Prospect Info: Devils picking 4th Overall.

[vtdevils2k]

Pronman released a full first round mock today. He has the Devils taking Hughes at #4, but says that people around the league think it will be either Hughes, Guenther or Edvinsson. He is not hearing it is 100% Hughes.

Just read that as well. Interesting Clarke wasn't mentioned, nor Eklund.

 

[Devils731]

Pronman released a full first round mock today. He has the Devils taking Hughes at #4, but says that people around the league think it will be either Hughes, Guenther or Edvinsson. He is not hearing it is 100% Hughes.

It was Pronman who was “hearing” the Devils would go Makar at #1 instead of Nico so he may be a useful way to get misdirection into the world once he begins speculating.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

if the Devils take a forward with one of Power, Hughes, or Clarke on the board I will be v unhappy

 

[Stephen Gionta]

if the Devils take a forward with one of Power, Hughes, or Clarke on the board I will be v unhappy

Do you really think Fitzgerald is that silly? Zero chance that happens.

 

[Auto Pilot]

if the Devils take a forward with one of Power, Hughes, or Clarke on the board I will be v unhappy

Same, and if we take Esvinsson over Hughes, which isn’t out of the realm of possibility with Fitz’s drafting last year, I will be even more pissed off. I’d rather them trade the pick then waste it

 

[Auto Pilot]

Do you really think Fitzgerald is that silly? Zero chance that happens.

Yes. We drafted two lesser players than what was available last year. Holtz over Rossi and Perfetti was foolish. Muk over the forward available was just really daft.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Yes. We drafted two lesser players than what was available last year. Holtz over Rossi and Perfetti was foolish. Muk over the forward available was just really daft.

Hindsight is 20/20. What if Holtz doesn't get injured and go into his 2nd half slump as a result.

6 goals, 7 assists, 13 points assists in 19 games before the break equates to approx 36 points in 52 games. Would you still take Perfetti over him?

 

[Blackjack]

Pronman released a full first round mock today. He has the Devils taking Hughes at #4, but says that people around the league think it will be either Hughes, Guenther or Edvinsson. He is not hearing it is 100% Hughes.

LMAO he has us taking another LD at #29. What even is a right handed defense man?

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

The idea of taking Luke Hughes kinda makes me nervous. If he tops out as a 2nd or 3rd pair D, i feel like the pick will be extra-scrutinized with Quinn and Jack both looking like superstars and one of them being on the same team. I guess that’s not a reason not to draft him, but i feel like he’ll take more flak as a Devils pick than he would going to another team if he doesn’t end up as a high-end defenseman.

 

[Stephen Gionta]

The idea of taking Luke Hughes kinda makes me nervous. If he tops out as a 2nd or 3rd pair D, i feel like the pick will be extra-scrutinized with Quinn and Jack both looking like superstars and one of them being on the same team. I guess that’s not a reason not to draft him, but i feel like he’ll take more flak as a Devils pick than he would going to another team if he doesn’t end up as a high-end defenseman.

You clearly haven't watched Luke Hughes play.

There's certainly an argument to be made that he could be the best Hughes brother. That's how high his ceiling is if he is able to reach it. Think a Scott Niedermeyer esque player. That's his potential.

If Luke Hughes is still on the board at #4 you sprint up to the podium to draft him.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

You clearly haven't watched Luke Hughes play.

There's certainly an argument to be made that he could be the best Hughes brother. That's how high his ceiling is if he is able to reach it. Think a Scott Niedermeyer esque player. That's his potential.

Yeah all that is possible, i didn’t say it wasn’t. But it’s not guaranteed. I also specifically said it’s not a reason not to draft him if the Devils like him.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

We have to good of an opportunity to draft a defenseman after missing out on Drysdale and Sanderson last year. We know how badly we need a legitimate top pairing d man but players like Guenther and Eklund are being slept on. Eklund put up better numbers than Holtz while being q year younger last year in the SHL. Kid is a top 5 pick in most draft years imo.

 

[Unknown Caller]

I could see us taking Edvinsson. Fitzgerald seems to be heavily involved with the final decision on the early picks and he loves big rangy/toolsy defensemen. I would make a pretty confident bet that Edvinsson is higher on the Devils' final list than Clarke. For the record, I wouldn't touch Edvinsson in the top 8, but I don't think the Devils see it the same way.

 

[GameSeven]

Apologies if already posted but TSN ran a Luke Hughes article yesterday.

Of note, I thought, were comments that he resumed skating about 4 weeks ago and hopes to be 100 percent by summer camp.

Also, he touched on playing both sides on D and credited it for some of his performance gains.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Yes. We drafted two lesser players than what was available last year. Holtz over Rossi and Perfetti was foolish. Muk over the forward available was just really daft.

Wow those opinions sure convinced me. How can I possibly refute your superior knowledge?

 

[A Plus]

if the Devils take a forward with one of Power, Hughes, or Clarke on the board I will be v unhappy

I would also be unhappy - but only in the moment. Doubly disappointed if Luke was available.

If its Eklund, who I think is a PPG potential player in the NHL, then Id warm up to the idea IF Fitzgerald had plans to acquire a young defenseman. Beniers is incredible too but I dont see the fit long-term, unless hes adaptable to playing the wing (though dont him and Jack have similar playstyles that require the bulk of the ice?)

And I do think thats a safe assumption; if we pass on a defenseman Id consider it fool-hearted to not assume Fitzgerald has a plan for the defense via FA or trade.

 

[A Plus]

Would it be possible to trade up to another top-7 pick?

Leaving this draft with Hughes AND Eklund/Guenther/Beniers/Johnson would be quite the tale down the road.

Though itd likely cost NYI 1st+Bratt/Zacha+Kuokkanen and taking back salary

 

[MartyOwns]

And I do think thats a safe assumption; if we pass on a defenseman Id consider it fool-hearted to not assume Fitzgerald has a plan for the defense via FA or trade.

the only way to get a good, current/future top pairing defenseman without giving up MAJOR assets is by drafting one. we are drafting in the top 5 this year, and hopefully we don't pick this high again for another 20 years. this cannot be f***ed up. fitz has to take hughes or clarke (whoever is available) and i'm confident he will.

if his plan is to draft a forward, then decimate our prospect pool by trading for a defenseman, fitzgerald needs to go the way of old yeller, where someone takes him out behind the giant marty statue and puts him down

 

[A Plus]

the only way to get a good, current/future top pairing defenseman without giving up MAJOR assets is by drafting one. we are drafting in the top 5 this year, and hopefully we don't pick this high again for another 20 years. this cannot be f***ed up. fitz has to take hughes or clarke (whoever is available) and i'm confident he will.

if his plan is to draft a forward, then decimate our prospect pool by trading for a defenseman, fitzgerald needs to go the way of old yeller, where someone takes him out behind the giant marty statue and puts him down

What if we sign Hamilton

I understand your concern and am sympathetic to it. I also want Luke Hughes for a multitude if obvious reasons; mainly being his potential (the kid is almost a 2022 prospect)

However when you have a situation such as this pandemic affecting the cap, weirder things have happened. Also Id argue if you can acquire a young top-4 dman, that in itself is a strong enough reason to draft a forward.

I like the idea of having two top-pair potential dmen too; but in theory you only need one and we have that in Ty Smith. So its not like wed be drafting a forward with Mukhamadullin as our best young dman (who I have as a top-4 dman in the NHL, I might add).

Im not trying to advocate for trading the pick but moreso put myself in a position to understand it, if it did happen.

Give me Luke and trade the orher 1st+ for a roster player and call it a day

 

[MartyOwns]

What if we sign Hamilton

if we do, then we are going to have to ridiculously overpay for him in both $ and term. that makes me nervous, because while hamilton is a good player i don't think his best days are in front of him. also, we never ever reel in the big UFA fish...it just doesn't happen here.

I like the idea of having two top-pair potential dmen too; but in theory you only need one and we have that in Ty Smith.

i'm...not sure i agree with that theory lol.

Give me Luke and trade the orher 1st+ for a roster player and call it a day

yep i'd definitely be ok with that scenario if that's how it plays out. should be interesting

 

[Auto Pilot]

Wow those opinions sure convinced me. How can I possibly refute your superior knowledge?

Wow you convinced me that picking Holtz was the better choice between him Perfetti and Rossi. Same with picking Muk over really good forwards that were available at 20 still.

What a great analysis to show we made the right picks and picked best players available with two of the three picks, not need for one and a galaxy brain pick with our last for a vastly inferior player that is a long shot to make the nhl over guys still on the board at that time.

 

[MartyOwns]

Wow you convinced me that picking Holtz was the better choice between him Perfetti and Rossi. Same with picking Muk over really good forwards that were available at 20 still.

What a great analysis to show we made the right picks and picked best players available with two of the three picks, not need for one and a galaxy brain pick with our last for a vastly inferior player that is a long shot to make the nhl over guys still on the board at that time.

it's weird that you have such a strong opinion about this, since nobody knows at this point how we fared in last year's draft. wait, is weird the right word? obnoxious? yes, obnoxious.

 

[Hisch13r]

Holtz was fine. I think Rossi’s better but it wasn’t that big of a deal to me. The Muk pick was awful

 

[A Plus]

Maybe Im just a homer but I thought the trio of Holtz Mercer and Mukhamadullin would end up being one of our best drafts ever

That doesnt include the plethora of other great prospects we got that year after the first round

There were only one or two names I wasnt blown away by, and one of them is already proving better than I thought he was

 

[A Plus]

Holtz was fine. I think Rossi’s better but it wasn’t that big of a deal to me. The Muk pick was awful

The Russian hockey program and its affiliates seem to love Shakir and his potential; hes been given more leeway at his age than some top-end Russian defenders that played in the NHL

I understand it was a reach in the sense that not many teams likely had him on their board above 35-40, but Im willing to bet Fitzgerald and co. liked him enough to 'reach' and get him.

lets keep in mind a reach is only without hindsight; if Mukhamadullin ends up a top-6 dman whos a stable presence in the NHL until hes older, than even that is a top-30 prospect in the draft most likely once they all retire.

With his size, his potential offensively (since he used to play forward), and his willingness to come to NA and learn - I think he rounds out his defensive game nicely and ends up an offensively minded bottom pair dman for us who plays the PP with his slapshot (which is heavy heavy)