Prospect Info: Devils Picking 4th Overall, Part II

[Buck Dancer]

That McTavish betting line sure catches my eye. I actually feel that, if Anaheim takes Hughes at #3, McTavish would be my favorite (odds-wise) for the Devils pick.

More so then Eklund?

 

[OmNomNom]

You guys cannot be serious about this?

for real, mark staal didn't seem to care about his bros

 

[JimEIV]

I'm an only child so I don't understand any of this...I'm just glad I never had to share anything.

 

[RememberTheName]

I feel like we might see NJ pick up one or two guys in the later rounds from the OHL that did not get a chance to play at all this year. Historically, NJ absolutely loves drafting from the OHL, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had a couple of guys they spotted last year as potential breakout players that are going hugely under the radar because of lack of play.

For example, the London Knights have had a lot of guys in recent years break out in their draft year who had completely under the radar d-1 years (Connor McMichael, Liam Foudy, Luke Evangelista are 3 notable examples of this). They might have a guy like Stuart Rolofs tagged from the London Knights who they thought was going to have a breakout similar to the three I mentioned with expanded play, as last year, he was stuck in a strictly 4th line role. I wouldn't mind taking a flier on a couple of similar players.

Also since 2015, the breakdown of players NJ selected from each of the three CHL leagues I find pretty interesting:
OHL: 14
QMJHL: 5
WHL: 2

We have selected more players from the Ottawa 67s (3) in the past 3 drafts than players from the WHL since 2015. Pretty funny stuff.

 

[Emperoreddy]

 

[SYWTom]

TSN has Hughes way down at 8 based on their consensus. In terms of players with votes for 2nd in the class according to TSN the following players got votes Beniers (4 Votes), Edvinsson (3 votes), Guenther, McTavish and Eklund each got 1 vote.

My fear of reaching for Luke Hughes is gaining, to the point where I’m not sure I’ll be overly excited in selecting him.

mcTavish to me is tantalizing with his size and shot

 

[Lou is God]

TSN has Hughes way down at 8 based on their consensus. In terms of players with votes for 2nd in the class according to TSN the following players got votes Beniers (4 Votes), Edvinsson (3 votes), Guenther, McTavish and Eklund each got 1 vote.

My fear of reaching for Luke Hughes is gaining, to the point where I’m not sure I’ll be overly excited in selecting him.

mcTavish to me is tantalizing with his size and shot

Taking Hughes at #4 is not reaching, is not even close to it.

 

[Devils731]

My fear of reaching for Luke Hughes is gaining

Reaching is kind of a silly concept anyway when we don’t know what NHL draft boards are like.

If the consensus has a player at 30 but he’s taken at 20 then he’s a “reach” even if 5 NHL teams thought he was worth #20.

 

[RememberTheName]

This draft is very polarizing.

I don't think I have ever seen a gap between NHL scout consensus and fan/internet/independent scouting firm consensus as big as I have with Simon Edvinsson.

This draft is especially hard to call players reaches because the draft boards are all so different for each team.

 

[OmNomNom]

McTavish's stock only rose bc of his tourney performance

 

[Buck Dancer]

Taking Hughes at #4 is not reaching, is not even close to it.

It’s not reaching, you’re right, but there’s better options available.

 

[Lou is God]

It’s not reaching, you’re right, but there’s better options available.

That's your opinion.

 

[MartyOwns]

TSN has Hughes way down at 8 based on their consensus. In terms of players with votes for 2nd in the class according to TSN the following players got votes Beniers (4 Votes), Edvinsson (3 votes), Guenther, McTavish and Eklund each got 1 vote.

My fear of reaching for Luke Hughes is gaining, to the point where I’m not sure I’ll be overly excited in selecting him.

mcTavish to me is tantalizing with his size and shot

i'm kind of hoping vancouver nabs hughes, just for all the dumbass screeching that would emanate from this board. it'd be funny as hell

 

[StevenToddIves]

More so then Eklund?

Yes.

I'm not saying McTavish is better -- I have Eklund ranked higher in my Top 96 rankings. But I feel McTavish fills more of a Devils need -- which is a physical forward who plays a heavy game and can snipe.

Though the Devils have a ton of talent in the pipeline, they have no center or LW (McTavish can play either position) who is a "true goal-scorer" aside from perhaps Nolan Foote. They also lack any sort of power forward/net-crasher aside from perhaps Dawson Mercer.

I'm a huge fan of Eklund and would be thrilled to see him in a Devils sweater, but he would be another cog (albeit an outstanding cog) in the wheel, whereas McTavish would redefine that wheel, adding a whole new dimension. I feel an elite hockey line combines multiple elements, as with MacKinnon/Landeskog/Rantanen or Bergeron/Pastrnak/Marchand instead of simply having three great scorers. The Devils simply lack players who have opposing defensemen looking over their shoulders, the Devils rarely score goals off netfront battles, and the Devils are weaker on the cycle than almost any team in the NHL.

McTavish is more than just a power forward, he's also terrific defensively and a stud on either the PP or PK. I also feel Eklund is an all-situations, two-way player and, to be honest, I think he will have more total points potential than McTavish. But I feel McTavish will score more goals and make the Devils far more difficult to play against.

Fitzgerald has to realize the Devils need for more pushback and physicality up and down the line-up. The loss of Bastian does not help, although Bastian is clearly a bottom 6 forward and not a long-term answer as a franchise core piece. I feel McTavish would be precisely this.

 

[The 29th Pick]

for real, mark staal didn't seem to care about his bros

didn't Eric check Marc so bad he missed time?
Me and my brother dont really get along, we're totally different people, we don't hate each other, but we don't exactly want to be together for any particular reason.
edit yeah here it is

 

[Comparison Ford]

the more he drops in the eyes of scouts, the better chance we have of selecting him.

cant believe the draft is happening tomorrow. truly wonder whats gonna happen with that 28th pick.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I feel like we might see NJ pick up one or two guys in the later rounds from the OHL that did not get a chance to play at all this year. Historically, NJ absolutely loves drafting from the OHL, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had a couple of guys they spotted last year as potential breakout players that are going hugely under the radar because of lack of play.

For example, the London Knights have had a lot of guys in recent years break out in their draft year who had completely under the radar d-1 years (Connor McMichael, Liam Foudy, Luke Evangelista are 3 notable examples of this). They might have a guy like Stuart Rolofs tagged from the London Knights who they thought was going to have a breakout similar to the three I mentioned with expanded play, as last year, he was stuck in a strictly 4th line role. I wouldn't mind taking a flier on a couple of similar players.

Also since 2015, the breakdown of players NJ selected from each of the three CHL leagues I find pretty interesting:
OHL: 14
QMJHL: 5
WHL: 2

We have selected more players from the Ottawa 67s (3) in the past 3 drafts than players from the WHL since 2015. Pretty funny stuff.

It might be four Ottawa OHLers after this season -- I feel strongly that RD Jack Matier will be a Devils target in the 4th/5th round area.

 

[JimEIV]

i'm kind of hoping vancouver nabs hughes, just for all the dumbass screeching that would emanate from this board. it'd be funny as hell

Watch it burn!

 

[StevenToddIves]

This draft is very polarizing.

I don't think I have ever seen a gap between NHL scout consensus and fan/internet/independent scouting firm consensus as big as I have with Simon Edvinsson.

This draft is especially hard to call players reaches because the draft boards are all so different for each team.

Steve Kournianos just ranked Edvinsson at #22, one slot behind fellow Team Sweden D Anton Olsson. This is the lowest I've seen him ranked, and I've taken some heat (looking at you, @Guadana buddy!) for ranking him at #18.

But NHL scouts love big & fast -- and Edvinsson has the best combination of that along with Power and Hughes. Power is ranked higher because he's more polished defensively than Edvinsson and far more talented offensively, while I'd say Edvinsson is held in higher regard because he plays far bigger than Hughes, who is not nearly as physical or competitive in the defensive zone.

I absolutely agree that this year there will be more disparity in the draft boards from team to team than any year in recent memory.

 

[StevenToddIves]

i'm kind of hoping vancouver nabs hughes, just for all the dumbass screeching that would emanate from this board. it'd be funny as hell

Though it would be indeed funny, I don't see any way on earth Hughes gets past Detroit at #6.

 

[StevenToddIves]

the more he drops in the eyes of scouts, the better chance we have of selecting him.

cant believe the draft is happening tomorrow. truly wonder whats gonna happen with that 28th pick.

I'm hoping for L'Heureux or Othmann at #28 -- the Devils need more sandpaper and goal-scoring ability at wing. I'd also be thrilled with Rosen -- he might have more pure offensive upside than all the forwards who are surefire top 10 picks. I suppose my ultimate dream would be if Carson Lambos fell -- in my opinion, he could potentially wind up the best defenseman from the entire 2021 draft.

 

[BurntToast]

I have to say there is some recency biases going on. Hughes didn’t go to WC’s or WJ’s, but players that did mostly got bumps because there isn’t much else..

 

[The 29th Pick]

although its not realistic, I hope Hughes is taken before us so we cant take him. This way the fans and the family cant complain or be butt-hurt we didn't take him.

 

[OmNomNom]

imagine if hughes is gone and we end up with power

 

[Lou is God]

I'm hoping for L'Heureux or Othmann at #28 -- the Devils need more sandpaper and goal-scoring ability at wing. I'd also be thrilled with Rosen -- he might have more pure offensive upside than all the forwards who are surefire top 10 picks. I suppose my ultimate dream would be if Carson Lambos fell -- in my opinion, he could potentially wind up the best defenseman from the entire 2021 draft.

Lambos would be a great gamble at #29.