GDT: 2024 NHL Entry Draft - Round 1 - June 28th - 7 P.M. / Round 2-7 - June 29th - 11 A.M

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

This day was an unmitigated disaster.

Yes, in hindsight.
If we drafted Askarov instead of Holtz in 2020, we probably wouldn't have to use a 2nd rounder to draft a goalie.
Not a fan of that pick when organizational depth at center was a more pressing need.

 

[Forge]

2024 Draft Grade: A-
A major reason for the Devils’ high grade was their 10th overall pick, Anton Silayev. I think Silayev could be a star two-way defenseman in the NHL. I did also like their pick of Mikhail Yegorov on day two. He may be the most purely talented goalie in the draft, and he has the potential to be a starting goalie in the NHL if he fixes some of his deficiencies.

Draft Class​

10. Anton Silayev, LHD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

April 11, 2006 | 6′ 7″ | 207 pounds

Tier: NHL All-Star

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: High-end

Player comparable: Zdeno Chara

Analysis: Silayev took a regular shift with power-play time on a KHL team this season as a 17-year-old and stood out for Torpedo in the KHL playoffs. When he went down to their junior team for their playoffs, he wasn’t as good as expected, although he was strong to end his year captaining Russia’s U20 team. He is a unique type of prospect who’s easy to dream on. He can play all situations and play on his off wing. Silayev is a 6-foot-7 defenseman who skates very well for his size. He has excellent footwork and a smooth stride, with strong four-way mobility. He closes gaps quickly on his check, plays a very physical brand of hockey and thus projects to be a premier shutdown type of defenseman in the NHL. He can skate pucks out of his zone well, makes a good first pass and shows strong hockey sense at the offensive blue line. Silayev has strong puck skills and can beat pro defensemen one-on-one often enough. His offensive play won’t blow you away, but it’s good enough to move pucks in the NHL and get points. He can be solid offensively to go with elite defensive play to be a potential No. 1 defenseman one day.

Pick grade: A

Thoughts on the pick: Silayev fell further than some expected in the draft, as teams were unfamiliar with him and had some offense concerns in his game. I didn’t share those concerns. I don’t see premier offense in his game, but I see enough with his size, mobility, and physicality for him to be a premier NHL defenseman.

49. Mikhail Yegorov, G, Omaha Lancers (USHL)

March 7, 2006 | 6′ 5″ | 187 pounds

Tier: Projected to play NHL games

Skating: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average

Analysis: Yegorov came over from the CSKA program to the USHL this season. He emerged as Omaha’s full-time goalie although his performance was inconsistent. Yegorov has clear pro potential. He’s nearly 6-foot-5 and moves quite well in the net. I wouldn’t call his side-to-side movements explosive, but he can make tough saves and is nimble for a guy his size. On his best nights, where he’s squaring up pucks, and given the type of stops he can make, he looks like a clear NHL goalie. Too often that doesn’t happen, though. Yegorov can struggle with his reads and decisions, challenging at the wrong time or struggling to pick up where the puck is going. He projects as a backup goalie in the NHL but he has a chance to become a starter if he really hits.

85. Kasper Pikkarainen, RW, TPS U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

August 7, 2006 | 6′ 3″ | 198 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Pikkarainen didn’t have a huge season at the Finnish junior level, but he showed enough particularly on a tools level to be intriguing as a pro prospect. He’s an athletic winger with a big frame who can skate quite well. He gets around easily with an efficient stride. He displays strong individual skills and can beat defenders one-on-one. At the junior level in Finland, he showed strong vision and instincts, although I didn’t see that as much versus better players. If he makes more plays I can see a potential bottom-six player, because he can score goals and has the aesthetic looks of an NHL forward.

91. Herman Träff, LW, HV71 J20 (J20 Nationell)

December 31, 2005 | 6′ 3″ | 216 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: Below NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Traff didn’t post huge numbers this season at the J20 level in Sweden, but he’s a toolsy forward who looked decent versus men as well. He stands in at 6-foot-3 and skates very well for a bigger forward. Traff can make highly skilled plays on the move and could project to play at an NHL pace. He makes some plays at the Swedish junior level, but I think in the NHL his pure sense and offensive instincts would be subpar. He’s got an NHL north-south game with a good shot, although he can play on the perimeter a bit too much and he is inconsistent.

139. Max Graham, C, Kelowna (WHL)

May 21, 2005 | 6’3″ | 203 pounds

146. Veeti Louhivaara, G, JYP U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

February 6, 2006 | 6′ 4″ | 198 pounds

171. Matyas Melovsky, C, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)

May 25, 2004 | 6′ 0″ | 183 pounds

Tier: Has a chance to play games

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Below NHL average

Analysis: Melovsky was solid in his third draft-eligible season, helping Baie-Comeau become a top CHL team. He was also a top scorer for Czechia at the world juniors and helped lead them to a bronze medal finish. Melovsky is a good skater who can play both ways and with tempo. He has good puck skills and can make skilled plays from the perimeter, in tight and on the move. He sees the ice well and makes quick decisions with the puck. He’s had a mild growth spurt which has helped improved his pro stock. He was 6 feet two years ago but now he’s close to 6-foot-2, giving him more of a real chance to play NHL games.

Pronman draft grade for devils

 

[My3Sons]

“We got our #1 punchy-face guy. Faces will be punched.”

Hopefully he can do more than that. If he can stab kick eye gouge and shank the best players on the other team NJ has a chance to win. Edmonton has two of the best players in the world and lost to a bunch of thugs led by a fraud. The league has made it clear what they want to promote so either get with the program or watch the playoffs from the golf course. If we learned anything from Rempe it’s that fighting is meaningless but cheap shots matter and hopefully the players on the other team are badly injured. How many games did Bastian and Sirgs miss? What was Rempe’s punishment?

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Pronman draft grade for devils

Yea I don't agree with this one bit. It'd be a D or F if not for Silayev. This was just a really bad draft.

 

[Forge]

New Jersey Devils​

The Anton Silayev pick at No. 10 feels like a natural fit for the Devils, who get something completely different from Simon Nemec, Luke Hughes, Seamus Casey and others.

I thought No. 49 was a little high for Mikhail Yegorov, but he’s a freak athlete and impressive kid who wowed some people at the combine, and their pool needed goalie depth.

I liked both of their late-thirds. Kasper Pikkarainen and Herman Traff were taken almost exactly where I had them ranked (90s) and both are big, strong kids who get after it. Traff’s got more finishing talent and upside, but if Pikkarianen can get a little quicker, he might have a more realistic path to a fourth-line role.


Matyas Melovsky is a worthwhile pick as an overager. He was a huge part of a Baie-Comeau team that went to the Q final when people didn’t expect them to, and was excellent at the world juniors. He’s a good player who has some fans in the Q.

I don’t see anything in their two fifth-rounders. That, plus taking Yegorov a little early, kept them just outside of my overtime winners.

Scott Wheeler review

 

[NJDevils17]

I think my biggest frustration is Fitz’s fixation on size. Like true and utter fixation in the face of all else. That doesn’t mean all the picks were bad, they weren’t, it’s just an over adjustment.

 

[Killing Joke]

After the non top ten part of this draft I don’t care if Fitz trades all his picks the next three years

His top 10 sucked too lol. Outside of Jack, Luke and I guess Mercer, his picks have been ass. Nemec is fine, but Wright is good, Cooley talent wise is good.

 

[Guttersniped]

His top 10 sucked too lol. Outside of Jack, Luke and I guess Mercer, his picks have been ass. Nemec is fine, but Wright is good, Cooley talent wise is good.

You would rather have Wright over Nemec?

 

[MasterofGrond]

His top 10 sucked too lol. Outside of Jack, Luke and I guess Mercer, his picks have been ass. Nemec is fine, but Wright is good, Cooley talent wise is good.

I would take Nemec right now over anyone else in the 2022 draft.

Nemec is a special player.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I would draft Nemec again every day of the week

 

[Buggsy]

His top 10 sucked too lol. Outside of Jack, Luke and I guess Mercer, his picks have been ass. Nemec is fine, but Wright is good, Cooley talent wise is good.

Mukh is ass? Hammy is ass? Casey is ass? Vilen is ass? Malek is ass?

You want Wright over Nemec now?

The drafting has had some major head scratchers but I think it’s your overall opinion that is ass.

 

[Richer's Ghost]

We got our Tedenby at least.

Start oiling up your whips.

*edit wtf?!

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

If that is the case he's not "a 3C, occasional 2C". Maybe that Sam Kasan guy was wrong. Maybe he really is a LW. I think it's a reasonable concern that we just dumped two young guys for not much. I hope I'm wrong but couldn't we have gotten Colton for them? Cotter is younger, but it really concerns me he didn't get to play at all in the playoffs. How does that happen. You play 131 games over the last two seasons out of a possible 164, and play 0 playoff games out of 29 possible.

Tomas Hertl was not on Vegas all season. They traded for him at the deadline. Vegas had injured centers at some point during the season. That’s why Cotter played higher up in the lineup but then sat on the bench in the playoffs, when everyone miraculously recovers from injury. I swear to you this isn’t some conspiracy.

 

[JimEIV]

His top 10 sucked too lol. Outside of Jack, Luke and I guess Mercer, his picks have been ass. Nemec is fine, but Wright is good, Cooley talent wise is good.

Jack was Shero.

Saliyev 10OA, Luke4OA, Nemec 2OA, Holtz 7OA, Mercer 18OA and Muk 20OA are Fitz first round picks... pretty damn good if you ask me.

 

[StevenToddIves]

His top 10 sucked too lol. Outside of Jack, Luke and I guess Mercer, his picks have been ass. Nemec is fine, but Wright is good, Cooley talent wise is good.

Nemec was a great pick, he looks to be better than Wright or Cooley.

Fitzgerald has done very well at the draft with top 20 picks (aside from Holtz) and Russian sleepers. Everything else has been pretty suspect aside from the Casey and Vilen picks.

I would take Nemec right now over anyone else in the 2022 draft.

Nemec is a special player.

I think in a re-draft Slavkovsky goes #1 and Nemec goes #2.

 

[StevenToddIves]

The last thing I'm going to say about this draft tonight is this:

Thank the stars the Devils did not trade #10 overall for a 2nd line winger.

The Devils had no idea Silayev would fall, and I'd say right now his trade value is already Necas/Ehlers/whomever + 1st round pick + another NHL player.

 

[evnted]

The last thing I'm going to say about this draft tonight is this:

Thank the stars the Devils did not trade #10 overall for a 2nd line winger.

The Devils had no idea Silayev would fall, and I'd say right now his trade value is already Necas/Ehlers/whomever + 1st round pick + another NHL player.

absolutely, positively, 100% this. i know we got pretty adamant about wanting to keep the pick, but its already showing why. there was nothing realistically available in the short term that could even come close to the long term benefit of using it, especially now that we went for someone like silayev. i dont even buy the necas thing anyway, i think that was a total media work job by carolina

 

[Devils Trap]

NHL Draft Experts grade Devils Draft very well

HFBoards Users - THEY ARE ALL WRONG, IT WAS HORRIBLE.

Side note - Gotta say Trouba f***ing over NYR with his NMC is hilarious.

 

[StevenToddIves]

NHL Draft Experts grade Devils Draft very well

HFBoards Users - THEY ARE ALL WRONG, IT WAS HORRIBLE.

Side note - Gotta say Trouba f***ing over NYR with his NMC is hilarious.

The Devils first two picks were tremendously great, and that's the most important thing.

There was some questionable asset management with the later picks. But I think we all (especially myself) need to check ourselves sometimes and realize that if you pick two major NHL contributors at the outset of the draft, history won't really look down on you if your 5th round pick never makes it past the ECHL.

Overall, I give the Devils draft a high grade. They knocked it out of the park with Silayev, and swung for the moon with Yegorov. Pikkarainen and Traff in the 3rd round were both solid plays for future bottom 6 power forwards with some upside. The Devils stumbled a bit in Round 5 and thereafter, but we (especially myself) need to realize the overall draft picture for 2024 was terrific for the New Jersey Devils.

 

[My3Sons]

The Devils first two picks were tremendously great, and that's the most important thing.

There was some questionable asset management with the later picks. But I think we all (especially myself) need to check ourselves sometimes and realize that if you pick two major NHL contributors at the outset of the draft, history won't really look down on you if your 5th round pick never makes it past the ECHL.

Overall, I give the Devils draft a high grade. They knocked it out of the park with Silayev, and swung for the moon with Yegorov. Pikkarainen and Traff in the 3rd round were both solid plays for future bottom 6 power forwards with some upside. The Devils stumbled a bit in Round 5 and thereafter, but we (especially myself) need to realize the overall draft picture for 2024 was terrific for the New Jersey Devils.

I see it largely the same as you but there is something to be said for trying to find the next Bratt with those late picks. For one season to add some center depth to Utica it’s fine but as a strategy I’d prefer to go with upside over seeming minor league guys.

 

[JimEIV]

I see it largely the same as you but there is something to be said for trying to find the next Bratt with those late picks. For one season to add some center depth to Utica it’s fine but as a strategy I’d prefer to go with upside over seeming minor league guys.

This team needs the next Wood and McLeod more than the next Bratt and wil for the foreseeable future.

 

[My3Sons]

This team needs the next Wood and McLeod more than the next Bratt and wil for the foreseeable future.

Wood was a bit of a fluke and apparently grew after he was drafted. McLeod was seen as a first round pick with upside and what he turned into was a bit less than what was expected but in general yes to your premise. I think the two third round picks are designed to achieve that. It’s a slog and the reality is the overwhelming majority of picks after the second round don’t make it anyway.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

This team needs the next Wood and McLeod more than the next Bratt and wil for the foreseeable future.

finding 25 point one-dimensional wingers is super easy to do, and can be found (for free) in free agency each year.

Finding point per game wingers is really, really difficult.

 

[My3Sons]

finding 25 point one-dimensional wingers is super easy to do, and can be found (for free) in free agency each year.

Finding point per game wingers is really, really difficult.

But having a guy even make the league at all after the second round is a pretty big win so even a Rempe is a great outcome on balance.

 

[Forge]

New Jersey Devils
Grade: B-
The Devils had a busy week, and had a fine draft, though they are likely disappointed that their 10th overall pick was unable to net them a player who could help them immediately.

Anton Silayev is fair value at No. 10 and fits the style that the Devils like on the back end. They want players who are difficult to play against to complement their skilled players, and Silayev is exactly that.

Herman Traff and Matyas Melovsky are good swings who provided value in the draft class. The trade for Paul Cotter that included Alexander Holtz was one they felt needed to be made, and the John Marino trade makes sense if they intend to sign Brett Pesce in free agency.

ESPN draft grade from..... Rachel Doerrie