Prospect Info: Devils Picking 4th Overall, Part II

[Jason MacIsaac]

If Eklund and Hughes are both available at 4, is Hughes still the pick?

The analytics part of me says Eklund however my gut is that Hughes will be the more impactful player. It's a combination of the size, skating, offensive skillset, hockey sense, age and drive to be the best that have me leaning towards Hughes.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

If Eklund and Hughes are both available at 4, is Hughes still the pick?

Buffalo will start calling teams about an Eichel or Reinhardt trade if Eklund falls past three. I know we have two centers already and need defenseman, but having Hughes, Eichel, Nico, McLeod as your centers would at least never not be entertaining.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Clarke or Hughes in that order will make me happy.

 

[AusDev]

andddddd Button hates us

McTavish rises, Sens go goalie in Button’s final mock draft

I know people would rage, but I'd be quietly thrilled, I think he would bring something we dearly lack. Don't get me wrong, he's not my first choice, but I'd honestly be happy with any of Hughes, Clarke, Eklund, Guenther or McTavish at 4.

 

[Lou is God]

This is no indication on how the Ducks are drafting but for what it's worth on the Ducks board there is hardly any mention of Hughes anymore despite that in the poll last month they selected him.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

I know people would rage, but I'd be quietly thrilled, I think he would bring something we dearly lack. Don't get me wrong, he's not my first choice, but I'd honestly be happy with any of Hughes, Clarke, Eklund, Guenther or McTavish at 4.

He can't be the BPA at 4, he simply can't. Playing with a generational talent in Connor Bedard in a short tournament may sway some team's mindset but it can't be NJ's. Trade down if someone really likes him.

 

[Buck Dancer]

Eklund is at the top of my board followed by Clarke and Hughes.

 

[AusDev]

He can't be the BPA at 4, he simply can't. Playing with a generational talent in Connor Bedard in a short tournament may sway some team's mindset but it can't be NJ's. Trade down if someone really likes him.

If you like him, take your guy. This draft in particular is so wide open. I also don't get why he couldn't be the BPA at 4. He's a late riser but it doesn't mean he isn't legit.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

If you like him, take your guy. This draft in particular is so wide open. I also don't get why he couldn't be the BPA at 4. He's a late riser but it doesn't mean he isn't legit.

I always ask the question as to why a player is a late riser. Is it because he ran hot at a short tournament playing with a generational talent or is there something else. I feel this has a lot to do with his performance playing with a generational talent.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Button should just call them his rankings. He put no thought on who each team would think to take or need when be put that together.

 

[goonybird]

I love when the NHL comparable for a player slated lower is better than the NHL comparable for most of the top-10.

 

[JimEIV]

Button should just call them his rankings. He put no thought on who each team would think to take or need when be put that together.

Hasn't he said in the past that he puts who he thinks is the Best Player Available in order?

 

[Eggtimer]

Looks like the flavour of the week is going with size and more toward skilled player that is hard to play against than just pure elite skill . You can see it in how the Habs has success and other teams fizzled out when trying to just out skill the other team. Seattle signings have been players with skill but size snd or grit . I think the devils still need to add players that are hard to play against and big mobile D . Hughes could be that I think . Eklund not so much .
However I think the deviks still need to add some top high end skill to their roster to drive play . It’s players like Mercer that I think are the types you need to win . Good combination of skill and grit . I hope we go with a player with grit snd an edge to his game with the Islanders pick

 

[AusDev]

I always ask the question as to why a player is a late riser. Is it because he ran hot at a short tournament playing with a generational talent or is there something else. I feel this has a lot to do with his performance playing with a generational talent.

The thing I remember reading about him prior to that tournament were questions regarding his skating. For the most part I think that tournament just told scouts that his skating wouldn't be an issue. Outside of that I don't think he showed a lot that people didn't already know about.

Either way, I'm not overly fussed. I just think he wouldn't be a bad pick, and I think he'll be a pretty coveted player in a few years.

 

[MartyOwns]

i saw on the main board LA's pick at 8 is up for bids. would be great to nab clarke/hughes, then johnson at 8. i wonder what the price would be, and what the kings' needs are. they are pretty loaded with prospects if i remember correctly, so i'm assuming they would want some nhl ready players.

 

[Lou is God]

i saw on the main board LA's pick at 8 is up for bids. would be great to nab clarke/hughes, then johnson at 8. i wonder what the price would be, and what the kings' needs are. they are pretty loaded with prospects if i remember correctly, so i'm assuming they would want some nhl ready players.

I think the asking price would start with our #1 next year unprotected, if the Isles had lost to Boston in the playoffs and we ended up with #19 instead of #29, I think we could probably move up without giving up next years #1, at the very least not unprotected.

 

[MartyOwns]

I think the asking price would start with our #1 next year unprotected, if the Isles had lost to Boston in the playoffs and we ended up with #19 instead of #29, I think we could probably move up without giving up next years #1, at the very least not unprotected.

well that's a no go then. i was thinking someone like foote would be intriguing to them for a variety of reasons...plus the isles pick, plus...?? someone on the back end.

 

[devilsblood]

I've moved away from my stance of not taking a fwd.

Hughes is still my #1 target followed by Clarke.

But Edvinsson? I'm not even a skeptic of his ability, but another LHD? This should have been more clear to me, but prospect wise we are more stocked at LHD then we are at any other position.

So if we can't take Hughes or Clarke, and if a trade down option is not there, I'm OK going fwd.

Sounds like there will be some good RHD options around the Isle's pick and next year sounds like it's stocked in RHD(which means we could nab one in the teenish area thus we don't need to tank to get one).

 

[StevenToddIves]

Where would Holtz be in a re-draft? I would be comfortable trading him for Clarke.

Here's my best shot off the cuff:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Drysdale
5 Sanderson
6 Lundell
7 Jarvis
8 Holloway
9 Raymond
10 Mercer
11 Askarov
12 Holtz
13 Perfetti
14 Schneider

 

[StevenToddIves]

andddddd Button hates us

McTavish rises, Sens go goalie in Button’s final mock draft

Or he just does not understand that a team with two franchise centers and big holes on D and W is not drafting two centers with their first round picks. I just think we need to take this stuff with a grain of salt, it's not as if Button pays much attention to the New Jersey Devils.

 

[Forge]

i saw on the main board LA's pick at 8 is up for bids. would be great to nab clarke/hughes, then johnson at 8. i wonder what the price would be, and what the kings' needs are. they are pretty loaded with prospects if i remember correctly, so i'm assuming they would want some nhl ready players.

I don't think that we have an asset to pull that off. not sure how interested they are in a pick next year...I think that they have it out there for immediate help. Sam Reinhart type player. I don't know who we have that we would actually want to move in that manner that has the pull to get that pick.

 

[StevenToddIves]

If Eklund and Hughes are both available at 4, is Hughes still the pick?

I'd say there is about a 99% chance Eklund will be available at #4 overall, the question to me is whether Anaheim would take Hughes at #3. But ultimately, there is a very strong chance both these players are available at #4, and it would seem pretty likely the Devils would go with the defenseman in such a scenario.

 

[StevenToddIves]

He can't be the BPA at 4, he simply can't. Playing with a generational talent in Connor Bedard in a short tournament may sway some team's mindset but it can't be NJ's. Trade down if someone really likes him.

To be honest, I don't think McTavish lasts until #4, so I don't feel it's an issue for Devils fans. I don't see Anaheim passing up on a potential two-way, old school, top-line power center. It's what they love and now sorely lack now that Getzlaf is in his twilight.

 

[Forge]

Here's my best shot off the cuff:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Drysdale
5 Sanderson
6 Lundell
7 Jarvis
8 Holloway
9 Raymond
10 Mercer
11 Askarov
12 Holtz
13 Perfetti
14 Schneider

I think Perfetti goes above Mercer / Holtz / Askarov if we are using this year's performance as well. He was nearly a PPG player in the AHL in his draft +1 year; that's an arrow pointing straight up in that regard. I don't know how he gets drafted before Mercer in the actual draft, has a more impressive draft +1 season (what he did in the AHL is more impressive than Mercer in the Q) and falls below him in the draft.

I like your bump on Lundell though.

 

[devilsblood]

Buffalo will start calling teams about an Eichel or Reinhardt trade if Eklund falls past three. I know we have two centers already and need defenseman, but having Hughes, Eichel, Nico, McLeod as your centers would at least never not be entertaining.

I put Eichel in the Tarasenko boat. Just not that interested in brining guys with major injury questions. We are a young team on the upswing, why bring that into the mix?

Just keep building.