Prospect Info: Devils picking 4th Overall.

[A Plus]

By the way, whatever I say about prospects is what Ive read and/or my short viewings of them via highlights and a random shift by shift every now and then.

Im in no way an expert or even a casual scout; I just check up on guys when they cross my mind, and if they show enough potential you give their footage a peek or two

figured I should give that disclaimer since I type as if Im the knowledgable one about these guys. My opinion is based on that of those smarter than me on the subject with a sprinkle of personal preference

I wanted Nolan over Nico so.. what the f*** do I know lol. But Ill be damned if I wont act like Im going to be right

 

[Darkauron]

Muk seemed like a bone-head choice at the time, but he had one of the best years for a rookie D in the KHL and was praised for his play from all over in the hockey world. I'm willing to give him and the devils some leeway.

 

[GeNeXt]

The Muk choice looks even better now than at the time. We drafted two forwards, so should've taken a stab at defense with that third pick, especially one with upside of Shak. The only Dman we may have missed out on was Schneider, and it's still very early to call. Only scenario I wish happened was Drysdale sliding to 7, and then we could've came away with Mercer and someone like Noel Gunler who's comparable to Holtz.

 

[Shakir ONeal]

Smokescreen SZN

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Smokescreen SZN

Dope login name and profile pic!

 

[A Plus]

The Muk choice looks even better now than at the time. We drafted two forwards, so should've taken a stab at defense with that third pick, especially one with upside of Shak. The only Dman we may have missed out on was Schneider, and it's still very early to call. Only scenario I wish happened was Drysdale sliding to 7, and then we could've came away with Mercer and someone like Noel Gunler who's comparable to Holtz.

Saying Gunler is comparable to Holtz, while it could be true, seems like a disingenuous way to lower Holtz' apparent ceiling

They may play a somewhat similar game - but the nuances to each's game is why one went 7th overall and the other 42nd overall. Im sure if I went over each's film enough Id see why

As for what I can speak on - Alex's shot is one of the better Ive seen out of the draft, maybe since Laine and Matthews, though Im sure im missing a few. Caufield is one other.

I do though like German prospects nowadays, growing each year

 

[My3Sons]

Muk seemed like a bone-head choice at the time, but he had one of the best years for a rookie D in the KHL and was praised for his play from all over in the hockey world. I'm willing to give him and the devils some leeway.

The fact that Mukhamadullin is open to coming over early to North America to start playing with the organization is a big step to me. No Russian factor and being willing to learn the North American game from the ground up bumps him up a few notches in my view. Hopefully he pans out. I hope he can be an all situations defender even if he never reaches first pair status. That’s still a very good NHL player.

 

[GeNeXt]

Saying Gunler is comparable to Holtz, while it could be true, seems like a disingenuous way to lower Holtz' apparent ceiling

They may play a somewhat similar game - but the nuances to each's game is why one went 7th overall and the other 42nd overall. Im sure if I went over each's film enough Id see why

As for what I can speak on - Alex's shot is one of the better Ive seen out of the draft, maybe since Laine and Matthews, though Im sure im missing a few. Caufield is one other.

I do though like German prospects nowadays, growing each year

No. I just wanted Drysdale more than anyone ranked outside of the top-3 (Laf, Stutzle and Byfield). Perfectly content with Holtz, but would be more content with Drysdale and Gunler than Holtz and Muk. Still happy either way, since Drysdale was sniped right before us.

 

[New Jersey Devils]

Mock 4.0:

1. Power
2. Beniers
3. Guenther
4. Hughes
5. Edvinsson
6. Eklund
7. Clarke

 

[A Plus]

Mock 4.0:

1. Power
2. Beniers
3. Guenther
4. Hughes
5. Edvinsson
6. Eklund
7. Clarke

I think it goes Guenther to Detroit and Eklund to Anaheim, but other than that I have it the exact same lol

 

[Guadana]

Clarke or even Edvinsson.
Blues, caps, pitts, all have pretty strong d corpe. Islanders and Montreal play defense hard and intense. Idea to have two LD playmakers make us better(may be), but will not make us successful. modern nhl history shows what kind of decision must be made.

 

[GameSeven]

 

[My3Sons]

Clarke or even Edvinsson.
Blues, caps, pitts, all have pretty strong d corpe. Islanders and Montreal play defense hard and intense. Idea to have two LD playmakers make us better(may be), but will not make us successful. modern nhl history shows what kind of decision must be made.

I think teams need the ability to transition the puck and control their crease area at a minimum in today's NHL. You don't have to be huge but you have to be willing to play physical which some guys don't seem to want to do. The best defenders, of course, can play well positionally, play physically, and transition the puck (and do other things once they cross the other team's blue line but that is luxury, not a necessity to me). My guess is Smith will play well positionally and transition well (and be great in the offensive end) but will never have a mean streak. My guess is that Bahl will play well positionally and physically, but will have to learn to transition well and I struggle to see him play well in the offensive end. I haven't seen enough of the other young defenders to venture a guess yet. I'd like to see NJ get some right handed defense equivalents of their depth prospects like Vukojevic, Okhotiyuk, and their Russian guys like Mukhamadullin, Zaitsev, and Misyul on the left. Hopefully they come out of the draft this year with two or three of those guys.

 

[Guadana]

I think teams need the ability to transition the puck and control their crease area at a minimum in today's NHL. You don't have to be huge but you have to be willing to play physical which some guys don't seem to want to do. The best defenders, of course, can play well positionally, play physically, and transition the puck (and do other things once they cross the other team's blue line but that is luxury, not a necessity to me). My guess is Smith will play well positionally and transition well (and be great in the offensive end) but will never have a mean streak. My guess is that Bahl will play well positionally and physically, but will have to learn to transition well and I struggle to see him play well in the offensive end. I haven't seen enough of the other young defenders to venture a guess yet. I'd like to see NJ get some right handed defense equivalents of their depth prospects like Vukojevic, Okhotiyuk, and their Russian guys like Mukhamadullin, Zaitsev, and Misyul on the left. Hopefully they come out of the draft this year with two or three of those guys.

I dont like how Smith works with his first steps, he is slow and he has potential to play first pair minutes against guys like Barzal and lose struggle against. I dont like his open ice work against breakaways too. He cant change skating direction without mistakes. May be its an idealism, but I really want to see more from top-4 defenseman in puck battles. Okhotyuk was very fast and agressive in those games I watched this season, he has troubles with transition playin. Bahl should better to teach where he should be on the ice and play better under pressure. Really like how Vukoevich play positionaly. I know growing defenseman is a long way and took time, but I dont know how much Devils have. I dont want to see Hischier taste the market. And for now I dont see top defensman prospect in our roster, who can do all kind of job you listed. It would certainly be interesting to imagine in what quantity for six defensemen and in what proportions the listed talents should be minimally present. Its great when all of your defensemen are great transition players, but if they svck in physical play - you will never win a playoff series. If you have 6 great physical who can play positionally, you should have very talented offensive line, who can start offense in own zone, drive the play, win board battles, find a moment and make it in timing to create scoring chance. A lot work for atack that will start in defensive zone. Find a balance of talante in defense in a hard question, but I see how this balance shifting from transition and playmaking to physical play and position defense. May it will never be in "lets create offensive defense" zone, but succses of subban, karlsson and burns in 2010`s could create a false feeling that attacking defense can bring success. As a result, their teams did not win any cups.

I really hope that some of our big and aggressive young left defenders will be able to gain a foothold in the NHL.

 

[My3Sons]

I dont like how Smith works with his first steps, he is slow and he has potential to play first pair minutes against guys like Barzal and lose struggle against. I dont like his open ice work against breakaways too. He cant change skating direction without mistakes. May be its an idealism, but I really want to see more from top-4 defenseman in puck battles. Okhotyuk was very fast and agressive in those games I watched this season, he has troubles with transition playin. Bahl should better to teach where he should be on the ice and play better under pressure. Really like how Vukoevich play positionaly. I know growing defenseman is a long way and took time, but I dont know how much Devils have. I dont want to see Hischier taste the market. And for now I dont see top defensman prospect in our roster, who can do all kind of job you listed. It would certainly be interesting to imagine in what quantity for six defensemen and in what proportions the listed talents should be minimally present. Its great when all of your defensemen are great transition players, but if they svck in physical play - you will never win a playoff series. If you have 6 great physical who can play positionally, you should have very talented offensive line, who can start offense in own zone, drive the play, win board battles, find a moment and make it in timing to create scoring chance. A lot work for atack that will start in defensive zone. Find a balance of talante in defense in a hard question, but I see how this balance shifting from transition and playmaking to physical play and position defense. May it will never be in "lets create offensive defense" zone, but succses of subban, karlsson and burns in 2010`s could create a false feeling that attacking defense can bring success. As a result, their teams did not win any cups.

I really hope that some of our big and aggressive young left defenders will be able to gain a foothold in the NHL.

Smith looked ok to me in his own zone except when he wasn’t sure what to do. He is so young for an NHL defender that I expect he will develop enough to be a good second pair guy and a true PP QB. The others we will have to be patient but I am optimistic.

 

[Guadana]

Smith looked ok to me in his own zone except when he wasn’t sure what to do. He is so young for an NHL defender that I expect he will develop enough to be a good second pair guy and a true PP QB. The others we will have to be patient but I am optimistic.

Smith should be 2nd pair guy, Sevs should play 2nd pair role. Our top-2 defensemen is a dark place in our near future) If you will say Luke Hughes! Dont you dare!

 

[My3Sons]

Smith should be 2nd pair guy, Sevs should play 2nd pair role. Our top-2 defensemen is a dark place in our near future) If you will say Luke Hughes! Dont you dare!

i have no idea. I’m not sure there is a 20+ minute all situations player on defense in this draft.

 

[NjdevilfanJim]

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 Muk pick was made because of Shero's habit for trading our second round picks....In scouting Amirov the Leafs pick last year the Devils got a lot of scouting of Muk and knew he wouldn't be there in round 3 liked him too much to not get him even in trading down...I can live with that you want the GM to take who he thinks is best not the pundits....

 

[Bologna 1]

Clarke at the top for me at four. Then Hughes. Assuming he order goes Power then some combo of Beniers/Clarke/Hughes/Edvidsson/Guenther at two and three.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Had assumed that Power, Beniers would be 1-2 and that the Devils choice would come down to who was left between Clarke, Hughes and Simon Edvinsson.

That's not the way Central Scouting sees things at all.

If McTavish (2nd NA) or Eklund (1 INT) are available would they be the proverbial "best player available" (and would Devils be better served trading back in the draft)?

2021 Draft Prospect Rankings | NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

 

[Darkauron]

Had assumed that Power, Beniers would be 1-2 and that the Devils choice would come down to who was left between Clarke, Hughes and Simon Edvinsson.

That's not the way Central Scouting sees things at all.

If McTavish (2nd NA) or Eklund (1 INT) are available would they be the proverbial "best player available" (and would Devils be better served trading back in the draft)?

2021 Draft Prospect Rankings | NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

Dont pay attention to the Central Scouting. They are always different from what actually happens and from scouts.

 

[Brodeur]

Had assumed that Power, Beniers would be 1-2 and that the Devils choice would come down to who was left between Clarke, Hughes and Simon Edvinsson.

That's not the way Central Scouting sees things at all.

If McTavish (2nd NA) or Eklund (1 INT) are available would they be the proverbial "best player available" (and would Devils be better served trading back in the draft)?

2021 Draft Prospect Rankings | NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

Paraphrasing from "Future Greats and Heartbreaks", NHL teams generally respect the job that Central Scouting does with its limited resources but they typically disregard their final rankings. Perhaps the name "Central Scouting" makes it seem more official than it is.

For fans, it's a nice free reference that goes beyond 100 players but Central's rankings usually has its flaws. I'm sure it's a different group at Central now but in past rankings they had Kyle Turris over Patrick Kane, Lawson Crouse over Mitch Marner, Klim Kostin over Elias Pettersson/Miro Heiskanen, Kyle Beach over Alex Pietrangelo, etc etc. Because of the weird season, this was the first time I can remember when Central had the benefit of releasing their actual list after the U18s.

 

[devilsblood]

Had assumed that Power, Beniers would be 1-2 and that the Devils choice would come down to who was left between Clarke, Hughes and Simon Edvinsson.

That's not the way Central Scouting sees things at all.

If McTavish (2nd NA) or Eklund (1 INT) are available would they be the proverbial "best player available" (and would Devils be better served trading back in the draft)?

2021 Draft Prospect Rankings | NHL Draft Prospect Rankings

If the team likes Clarke/Hughes as much as this board does(thanks to STI) then you just take that guy.

I'll even include Edvinnson if indeed the team thinks he's better then Clarke or Hughes.

 

[aboriginal]

Let’s be real tho, if hughes is there, he’s getting picked by us. Now I’m fine with whoever tbh but you just know it’s happening if he’s available. And I for one welcome our new insect overlords.

 

[devilsblood]

Let’s be real tho, if hughes is there, he’s getting picked by us. Now I’m fine with whoever tbh but you just know it’s happening if he’s available. And I for one welcome our new insect overlords.

I'm totally on board with this.

But for the sake of the convo, say Hughes goes 2, and Clarke and Edvinsson are there. If the Devils take Edvinsson I'll trust the scouts on that. (though the righty lefty consideration would have me leaning Clarke pretty strongly).