Prospect Info: Devils Win #2 Overall -- Slafkovsky vs. Jiricek vs. Nemec

[Devils731]

Juraj looks like he could play the bad guy prep in a caddyshack or animal house continuation.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I have no idea why Pronman would add another meaningless thing for people to over-analyse when they already don't get why he ranks someone with a bunch of "NHL Average" qualities above someone with "Above NHL Average." Feels like he's setting himself up on that one.

I do love his rankings over just about everyone else in the biz, mostly because he is typically more realistic with projections than the overhype you get so often with these things.

I'm a big fan of Pronman -- great analyst, great writer. I wish his rankings would just have the player listed and a blurb describing why. Everything else is just noise, like pop-ups you have to ignore on a website. His skill ratings for players always come off wrong, and these new comparables are not only even worse but setting him up for a ton of flak which devalues how good he is at draft analysis.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I'd have no problem with that. Having 3 elite centers might bring us with the best depth in the game. I want Slaf, but Wright isn't far behind for me if Montreal wants to get cute.

Same, I do prefer Slaf but having 3 elite centers is good too especially since we have 1 elite winger already, and couple potential elite ones.

 

[Blackjack]

It's too bad they never rolled with it, but Quebec had young versions of Sakic, Sundin, and Forsberg in the system. Unfortunately they had trouble signing Forsberg and once they did they decided to trade one of their centers for a gritty winger. Allegedly they offered Sakic to Vancouver for Trevor Linden but they were fresh off nearly winning the Cup and it would have been tough to trade their captain. Then they end up trading Sundin for Wendel Clark+.

Quebec had a young Mike Ricci back then too and he was a former top 5 pick who was a point per game guy at 21. But his offense dissipated pretty quickly after Forsberg arrived.

On paper, 2001-02 Dallas had Mike Modano, Joe Nieuwendyk, and Pierre Turgeon but that ended up being a weird mix.

Didn't Colorado have Sakic, Forsburg, Drury down the middle? Drury is not quite elite, but was a first line caliber center.

I'm a big fan of Pronman -- great analyst, great writer. I wish his rankings would just have the player listed and a blurb describing why. Everything else is just noise, like pop-ups you have to ignore on a website. His skill ratings for players always come off wrong, and these new comparables are not only even worse but setting him up for a ton of flak which devalues how good he is at draft analysis.

I think the comparables are there to drive traffic to the site. A sad concession to market pressure.

 

[Brodeur]

Didn't Colorado have Sakic, Forsburg, Drury down the middle? Drury is not quite elite, but was a first line caliber center.

As I remember it Drury typically played wing with Colorado then moved back to the middle with Calgary/Buffalo. Although Forsberg missed half of 1999-00 and all of 2001-02, so Drury possibly shifted back to center as a result. Quick gander at the faceoff numbers:

1998-99: 418
1999-00: 1,321
2000-01: 552
2001-02: 1,139

Maybe not a coincidence that Drury took more faceoffs with Forsberg hurt. I wouldn't have guessed that Drury only played four seasons in Colorado.

There was a brief time when they had Brian Rolston as the 3rd line center behind Sakic/Forsberg. I was always surprised that Rolston did so poorly with Colorado (18 points in 50 games). After the trade, Rolston complained about being used in a defensive role on a line with Jay Pandolfo and Denis Pederson. Then in Colorado, he got even worse linemates and didn't play on the top PP unit either.

 

[Billdo]

Slaf got some love on Spittin Chiclets today. Murley said the last time a player did this type of stuff and kind of surfaced out of nowhere that he could remember was Draisaitl. They said he doesn't think he'll fall even to three and wouldn't be surprised if Montreal takes him although they don't see Montreal passing on a Canadian kid. I remember Whit and Grinnelli talking up Cooley to NJ a couple episodes ago too so take it for what it's worth.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Didn't Colorado have Sakic, Forsburg, Drury down the middle? Drury is not quite elite, but was a first line caliber center.



I think the comparables are there to drive traffic to the site. A sad concession to market pressure.

We'll see what Scott Wheeler does haha.

 

[Eggtimer]

I hope Slaf nails his interiew with us. He finishes off the interview with “ I Love to hockey “ mic drop.

 

[xigon]

Isn’t Nico hischier a good comparison for wright?

 

[Devs3cups]

Isn’t Nico hischier a good comparison for wright?

Wright is better offensively than Nico was at his age. The offensive upside is higher imo.

 

[Billdo]

Isn’t Nico hischier a good comparison for wright?

In the sense that he's probably not going to be a "generational" 1OA yes. I loathe the term generational and people need to realize that just bc it's the first pick that doesn't mean they're getting some future hall of Famer. End rant.

 

[My3Sons]

Wright is better offensively than Nico was at his age. The offensive upside is higher imo.

So Wright can be a middle six center instead of a true 3C

 

[Its Always Sundstrom]

I'm not committing to a RD at #37 overall.

The fact is, the New Russian Factor could drop some ridiculous, top-10 level talent to the 2nd round. How would the Devils pass on Ivan Miroshnichenko at #37? Or Alexander Perevalov? Or even Gleb Trikozov?

The Devils also are pretty desperate for depth C in the system -- and some players who could slip to #37 include Owen Beck or Nathan Gaucher.

Other top forwards would also interest me at #37, and of course Adam Sykora is among them. I'd also include Isaac Howard, Reid Schaefer, Jagger Firkus and Noah Ostlund on the list.

I think #37 is too early to zoom in on strictly positional need, especially considering some of the high-end talents who could be out there.

I agree with you. That’s just my shopping list. No expectations for #37. Add in some butter and kitty litter and my shopping list would be nice. Maybe some Funions with a Reid Schaefer.

 

[Bcap88]

Lol at pronman assessment has slaf nhl average at everything but still somehow has him as an nhl all star projection it kinda doesn’t make any sense just do away with the nhl average grace and leave the projection or a blurb

 

[Billdo]

Lol at pronman assessment has slaf nhl average at everything but still somehow has him as an nhl all star projection it kinda doesn’t make any sense just do away with the nhl average grace and leave the projection or a blurb

I always found that weird. Has him as average at everything except "hockey sense" which is debatable but has Cooley at above average at everything. It's a weird way to grade guys. The more I read up on Slaf though the more I want him at 2 and worry he won't be there at 2.

 

[bsu]

Would you guys take Drysdale straight up for the #2 pick?

 

[Devs3cups]

Would you guys take Drysdale straight up for the #2 pick?

I don't think so and I'm pretty high on Drysdale. He just seems redundant on our blueline and Fitzgerald is on record saying he wants the D to get tougher to play against.

Is Anaheim actually looking to shop Drysdale or it's only a fun proposal?

 

[bsu]

I don't think so and I'm pretty high on Drysdale. He just seems redundant on our blueline and Fitzgerald is on record saying he wants the D to get tougher to play against.

Is Anaheim actually looking to shop Drysdale or it's only a fun proposal?

Fair enough. Just for fun.

 

[Devs3cups]

Fair enough. Just for fun.

Yeah, I figured he wasn't being shopped. He's a good one.

I'm pretty sure him or Sanderson would've been our pick in 2020 if Ottawa and you guys didn't pick them right before us.

 

[bsu]

You guys should take Cooley. Bump this later.

 

[Devs3cups]

You guys should take Cooley. Bump this later.

I'm pretty convinced now our guy is Slafkovsky, but I'd be happy with anyone of Wright, Slaf or Cooley. We were supposed to draft 5th or 6th lol, it's gravy at this point.

 

[Bcap88]

I always found that weird. Has him as average at everything except "hockey sense" which is debatable but has Cooley at above average at everything. It's a weird way to grade guys. The more I read up on Slaf though the more I want him at 2 and worry he won't be there at 2.

Just a really weird grading system in theory slaf is an average nhl player with all star upside or average nhl players are all stars

 

[Capt Nico Poo]

One point to make is psychology. If you have 3 very good centers, well it creates competition but also opens the discussion where the person labeled as (3C) might want to go to another club where he can play 1c or 2c role. We see this in Eurosoccer where the divas arent happy to play in the shadows of other elite players. This also speaks in favor of drafting a winger or a D. That said, this kins of discussion would be years away for Wright and presumably devils window would have been open for a while too.

 

[Guadana]

You guys should take Cooley. Bump this later.

No we don’t. There are enough people who watch prospects closely and understand team building, to teach them what they should do. When you are not that kind of person, you could visit this forum with shuted mouth and read. It would aducate you and pump your knowledge. After that you can return on your forum and tell people more info, looking in the different light.
Wish you Lambert.

 

[Gnome17]

Slafkovsky feels like it just makes too much sense. Devils are lacking skilled wingers, they are lacking size, and here you get both.