Prospect Info: Devils 2022 Post-Draft Prospect Rankings, By Position & Consolidated

[StevenToddIves]

NJ Devils 2022 Post-Draft Prospect Rankings By Position

CENTER

1. Jaromir Pytlik (4th Round #99, 2020) big, 6’3 pivot has struggled to overcome serious injury and looks like a 4th-liner at best.
2. Artem Shlaine (5th Round #130, 2020) Shlaine finally looked capable of an AHL role while being relied heavily upon for University of Connecticut, then inexplicably decided to leave the school. Probably an ECHL ceiling.

Conclusion: the biggest argument against the Devils prospect pool is that they are last — dead last — in the entire NHL at the center position. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. This must be addressed at the 2023 draft the same way RD was addressed in 2022. Of course, it helps that the Devils also enjoy the best young center tandem in the NHL with Hughes and Hischier, but regardless, the depth must be addressed.



LEFT WING

1. Arseni Gritsyuk (5th Round #129 2019) enjoyed one of the best aged-20 seasons in KHL history for Omsk. Plays with pace, energy and a ton of skill. Looking like a future fixture in the Devils Top 6.
2. Nolan Foote (Acquired in trade with Tampa Bay) interior F with a big shot may lack the wheels for a 1st line, but could blossom into a a very good 3rd liner and triggerman for the 2PP.
3. Josh Filmon (6th Round #166 2022) Devils big sleeper forward pick plays an interior game with intelligence, skill and pace but needs to fill out his rangy 6’2.5 frame. Need patience here, but the upside is very palpable.
4. Zakhar Bardakov (7th Round #201 2021) 6’3-200 banger might be the most physical F in the Devils prospect pool, if his offense develops could be an excellent option for the bottom 6.
5. Aarne Talvitie (6th Round #160 2017) unfortunate injuries have slowed him, but high-compete and a terrific shot could still get him to the NHL as a 4th liner.
6. Samu Salminen (3rd Round #68 2021) was good but not dominant as one of the biggest and oldest players in the Finnish Junior circuit, but slow skating has not improved enough to project to an NHL role. Maybe an AHLer.

Conclusion: Gritsyuk gives the Devils a future top-6 candidate, Foote and Bardakov give the Devils a pair of future bottom-6 candidates, and Filmon gives the Devils a nice lottery ticket.



RIGHT WING

1. Alexander Holtz (1st Round #7 2020) impressed with a PPG performance in his first AHL season, the sniper has one of the best shots outside the NHL right now if not the very best and could be on the Devils #1PP by the end of next season.
2. Fabian Zetterlund (3rd Round #63 2017) just a meteoric rise through the prospect ranks last year for the Swedish hell-raiser — a nasty, interior force who finally developed the offensive generative qualities the Devils had hoped for since taking him in the early 3rd round a half decade ago. Should be starting the upcoming season on the 3rd line.
3. Tyce Thompson (4th Round #96 2019) rangy, scoring F plays with grit and offensive pop, was PPG with Utica of the AHL and looks like an NHL bottom 6 guy who can slot up to the 2nd line in a pinch.
4. Chase Stillman (1st Round #29 2021) what the Devils got out of Zetterlund last year is what they’re hoping from Stillman in the future. After a disappointing draft+1 campaign Stillman certainly seems like he was picked far too early, but there is absolutely potential for a physical, NHL bottom-6 forward here.
5. Patrick Moynihan (6th Round #158 2019) ace forechecker and defensive forward as seen his offense plateau a bit at Providence College, but has a very high floor as an NHL 4th liner.
6. Graeme Clarke (3rd Round #80 2019) great shot and hands, but his skating and 200-foot game have not improved enough to give us confidence he can be a regular at the NHL level. Big prove-it season coming up with an increased role in Utica this year.
7. Petr Hauser (5th Round #141 2022) hulking 6’4-205 forward has skill and a strong interior game, but he’s a long-term project who will need to improve his skating greatly for a realistic NHL future.

Conclusion: Again, the Devils look very good with a high-end top 6 candidate in Holtz and several bottom-6 hopefuls in Zetterlund, Thompson, Stillman and Moynihan. A big comeback year after an injury and adversity plagued 2021-22 by Stillman would really improve the outlook here, but as for now that pick is one the Devils are already ruing.



LEFT DEFENSE

1. Luke Hughes (1st Round #4 2021) in the conversation for best prospect outside the NHL, Hughes enjoyed a record setting season with the University of Michigan and looks like the closest thing to Cale Makar since Cale Makar. He’ll get one more year in the NCAA to hone his steadily improving two-way game and then get his shot with the Devils in 2023-24. Absolute superstar upside, here.
2. Shakir Mukhamadullin (2nd Round #20 2020) two-way 6’4 defender with high-end outlet passing and a bomb of a shot has been the best under-21 D in the KHL for two years running. Looking like a great mid-pairing NHLer in the not-so-far future.
3. Nikita Okhotyuk (2nd Round #61 2019) fast and extremely physical shut-down defender improved all year long in the AHL and outperformed Smith and Bahl in a late season NHL call-up. My favorite to start the 2022-23 season as the Devils 3-LD behind Siegenthaler and Graves.
4. Kevin Bahl (Acquired in trade with Arizona) the mobile, 6’7 D finally started playing with some sandpaper and improved his defensive game. A late season call-up saw him play better than Smith, who held the 3-LD slot most of the year. Has a shot to take over the role out of camp this year.
5. Daniil Orlov (4th Round #110 2022) elite skating defensive defenseman is stronger offensively than most realize and could be a big-time sleeper for 2022. Signed in the KHL through 2026, which should be the perfect time for him to take a run at the NHL roster. His skating gives him upside which vaults him into the top 5 on this list.
6. Daniil Misyul (3rd Round #70 2019) the 6’3 Belarussian’s offense never developed as some hoped, but his defensive play and physicality see him as a rock-solid fixture on the blueline for Lokomotiv of the KHL.
7. Michael Vukojevic (3rd Round #82 2019) had an up and down season for Utica of the AHL, but will have an increased responsibility this year and the opportunity to prove himself as a legit, defense-first prospect with NHL 3rd pairing capability.
8. Ethan Edwards (4th Round #120 2020) exponentially improved in his defensive and physical games over the course of the season with the University of Michigan. If his development arc continues upwards for his sophomore campaign, he could move up the rankings next year.
9. Yegor Zaitsev (7th Round #205 2017) now 24, the oldest of the Devils skating prospects. A solid stay-at-home defender for the KHL’s Dynamo, he could translate to an NHL third pairing in a season or two.
10. Topias Vilen (5th Round #129 2021) emerged as a very solid defensive defenseman in the Finnish Liiga this year, another steady stay-at-home guy to project to a future NHL third-pairing.

Conclusion: an absolute embarrassment of riches — the Devils have a top 3 NHL prospect in Hughes, another high-end prospect in Mukhamadullin, and one of the more underrated prospects in the NHL in Okhotyuk. The #6-#10 players on this list would be top 3 on most NHL teams’ prospect rankings. An area of absurd strength which will probably be weaponized in future trades, this is easily the best group of LD prospects in the entire NHL.



RIGHT DEFENSE:

1. Simon Nemec (1st Round #2 2022) a sublime play-maker and transition defenseman, Nemec is also an excellent skater who shows very good potential defensively. There’s no doubt there is NHL #1D upside here, and his selection at #2 in 2022 immediately rocketed the Devils’ previously moribund RD prospect pool to a much higher level.
2. Seamus Casey (2nd Round #46 2022) a terrific skater who defies his 5’10-175 prototype by being as good on the defensive side of the puck as the offensive, Casey is a good bet for a future 2nd pairing with palpable top-pairing upside. Will be skating on a Devils-prospect dominated blueline with the University of Michigan next year alongside Luke Hughes and Ethan Edwards.
3. Artyom Barabosha (7th Round #198 2022) perhaps the Devils best value pick in 4 years, Barabosha immediately becomes NJ’s most physical prospect defenseman. The hard-hitter was the best shut-down RD in the MHL last year and also features very good skating and some deceptively good offensive capability.
4. Case McCarthy (4th Round #119 2019) physical, 6’1-200 shut-down defender enjoyed a great progression on both sides of the puck for Boston University this year, and enters his senior season as the rock of the BU blueline. A strong bet for a future NHL 3rd pairing.
5. Charlie Leddy (4th Round #126 2022) the best shot-blocker among all NJ D prospects, Leddy is advanced in his positioning, gaps, defensive awareness and projects to be a very solid, stary-at-home bottom pairing defender after a few years of development at Boston College.
6. Reilly Walsh (3rd Round #81 2017) the offensive-minded defender has proved he can produce offense at the AHL level, but questions remain if his defense and skating project to a regular role in the NHL.
7. Viktor Hurtig (6th Round #164 2020) throwaway over-aged pick is big but has shown no hockey acumen for the SHL much less the NHL

Conclusion: kudos to the Devils scouting — one 2022 draft was all it took to turn an extreme weakness into an absolute strength. Nemec has #1 potential, Casey is a good bet for a second-pairing, and the trio of Barabosha/McCarthy/Leddy gives NJ a trio of defensive specialists with varying skill sets.


GOALTENDERS:

1. Tyler Brennan (4th Round #102 2022) if the athletic, 6’4 net minder fulfills his #1 NHL goalie potential, he could wind up being an historic steal.
2. Nico Daws (3rd Round #84 2020) played respectably in a too-early call-up for the Devils this year, certainly has the potential to be at least a very good NHL back-up.
3. Akira Schmid (5th Round #136 2018) an excellent season in the AHL gives hope Schmid can blossom into a good back-up at the NHL level.
4. Jakub Malek (4th Round #100 2021) ace puckhandler was a surprise pick, but proved the doubters wrong with a stellar draft+1 campaign in Czech Juniors. Remains to be seen how he’ll do at the higher levels, but looking like a good pick right now.
5. Cole Brady (5th Round #127 2019) a rocky year for a struggling Arizona State University team, needs to start showing some progression.

Conclusion: Tyler Brennan literally doubles the talent level of this group. Daws, Schmid and Malek all showed promise last season. The overall outlook likely hinges on Brennan’s development, as his upside is huge but he’s a long way off from his potential ceiling.





OVERALL TOP 30 SKATER RANKINGS
(NOTE: Goaltenders are not included in the skater rankings)

1. LD Luke Hughes
2. RD Simon Nemec
3. RW Alexander Holtz
4. LW Arseni Gritsyuk
5. LD Shakir Mukhamadullin
6. LD Nikita Okhotyuk
7. RD Seamus Casey
8. RD Artyom Barabosha
9. RW Fabian Zetterlund
10. LW Nolan Foote
11. LD Kevin Bahl
12. RW Tyce Thompson
13. RW Chase Stillman
14. LD Daniil Orlov
15. RD Case McCarthy
16. LD Daniil Misyul
17. LW Josh Filmon
18. RW Patrick Moynihan
19. RD Charlie Leddy
20. LW Zakhar Bardakov
21. LD Michael Vukojevic
22. LD Ethan Edwards
23. RW Graeme Clarke
24. LD Yegor Zaitsev
25. LD Topias Vilen
26. RD Reilly Walsh
27. LW Aarne Talvitie
28. C Jaromir Pytlik
29. LW Samu Salminen
30. RW Petr Hauser

Click to read more...

 

[Devs3cups]

Love this. Hard to argue with your lists. Thanks Steve!

 

[DevilDog]

Really excited for the arrival of Gritsyuk. Any chance we see him in North America next year?

 

[Cheddabombs]

My dream is in two seasons we see Hughes, Nemac, and Gritsyuk all play in the NHL. What an influx of talent that'd be

 

[Xirik]

Really excited for the arrival of Gritsyuk. Any chance we see him in North America next year?

I believe he has one more year on contract in the KHL.

 

[Guttersniped]

I think the Samu Salminen disrespect is a bit much but great lists as always.

 

[minibrodeur]

I think the Samu Salminen disrespect is a bit much but great lists as always.

Agreed. I quite like Salminen and he's had a bit of back luck recently. I would not be surprised if he starting turning heads in Denver this year.

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

NJ Devils 2022 Post-Draft Prospect Rankings By Position

CENTER

1. Jaromir Pytlik (4th Round #99, 2020) big, 6’3 pivot has struggled to overcome serious injury and looks like a 4th-liner at best.
2. Artem Shlaine (5th Round #130, 2020) Shlaine finally looked capable of an AHL role while being relied heavily upon for University of Connecticut, then inexplicably decided to leave the school. Probably an ECHL ceiling.

Conclusion: the biggest argument against the Devils prospect pool is that they are last — dead last — in the entire NHL at the center position. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. This must be addressed at the 2023 draft the same way RD was addressed in 2022. Of course, it helps that the Devils also enjoy the best young center tandem in the NHL with Hughes and Hischier, but regardless, the depth must be addressed.



LEFT WING

1. Arseni Gritsyuk (5th Round #129 2019) enjoyed one of the best aged-20 seasons in KHL history for Omsk. Plays with pace, energy and a ton of skill. Looking like a future fixture in the Devils Top 6.
2. Nolan Foote (Acquired in trade with Tampa Bay) interior F with a big shot may lack the wheels for a 1st line, but could blossom into a a very good 3rd liner and triggerman for the 2PP.
3. Josh Filmon (6th Round #166 2022) Devils big sleeper forward pick plays an interior game with intelligence, skill and pace but needs to fill out his rangy 6’2.5 frame. Need patience here, but the upside is very palpable.
4. Zakhar Bardakov (7th Round #201 2021) 6’3-200 banger might be the most physical F in the Devils prospect pool, if his offense develops could be an excellent option for the bottom 6.
5. Aarne Talvitie (6th Round #160 2017) unfortunate injuries have slowed him, but high-compete and a terrific shot could still get him to the NHL as a 4th liner.
6. Samu Salminen (3rd Round #68 2021) was good but not dominant as one of the biggest and oldest players in the Finnish Junior circuit, but slow skating has not improved enough to project to an NHL role. Maybe an AHLer.

Conclusion: Gritsyuk gives the Devils a future top-6 candidate, Foote and Bardakov give the Devils a pair of future bottom-6 candidates, and Filmon gives the Devils a nice lottery ticket.



RIGHT WING

1. Alexander Holtz (1st Round #7 2020) impressed with a PPG performance in his first AHL season, the sniper has one of the best shots outside the NHL right now if not the very best and could be on the Devils #1PP by the end of next season.
2. Fabian Zetterlund (3rd Round #63 2017) just a meteoric rise through the prospect ranks last year for the Swedish hell-raiser — a nasty, interior force who finally developed the offensive generative qualities the Devils had hoped for since taking him in the early 3rd round a half decade ago. Should be starting the upcoming season on the 3rd line.
3. Tyce Thompson (4th Round #96 2019) rangy, scoring F plays with grit and offensive pop, was PPG with Utica of the AHL and looks like an NHL bottom 6 guy who can slot up to the 2nd line in a pinch.
4. Chase Stillman (1st Round #29 2021) what the Devils got out of Zetterlund last year is what they’re hoping from Stillman in the future. After a disappointing draft+1 campaign Stillman certainly seems like he was picked far too early, but there is absolutely potential for a physical, NHL bottom-6 forward here.
5. Patrick Moynihan (6th Round #158 2019) ace forechecker and defensive forward as seen his offense plateau a bit at Providence College, but has a very high floor as an NHL 4th liner.
6. Graeme Clarke (3rd Round #80 2019) great shot and hands, but his skating and 200-foot game have not improved enough to give us confidence he can be a regular at the NHL level. Big prove-it season coming up with an increased role in Utica this year.
7. Petr Hauser (5th Round #141 2022) hulking 6’4-205 forward has skill and a strong interior game, but he’s a long-term project who will need to improve his skating greatly for a realistic NHL future.

Conclusion: Again, the Devils look very good with a high-end top 6 candidate in Holtz and several bottom-6 hopefuls in Zetterlund, Thompson, Stillman and Moynihan. A big comeback year after an injury and adversity plagued 2021-22 by Stillman would really improve the outlook here, but as for now that pick is one the Devils are already ruing.



LEFT DEFENSE

1. Luke Hughes (1st Round #4 2021) in the conversation for best prospect outside the NHL, Hughes enjoyed a record setting season with the University of Michigan and looks like the closest thing to Cale Makar since Cale Makar. He’ll get one more year in the NCAA to hone his steadily improving two-way game and then get his shot with the Devils in 2023-24. Absolute superstar upside, here.
2. Shakir Mukhamadullin (2nd Round #20 2020) two-way 6’4 defender with high-end outlet passing and a bomb of a shot has been the best under-21 D in the KHL for two years running. Looking like a great mid-pairing NHLer in the not-so-far future.
3. Nikita Okhotyuk (2nd Round #61 2019) fast and extremely physical shut-down defender improved all year long in the AHL and outperformed Smith and Bahl in a late season NHL call-up. My favorite to start the 2022-23 season as the Devils 3-LD behind Siegenthaler and Graves.
4. Kevin Bahl (Acquired in trade with Arizona) the mobile, 6’7 D finally started playing with some sandpaper and improved his defensive game. A late season call-up saw him play better than Smith, who held the 3-LD slot most of the year. Has a shot to take over the role out of camp this year.
5. Daniil Orlov (4th Round #110 2022) elite skating defensive defenseman is stronger offensively than most realize and could be a big-time sleeper for 2022. Signed in the KHL through 2026, which should be the perfect time for him to take a run at the NHL roster. His skating gives him upside which vaults him into the top 5 on this list.
6. Daniil Misyul (3rd Round #70 2019) the 6’3 Belarussian’s offense never developed as some hoped, but his defensive play and physicality see him as a rock-solid fixture on the blueline for Lokomotiv of the KHL.
7. Michael Vukojevic (3rd Round #82 2019) had an up and down season for Utica of the AHL, but will have an increased responsibility this year and the opportunity to prove himself as a legit, defense-first prospect with NHL 3rd pairing capability.
8. Ethan Edwards (4th Round #120 2020) exponentially improved in his defensive and physical games over the course of the season with the University of Michigan. If his development arc continues upwards for his sophomore campaign, he could move up the rankings next year.
9. Yegor Zaitsev (7th Round #205 2017) now 24, the oldest of the Devils skating prospects. A solid stay-at-home defender for the KHL’s Dynamo, he could translate to an NHL third pairing in a season or two.
10. Topias Vilen (5th Round #129 2021) emerged as a very solid defensive defenseman in the Finnish Liiga this year, another steady stay-at-home guy to project to a future NHL third-pairing.

Conclusion: an absolute embarrassment of riches — the Devils have a top 3 NHL prospect in Hughes, another high-end prospect in Mukhamadullin, and one of the more underrated prospects in the NHL in Okhotyuk. The #6-#10 players on this list would be top 3 on most NHL teams’ prospect rankings. An area of absurd strength which will probably be weaponized in future trades, this is easily the best group of LD prospects in the entire NHL.



RIGHT DEFENSE:

1. Simon Nemec (1st Round #2 2022) a sublime play-maker and transition defenseman, Nemec is also an excellent skater who shows very good potential defensively. There’s no doubt there is NHL #1D upside here, and his selection at #2 in 2022 immediately rocketed the Devils’ previously moribund RD prospect pool to a much higher level.
2. Seamus Casey (2nd Round #46 2022) a terrific skater who defies his 5’10-175 prototype by being as good on the defensive side of the puck as the offensive, Casey is a good bet for a future 2nd pairing with palpable top-pairing upside. Will be skating on a Devils-prospect dominated blueline with the University of Michigan next year alongside Luke Hughes and Ethan Edwards.
3. Artyom Barabosha (7th Round #198 2022) perhaps the Devils best value pick in 4 years, Barabosha immediately becomes NJ’s most physical prospect defenseman. The hard-hitter was the best shut-down RD in the MHL last year and also features very good skating and some deceptively good offensive capability.
4. Case McCarthy (4th Round #119 2019) physical, 6’1-200 shut-down defender enjoyed a great progression on both sides of the puck for Boston University this year, and enters his senior season as the rock of the BU blueline. A strong bet for a future NHL 3rd pairing.
5. Charlie Leddy (4th Round #126 2022) the best shot-blocker among all NJ D prospects, Leddy is advanced in his positioning, gaps, defensive awareness and projects to be a very solid, stary-at-home bottom pairing defender after a few years of development at Boston College.
6. Reilly Walsh (3rd Round #81 2017) the offensive-minded defender has proved he can produce offense at the AHL level, but questions remain if his defense and skating project to a regular role in the NHL.
7. Viktor Hurtig (6th Round #164 2020) throwaway over-aged pick is big but has shown no hockey acumen for the SHL much less the NHL

Conclusion: kudos to the Devils scouting — one 2022 draft was all it took to turn an extreme weakness into an absolute strength. Nemec has #1 potential, Casey is a good bet for a second-pairing, and the trio of Barabosha/McCarthy/Leddy gives NJ a trio of defensive specialists with varying skill sets.


GOALTENDERS:

1. Tyler Brennan (4th Round #102 2022) if the athletic, 6’4 net minder fulfills his #1 NHL goalie potential, he could wind up being an historic steal.
2. Nico Daws (3rd Round #84 2020) played respectably in a too-early call-up for the Devils this year, certainly has the potential to be at least a very good NHL back-up.
3. Akira Schmid (5th Round #136 2018) an excellent season in the AHL gives hope Schmid can blossom into a good back-up at the NHL level.
4. Jakub Malek (4th Round #100 2021) ace puckhandler was a surprise pick, but proved the doubters wrong with a stellar draft+1 campaign in Czech Juniors. Remains to be seen how he’ll do at the higher levels, but looking like a good pick right now.
5. Cole Brady (5th Round #127 2019) a rocky year for a struggling Arizona State University team, needs to start showing some progression.

Conclusion: Tyler Brennan literally doubles the talent level of this group. Daws, Schmid and Malek all showed promise last season. The overall outlook likely hinges on Brennan’s development, as his upside is huge but he’s a long way off from his potential ceiling.





OVERALL TOP 30 SKATER RANKINGS
(NOTE: Goaltenders are not included in the skater rankings)

1. LD Luke Hughes
2. RD Simon Nemec
3. RW Alexander Holtz
4. LW Arseni Gritsyuk
5. LD Shakir Mukhamadullin
6. LD Nikita Okhotyuk
7. RD Seamus Casey
8. RD Artyom Barabosha
9. RW Fabian Zetterlund
10. LW Nolan Foote
11. LD Kevin Bahl
12. RW Tyce Thompson
13. RW Chase Stillman
14. LD Daniil Orlov
15. RD Case McCarthy
16. LD Daniil Misyul
17. LW Josh Filmon
18. RW Patrick Moynihan
19. RD Charlie Leddy
20. LW Zakhar Bardakov
21. LD Michael Vukojevic
22. LD Ethan Edwards
23. RW Graeme Clarke
24. LD Yegor Zaitsev
25. LD Topias Vilen
26. RD Reilly Walsh
27. LW Aarne Talvitie
28. C Jaromir Pytlik
29. LW Samu Salminen
30. RW Petr Hauser

Thanks for the list!

My only concern here is the amount of Russians in our system. There is too big of a political risk in the upcoming years of ever getting e.g. Shakir to actually play in the US. Otherwise looking good.

 

[Bcap88]

My dream is in two seasons we see Hughes, Nemac, and Gritsyuk all play in the NHL. What an influx of talent that'd be

Just imagining the easiest entries of all time wifh both Hughes brothers and nemec on the ice at the same time

 

[Captain3rdLine]

Thanks for the list!

My only concern here is the amount of Russians in our system. There is too big of a political risk in the upcoming years of ever getting e.g. Shakir to actually play in the US. Otherwise looking good.

I wouldn’t worry too much. Definitely wouldn’t worry about Okhotiuk. Not overly worried about Shakir either as he’s signed, has been over and seems to be in a good spot but you never know with what’s going on.

We also don’t have that many Russians especially compared to some other teams.

 

[RememberTheName]

I think the Samu Salminen disrespect is a bit much but great lists as always.

It's his skating. He's a decent hockey player with a real good IQ but his skating is so bad that it's nearly a lock that he will never play in the NHL. I can pretty confidently say that he's the worst skating prospect I have ever had the pleasure of watching (I'm like 90% sure). I know there's room for improvement but he is so far away from being a passable NHL skater that I don't think he will be able to get there. I think he can be a really, really good pro somewhere else where the pace of play isn't as high, but the NHL is just not a league where I think he can succeed because of his major limitation.

 

[Guttersniped]

It's his skating. He's a decent hockey player with a real good IQ but his skating is so bad that it's nearly a lock that he will never play in the NHL. I can pretty confidently say that he's the worst skating prospect I have ever had the pleasure of watching (I'm like 90% sure). I know there's room for improvement but he is so far away from being a passable NHL skater that I don't think he will be able to get there. I think he can be a really, really good pro somewhere else where the pace of play isn't as high, but the NHL is just not a league where I think he can succeed because of his major limitation.

I’m waiting to see how plays in Denver, he spent last season working other aspects of games while cooling his heels in juniors.

 

[RememberTheName]

I’m waiting to see how plays in Denver, he spent last season working other aspects of games while cooling his heels in juniors.

Ya, definitely the same for me as well. To be honest, I think he won't do too shabby in college no matter what. He's a smart hockey player and gets himself into really good positions to score constantly. I just want to see some improvement in his skating. That's the key for me next year. Maybe some improvement in his technique. Maybe he stops gliding through the neutral zone on every play. Maybe his straight line speed is better. I don't care. I just want to see something that resembles improvement in his skating.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Really excited for the arrival of Gritsyuk. Any chance we see him in North America next year?

Zero chance. But when Gritsyuk gets here, he'll make an immediate impact.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I think the Samu Salminen disrespect is a bit much but great lists as always.

Honestly, I'd rank his skating last among Devils prospects, give or take Petr Hauser. That's a huge thing to overcome unless the rest of your tools are high-end, and Salminen's are not. He can certainly score as one of the oldest and biggest players in a junior league, but I think next year he's going to be utterly overmatched at a higher level.

Skating is a weird thing. Sure, players have succeeded with well below average capabilities in the skill, from Dave Andreychuk to Tim Kerr. But again, Salminen's skating is pretty firmly below average. He'd be one of the slowest players in the NHL. The number one knock against a kid like Nolan Foote is skating, and Foote would still skate circles around Salminen.

I watched a couple of Salminen's games this year and just didn't see a route to the NHL, and I really wish I did.

Agreed. I quite like Salminen and he's had a bit of back luck recently. I would not be surprised if he starting turning heads in Denver this year.

He can't skate. The only head turning will be Salminen's as NCAA players blow past him from all angles.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’m waiting to see how plays in Denver, he spent last season working other aspects of games while cooling his heels in juniors.

I'm an optimist, and I know you are as well. I'm always wishing the best for prospects. But outside of maybe Baumgartner and Hurtig -- who were essentially "burned" picks -- Salminen might be the worst Devils pick of the last decade. The players picked before and behind him early in the 2021 3rd round both have NHL star potential (Pastujov and Svozil), and NJ took probably the weakest skater of all 223 players taken in the entire draft.

I want all the Devils picks to succeed, I really do. But I just can't see any development arc which ends with Salminen in the NHL. If the Devils took him in Round 6? Sure -- he's a smart player with nice hands and a great shot. You can take a flyer on the skating improving. But at #68 overall? There were at least 100 better players available when the Devils took Salminen. It was a disastrous pick.

Maybe his 3rd round pedigree will make him an acceptable throw in for a trade, but to me Salminen was not even in the conversation for the top 5 LW prospects in the Devils prospect pool. Maybe he can clean up the mechanics enough to one day pass a kid like Talvitie, but I can't see him ever being better than the Devils #5 LW Zakhar Bardakov.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

The lack at center depth in AHL is a little concerning.
I wonder if Tyce Thompson can be converted to play center.
Have him center Foote and Holtz in AHL for next season.

 

[Guadana]

Finally lists are starting to be much closer to mine, let it takes years)

For now I would put Okhotiuk over Shaq, Vilen over Edwards and Zaitsev, Bardakov over Filmon, Leddy over Barabosha and McCarthy, Daws over Brennan. May be Malek too.
Shaq still have to work on defensive decision making, Vilen play pretty safe defensive game and have at least avarage tools for the job, Zaitsev is much better than many, but we know, he hasn't plans to play in NA, Bardakov play solid for his role and he is working 200 foot power forward who understand what he should do without the puck, for now he is better, Leddy is unique kid with very high defensive hockey iq and the great puck of defensive hockey tools, McCarthy isn't as good in different defensive situations, Barabosha is very pro active defenseman, but he should work on some defensive aspects like positioning.

I have little chat with Barabosha, like @My3Sons did ask me. He is very happy he was drafted, he didn't know about Scott Stevens, but he likes that fan base are liking the way he play, and he say hello and very thankful to all devils fans who knows about him and cheer for him as a pick.

I know Brennan is very athletic, but Im always for NHL ready, especially if we talk about goalies. Daws play solid In ahl, and even in nhl he was good enough before overusing. Malek is a young kind who showed very good game in much harder league. And next year he will play in adult league. So I'm not hurry to put Brennan over them with his stats. I know his team was bad, but im asking floor.

Reasons why I still have Gritsyuk over Holtz in general rankings. He is much better skater and his tools help him to be more useful in 200 foot game. I know, Guadana loves Russians blah blah. No its not a thing. I love good players with good skill pack. I did rank Okhotyuk and Gritsyuk in top 5-6 year ago, and now what, everybody have them much higher. Laddy and Vilen over a lot of players on this list are there because of the same reason. Bahl over Foote too, because his tools in better shape for his role than Foote's foots for example, and I wanna see more active interior game from Foote. Hope it will change in the next season. I want to see more better versions of Foote in our squad. This team hardly need in power interior forwards and third line defensive center. I know Boqvist is good, but for now he isn't a guy, whom you will use against top lines.

RD Simon Nemec
LD Luke Hughes
LW Arseni Gritsyuk
RW Alexander Holtz
LD Nikita Okhotyuk
LD Shakir Mukhamadullin
RW Fabian Zetterlund

RD Seamus Casey
RD Charlie Leddy
LD Kevin Bahl
LW Nolan Foote
RW Tyce Thompson

LW Zakhar Bardakov
LD Daniil Orlov
RD Artyom Barabosha
LD Daniil Misyul
LD Topias Vilen

RW Chase Stillman
LW Josh Filmon
RW Patrick Moynihan
RD Case McCarthy
LD Michael Vukojevic

LD Ethan Edwards
RW Graeme Clarke
RD Reilly Walsh
LW Aarne Talvitie

LD Yegor Zaitsev
C Jaromir Pytlik
LW Samu Salminen
RW Petr Hauser

I wanna believe Filmon will add a lot of weight and will work on defensive side of the game, will be much more physical player, I like him as "concept" but he has a lot of Miles ahead.

 

[ninetyeight]

You're all gonna disagree with me, but in my book Petr Hauser is at least as good (or bad?) of a prospect than Chase Stillman. There's so little footage of Hauser that it's very hard to make concrete conclusions.

Considering Stillman is a round 1 pick, he's one of the worst picks in recent memory. The difference between Czech U20 and OHL is not that big, and one could argue that Hauser's 59pts in 41gp (regular) + 16pts in 11gp (playoffs) + ppg in his 2 czech's 2nd men's league playoff games, is at least as good as Stillman's 49pts in 59gp (regular) + 1pts in 4gp (playoffs) OHL stats (while being 6months older than Hauser). You can argue that Stillman has effort, drive, motor whatever you wanna call it, but to be below ppg in your d+1 year in CHL isn't very promising.

The Devils scouts must have seen Hauser play live and seen something they really like in him to draft him.

 

[Guadana]

You're all gonna disagree with me, but in my book Petr Hauser is at least as good (or bad?) of a prospect than Chase Stillman. There's so little footage of Hauser that it's very hard to make concrete conclusions.

Considering Stillman is a round 1 pick, he's one of the worst picks in recent memory. The difference between Czech U20 and OHL is not that big, and one could argue that Hauser's 59pts in 41gp (regular) + 16pts in 11gp (playoffs) + ppg in his 2 czech's 2nd men's league playoff games, is at least as good as Stillman's 49pts in 59gp (regular) + 1pts in 4gp (playoffs) OHL stats (while being 6months older than Hauser). You can argue that Stillman has effort, drive, motor whatever you wanna call it, but to be below ppg in your d+1 year in CHL isn't very promising.

The Devils scouts must have seen Hauser play live and seen something they really like in him to draft him.

We can't rank Hauser high because we don't see him at all. Skating is a big factor now.
I would say if he will play some games in ahl or even in nhl, it would be success for late round pick.
Stillman has motor and it could be translatable on nhl level. He wasn't look bad in camp and his game as concept is understandable how we can use him after 3-4 years.

 

[ninetyeight]

We can't rank Hauser high because we don't see him at all. Skating is a big factor now.
I would say if he will play some games in ahl or even in nhl, it would be success for late round pick.
Stillman has motor and it could be translatable on nhl level. He wasn't look bad in camp and his game as concept is understandable how we can use him after 3-4 years.

Yeah I think that's spot on. I guess I'm more optimistic about Hauser since I haven't seen more than view clips but have seen a ton of Stillman. If Stillman was also a 5th round pick I'd be much less critical of the pick.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Finally lists are starting to be much closer to mine, let it takes years)

For now I would put Okhotiuk over Shaq, Vilen over Edwards and Zaitsev, Bardakov over Filmon, Leddy over Barabosha and McCarthy, Daws over Brennan. May be Malek too.
Shaq still have to work on defensive decision making, Vilen play pretty safe defensive game and have at least avarage tools for the job, Zaitsev is much better than many, but we know, he hasn't plans to play in NA, Bardakov play solid for his role and he is working 200 foot power forward who understand what he should do without the puck, for now he is better, Leddy is unique kid with very high defensive hockey iq and the great puck of defensive hockey tools, McCarthy isn't as good in different defensive situations, Barabosha is very pro active defenseman, but he should work on some defensive aspects like positioning.

I have little chat with Barabosha, like @My3Sons did ask me. He is very happy he was drafted, he didn't know about Scott Stevens, but he likes that fan base are liking the way he play, and he say hello and very thankful to all devils fans who knows about him and cheer for him as a pick.

I know Brennan is very athletic, but Im always for NHL ready, especially if we talk about goalies. Daws play solid In ahl, and even in nhl he was good enough before overusing. Malek is a young kind who showed very good game in much harder league. And next year he will play in adult league. So I'm not hurry to put Brennan over them with his stats. I know his team was bad, but im asking floor.

Reasons why I still have Gritsyuk over Holtz in general rankings. He is much better skater and his tools help him to be more useful in 200 foot game. I know, Guadana loves Russians blah blah. No its not a thing. I love good players with good skill pack. I did rank Okhotyuk and Gritsyuk in top 5-6 year ago, and now what, everybody have them much higher. Laddy and Vilen over a lot of players on this list are there because of the same reason. Bahl over Foote too, because his tools in better shape for his role than Foote's foots for example, and I wanna see more active interior game from Foote. Hope it will change in the next season. I want to see more better versions of Foote in our squad. This team hardly need in power interior forwards and third line defensive center. I know Boqvist is good, but for now he isn't a guy, whom you will use against top lines.

LD Luke Hughes
RD Simon Nemec
LW Arseni Gritsyuk
RW Alexander Holtz
LD Nikita Okhotyuk
LD Shakir Mukhamadullin
RW Fabian Zetterlund

RD Seamus Casey
RD Charlie Leddy
LD Kevin Bahl
LW Nolan Foote
RW Tyce Thompson

LW Zakhar Bardakov
LD Daniil Orlov
RD Artyom Barabosha
LD Daniil Misyul
LD Topias Vilen

RW Chase Stillman
LW Josh Filmon
RW Patrick Moynihan
RD Case McCarthy
LD Michael Vukojevic

LD Ethan Edwards
RW Graeme Clarke
RD Reilly Walsh
LW Aarne Talvitie

LD Yegor Zaitsev
C Jaromir Pytlik
LW Samu Salminen
RW Petr Hauser

I wanna believe Filmon will add a lot of weight and will work on defensive side of the game, will be much more physical player, I like him as "concept" but he has a lot of Miles ahead.

This is a great list, thanks for contributing!

 

[StevenToddIves]

You're all gonna disagree with me, but in my book Petr Hauser is at least as good (or bad?) of a prospect than Chase Stillman. There's so little footage of Hauser that it's very hard to make concrete conclusions.

Considering Stillman is a round 1 pick, he's one of the worst picks in recent memory. The difference between Czech U20 and OHL is not that big, and one could argue that Hauser's 59pts in 41gp (regular) + 16pts in 11gp (playoffs) + ppg in his 2 czech's 2nd men's league playoff games, is at least as good as Stillman's 49pts in 59gp (regular) + 1pts in 4gp (playoffs) OHL stats (while being 6months older than Hauser). You can argue that Stillman has effort, drive, motor whatever you wanna call it, but to be below ppg in your d+1 year in CHL isn't very promising.

The Devils scouts must have seen Hauser play live and seen something they really like in him to draft him.

I'm going to have to say the difference between the CHL and Czech juniors is absolutely huge. Immense, really.

Stillman's 29 points in 35 OHL games amounts to far more than Hauser's 59 points in 41 Czech U20 games in my book. Also far more than, for instance, Salminen's 48 points in 44 Finnish U20 games.

At some point, scouting has to outweigh the numbers. With Hauser's and Salminen's skating difficulty, I don't think there's a single CHL team they would play top 6 minutes on. I'd guess in 35 CHL games, it would be a generous projection to say Hauser/Salminen might have 10-15 points each.

After years of doing this, there is no perfect algorithm. But I'd say Chase Stillman is a very good bet to play bottom 6 minutes in the NHL. He's a terrific forechecker who plays physical, he skates well and has an excellent shot and pretty good hands. At the moment, Stillman is far from a "bust", he was just a lousy value pick in the 1st round.

 

[Guadana]

Yeah I think that's spot on. I guess I'm more optimistic about Hauser since I haven't seen more than view clips but have seen a ton of Stillman. If Stillman was also a 5th round pick I'd be much less critical of the pick.

I think Stillman deserve all of his critique. Reason why I have him at #18. Hauser... skating. I see how bad skating limit guys like Holtz, Foote and Smith. And they are talented guys. I'm not saying Holtz will not be NHL player, but it would be much better for him to be better skater. Let's call Hauser unranked.
Stillman? Hope he will teach more about game of hockey and how to not lose his position. If he will, he can be 10-15 goal scorer in your bottom line.
Anyway I would be happy with both. And with Foote.

Thus team is very good. Prospect pack is really good. But I don't have a player whom I can call power forward with real nhl potential. Foote skating limits him, he can't be proactive because of lack of speed. Zetterlund play some kind of power F game, create space for partners, and I think he has good potential. Hope he will add more activity in his defensive game. Filman is only concept and he us far away from what we wanna see from him. Bardakov is a question mark, but I like he is on connection with NJD. He is on the development path. Hauser - I believe we don't know nothing. May be he will explode next year in czech2 and will have some opportunity in Czech 1. And if he will reliable there, we would rank him much higher. We need in this kind of guys.
We are waiting for Arseniy and Alexander in top 9. And lack of power game could limit this roster much. At least in play off.

 

[ninetyeight]

I'm going to have to say the difference between the CHL and Czech juniors is absolutely huge. Immense, really.

Stillman's 29 points in 35 OHL games amounts to far more than Hauser's 59 points in 41 Czech U20 games in my book. Also far more than, for instance, Salminen's 48 points in 44 Finnish U20 games.

At some point, scouting has to outweigh the numbers. With Hauser's and Salminen's skating difficulty, I don't think there's a single CHL team they would play top 6 minutes on. I'd guess in 35 CHL games, it would be a generous projection to say Hauser/Salminen might have 10-15 points each.

After years of doing this, there is no perfect algorithm. But I'd say Chase Stillman is a very good bet to play bottom 6 minutes in the NHL. He's a terrific forechecker who plays physical, he skates well and has an excellent shot and pretty good hands. At the moment, Stillman is far from a "bust", he was just a lousy value pick in the 1st round.

I think you're underrating european junior leagues a bit. How would you even compare them other than guys who have played both, like Zacha. He had 6g in 10games Czech U20 and then 16g in 37 OHL games. Really doesn't seem like huge difference. OHL just gets scouted way way way more and their player end up in NA leagues, where as Czech players ends up in european leagues. That doesn't mean the leagues are so much worse.

Also since you are so critical of Salminen's production and finnish U20 league, are you also implying Slakovsky's LiigaU20 production 34pts in 31gp compares to something like 15pts in 30 OHL games?