Prospect Info: Current #2 overall poll and discussion

[Zacha37]

I would be sick to my stomach if we picked Jiricek at 2, no excuse for that.

 

[Zacha37]

If it makes anyone feel any better, Pronman’s mock drafts have been very inaccurate and these “league sources” have made plenty of assumptions with no backing that ended up not happening.

 

[devilsblood]

it's fine if they want to pick jiricek (I guesssss...) but trade down a few spots if possible. I would have to imagine some team would want to trade up to 2.

This is where I'm at as well, but more enthusiastic about the idea.

If we can get the top d-man in the draft, a righty no less, plus another quality asset, I'd be stoked.

I would be sick to my stomach if we picked Jiricek at 2, no excuse for that.

If STI is to be believed, Jiricek is no doubt gone by 6. Could go 4. If we took him at 2? Bit of a reach but I'd be OK with it. Definitely prefer to trade down and get Jiricek+, but if he's the guy we want, then just taking him is fine by me.

 

[Zacha37]

If STI is to be believed, Jiricek is no doubt gone by 6. Could go 4. If we took him at 2? Bit of a reach but I'd be OK with it. Definitely prefer to trade down and get Jiricek+, but if he's the guy we want, then just taking him is fine by me.

My problem is passing on Shane Wright to draft him, which I feel is complete malpractice if we do.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

If Devils want Jiricek at two I hope they get one of Arizona's late 1st/early 2nd rounders to move down one pick at least. Maybe Seattle is willing to pay something to get ahead of Arizona, IDK.

 

[Devils731]

If Shane Wright is valuable enough to be worth something worthwhile for a team to move up; then I hope the Devils just take Wright as the most valuable prospect.

If Wright is only equally valuable as a few other prospects then I don’t see other teams willing to give up much of value to move up and the Devils may as well select who they like.

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Obviously teams’ scouting departments will value players differently so this is just a thought exercise assuming perfect information.

 

[TrufleShufle]

If Montreal takes Slaf, and for some weird reason we don't want Wright, trade for impact now. I've been not about trading the 2OA pick because I feel like the top two guys could help us sooner than later, if we trade down or off the board, we are kicking the can down the road. We talk about maximizing ELCs, and I'm on board with that, but if we have to run out all our current ones waiting for another, it makes no sense. We would then be proving all the "never ending rebuilders" right.

 

[Blackjack]

If Shane Wright is valuable enough to be worth something worthwhile for a team to move up; then I hope the Devils just take Wright as the most valuable prospect.

If Wright is only equally valuable as a few other prospects then I don’t see other teams willing to give up much of value to move up and the Devils may as well select who they like.

————-

Obviously teams’ scouting departments will value players differently so this is just a thought exercise assuming perfect information.

I think there’s an excellent chance that Arizona or Seattle view Wright as a franchise player and hold him in significantly higher regard than Cooley or one of the RD.

I don’t think it’s out of the question that they offer a protected ‘23 1st round pick to move up, and I’d have a hard time passing that up.

 

[Japam]

Is Wright a better center than the two RDs are at being RDs?

 

[Blackjack]

Is Wright a better center than the two RDs are at being RDs?

Hard to compare players playing different positions on different continents at different levels. But I would guess yes. Middle of the road projection for Nemec and Jiricek, to me, are high quality second pairing defensemen.

Middle of the road projection for Wright is high quality #1 center. Basically a Nico clone or a little better.

 

[devilsblood]

My problem is passing on Shane Wright to draft him, which I feel is complete malpractice if we do.

I feel this line of thinking is based on scouting reports which predate this past season.

If you're looking at just this year, I don't see his season as demanding we take him if he is available. Especially with this "passive" talk that's out there.

 

[Normal Devil]

Bottom line for me at pick #2 the pick has to be either Slaf or Wright. Wright is being dropped in the 11th hour and it makes little sense. Don't believe the hype. He spent the better part of a year or longer being a clear cut #1 and then in the final week or two prior to the draft he gets dropped in the rankings. I call BS .. he's a stud.

 

[devilsblood]

Hard to compare players playing different positions on different continents at different levels. But I would guess yes. Middle of the road projection for Nemec and Jiricek, to me, are high quality second pairing defensemen.

Middle of the road projection for Wright is high quality #1 center. Basically a Nico clone or a little better.

I feel that profection for Wright is more the higher end of the spectrum. I don't think many projecting him to be a true elite center in the league.

But I agree, Jiricek or Nemac probably have a wider range in terms of projections which is not unusual for d-men.

Bottom line for me at pick #2 the pick has to be either Slaf or Wright. Wright is being dropped in the 11th hour and it makes little sense. Don't believe the hype. He spent the better part of a year or longer being a clear cut #1 and then in the final week or two prior to the draft he gets dropped in the rankings. I call BS .. he's a stud.

So much of that is based on what happened prior to this season.

Which is not to say he didn't have a very good season. But I don't think he had a clear cut #1oa type of season.

 

[JimEIV]

Yeah...I don't believe Montreal is not picking Wright.

Here is what I think is happening...

You float the idea that Slafkovsky might be number 1 and then for two weeks everyone talks about good Wright is...That was the plan all along

 

[imMagnum]

Jiricek is in the Cooley tier for me. I hope we don't pick him, as we'd be passing on better talent, but I could convince myself that it was a fine pick. Similar to us picking Holtz over Rossi.

I really like Jiricek's game. I actually had him as my #2 pick before the WC. He's a player we do not have in our roster; a big, defensively minded RD. Consensus is Jiricek's a two-way D but I havent seen this offense in the handful+ games I've seen. I'd say he's more of a defensive D who has a rocket of a shot and can make an excellent first pass. His defensive game is his biggest asset and he can skate very well for a guy his size. There's no doubt in my mind Jiricek is the best defenseman in this draft and he'd be the perfect partner for Luke.

I also get the appeal of the pick. Draft Jiricek and the Devils suddenly have a foundation of a franchise C, elite LD, RD, and RW, and a supporting cast of young, high-end talent with plenty of potential to grow into. That's dynasty material.

There are two main issues with Jiricek at #2 however. First is the BPA issue. Jiricek is currently not a better player than Wright (or Slaf, but I'm assuming the only reason why we don't take Slaf is because he went to MTL). I personally see him as tied for #3 with Cooley for BPA. In my opinion, he also doesn't have the same ceiling as Wright. Before I watched games of Jiricek and Nemec, I read reports saying Nemec had the highest floor while Jiricek had the highest ceiling. After watching, I couldn't disagree more. I don't see much upside with Jiricek, however I have no doubt he's going to be a talented, lockdown Top 4 defender that NHL teams will have out protecting leads in the final minutes. Wright has at least a similar Top 9 floor with more projectible upside.

My second issue is I believe you don't draft defensive defensemen with high picks. Top defensemen picks have to contribute offensively and I just haven't seen it with Jiricek, other than the occassional clapper. He has the skating ability to become a 2 way D and if he develops into this role, hell ya, sign me up for Jiricek at #2. For now, the only offense I've seen is him running CZE's PP2, and the Devils have other players who can do the PP role better.

Does Jiricek fit our team better than anyone in the draft not named Slafkovsky? Yes. Is he the best player available? No. I currently don't trust Fitz to draft for need, as we've seen with Stillman and Muk picks. If there was one time I could see this strategy working, it's with Jiricek. At #2 however, the Devils can not afford missing out on game breaking talent, which is something I've yet to see from Jiricek.

 

[Forge]

Would not be surprised by that. Jiricek screams Tom Fitzgerald, whether we like it or not.

Agreed

 

[FooteBahl]

I feel that profection for Wright is more the higher end of the spectrum. I don't think many projecting him to be a true elite center in the league.

But I agree, Jiricek or Nemac probably have a wider range in terms of projections which is not unusual for d-men.


So much of that is based on what happened prior to this season.

Which is not to say he didn't have a very good season. But I don't think he had a clear cut #1oa type of season.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the same scenario that played out in the Hughes/Kakko draft? Kaapo was making a late push and the media played it up for clickbait? I think this is what’s going on now…or at least I hope it is.

 

[devilsblood]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the same scenario that played out in the Hughes/Kakko draft? Kaapo was making a late push and the media played it up for clickbait? I think this is what’s going on now…or at least I hope it is.

Except Hughes had a great draft season. Wright's was good, but not great.

There also seem to be questions about Wright lacking drive. Something we did not see around Hughes.

Now conversely Kakko produced very well in his draft season where as Slaf did not.

 

[Zacha37]

Jiricek currently +4000 to be the 2nd overall pick on FanDuel, so still seems pretty unlikely.

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Pronman’s 7 round mock draft released today has Slafkovsky going 1st to Montreal and Jiricek going 2nd to the Devils. This is all based on what he’s personally been hearing from league sources.

Of course it’s still speculation and he’s been wrong in the past (saying he heard the Devils were taking Makar 1st overall on draft day in 2017).

It didn’t read to me that it was based on what he has heard. I highly, highly doubt the devils take Jiricek.

 

[Hisch13r]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this the same scenario that played out in the Hughes/Kakko draft? Kaapo was making a late push and the media played it up for clickbait? I think this is what’s going on now…or at least I hope it is.

It’s not really the same at all. This is more 2017 than 2019. 2019 NHL scouts still by and large were going with Jack. Bob’s final list votes were 8-2. 2017 they were 5 for Nico, 4 for Nolan, 1 for Makar. This year it’s 5 for Slaf, 4 for Wright, 1 for Cooley. In Pronman’s article where he talked to scouts and execs it was pretty split between scouts but all execs leaned Wright. This one isn’t media driven like 2019 was. This one is split among NHL scouts

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Not a fan of that mock-draft. No chance in hell Shane Wright gets to 4 and very slim chance of us taking Jiricek. I think Slafkovsky, Wright, Cooley, Nemec, and Gauthier are all more likely at this point.

I want Slafkovsky or Wright.
Only way I consider trading or even trading back is if we can get a significant long-term addition.
Otherwise, Wright or Slafkovsky. Whichever one Montreal doesn’t take.

 

[Hisch13r]

It didn’t read to me that it was based on what he has heard. I highly, highly doubt the devils take Jiricek.

How? He said they said they’re skeptical Wright would be our pick and it doesn’t seem like they’d view us taking him as the likely scenario. The scenario proposed to him most is a D and Jiricek’s the name he’s heard more of

 

[Hisch13r]

Jiricek please and thank you. Not if Wright’s there though. If Wright is the one sitting there and we don’t want him then I’m attempting to trade back. To Columbus for 6+12 would be preferable. Do the Luka/Trae thing where we take Wright and Jiricek is there at 6 we make the move and then also grab Nazar at 12

 

[JimEIV]

Jiricek please and thank you. Not if Wright’s there though. If Wright is the one sitting there and we don’t want him then I’m attempting to trade back. To Columbus for 6+12 would be preferable. Do the Luka/Trae thing where we take Wright and Jiricek is there at 6 we make the move and then also grab Nazar at 12

Are you saying Jiricek over Slafkovsky?

Not disagreeing...Jiricek is an enticing too.