it were.

I see Evan Passmore as a solid pick after the first 75 players are off the board, though I suspect his combination of size and skating will see him go far higher. His floor is dependent on increasing his on ice awareness and defensive fundamentals and as for his ceiling, well... that's not why you draft him.

 

[StevenToddIves]

2025 Draft Profile:

C Tyler Hopkins, Kingston OHL
Tyler Hopkins is a player who possesses a multitude of desirable tools, but those tools don't always work in tandem as of yet. He's pretty raw for sure, but Hopkins is also a natural center with good skates and a projectable 6'1-185 frame. He works hard and shows some good anticipation and understanding of the game -- maybe not "high-end hockey IQ", but certainly coachable.

Hopkins tallied 51 points despite being strictly a middle-6 forward for a strong and deep Frontenacs squad. He shows some intriguing skills across the board, though it usually comes in flashes and he has trouble with shift-to-shift consistency. Hopkins will hit top gear and blast past defenders on one play, though his hands have trouble keeping up with his feet and he'll fumble the puck away on the ensuing play. He shoots pretty well and makes some borderline high-end passes on one shift, then misses the net and turns the puck over trying to do too much on the next shift.

Where Hopkins really shines is where he's given a definitive role and set loose in that role. He's ferocious on the back check and really supports his defensemen down low. I'd say he's one of the best penalty killers in the entire OHL, combining a dog-on-a-bone mentality with the willingness to block shots and play physical against bigger opponents. This gives me great hope that Hopkins can be honed into a tremendous bottom 6 center at the professional level. If the offensive skills develop and mesh, I think there might be some middle-6 sleeper upside with this player, and he might be available into Rounds 3 and 4.