StevenToddIves
Registered User
I don't see it, despite Catton's obvious offensive skill. He's similar stylistically to two forwards the Devils already have locked up long-term in Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt, and Catton lacks the elite skating and upside of those two. While Catton certainly might have the highest point-scoring potential available when the Devils pick at #10, New Jersey has several needs in several areas (center, LD, interior forward) -- and the only one Catton could potentially fill is center, which is far from a guarantee since many in the scouting industry foresee him as a winger at the highest levels.Catton if we pick, crossing my fingers
I very much like Berkly Catton as a player, and he's certainly in the conversation with the #10 pick. While I would probably not take him if I were Tom Fitzgerald, I am not Fitzgerald nor am I aware of his draft-day agenda. But we can say that Fitzgerald has repeatedly both stated and addressed a desire to build the Devils into a bigger and more physical team, and Catton would represent the smallest forward he has drafted since the 6th round of the 2020 draft.
Of course the same could be said for Konsta Helenius, but since Helenius is what we would call a more "natural" center, he might make a bit more sense for the organization going forward. And while it bears noting that just two years ago Fitzgerald made a terrific pick with an undersized defenseman in the 2nd round (Seamus Casey, 5'10-175) it also bears noting that Casey plays a greasier style and certainly bigger than his measurements. The same can be said for Helenius -- a remarkably competitive kid -- but not so much for Catton, who is not soft by any means but prefers to create from the perimeter.
Ultimately, Catton is certainly in play for the Devils pick at #10, I just wouldn't consider him a favorite. I'd say the most likely scenarios are a LD (Buium, Dickinson, Silayev or Solberg) or Helenius. Catton would be probably towards the middle of a group of dark horses which include Nygard, Iginla, Eiserman, Sennecke, Yakemchuk or -- in the very slight chance he falls -- Lindstrom.
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