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

What should we do with #2?

  • Slafkovsky

    Votes: 220 61.5%

  • Jiricek

    Votes: 56 15.6%

  • Nemec

    Votes: 30 8.4%

  • Trade it

    Votes: 39 10.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 13 3.6%
  • Total voters
    358
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devilsblood said:
After Hamilton and Sev's we have very little though. I mean, Walsh is probably next guy up, and I legit don't know who would be after that..

Also consider Hamilton turns 29 next month. And Sev's turns 28 in a couple months. Where as out top 2 centers are 21 and 23. This years pick doesn't really make an impact until 3 years from now. Our centers are in their mid 20's. Those d-men are in their 30's. And that's the start of the this draftee's impact window.
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That’s why I say to trade the pick for legit top line talent.
 
JrFischer54 said:
If you are in your 3rd year when being picked 2nd and the jury is still out on if you will be good? That’s a huge red flag
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This is true. But again, Kakko had solid draft year production. If anything he's an example of not putting a ton of weight in production. Concern with him at least in the NHL is a lack of a 2nd gear. So more of a skating issue? I liked Slaf's skating in the clips I've seen. Good acceleration and moved well with the puck in open ice.

Devils731 said:
Comparing a Draft eligible player to some other player and then saying the results will be the same is lame. The players are all individuals and what happened to one won’t necessarily happen to another.

Drafting would be easy if you just had to find some guy that was superficially similar to another and you’d then be able to project their whole career.
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C'mon, say it with me:

WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS!

WE ARE ALL INDIVIDUALS!
 
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Devils731 said:
Comparing a Draft eligible player to some other player and then saying the results will be the same is lame. The players are all individuals and what happened to one won’t necessarily happen to another.

Drafting would be easy if you just had to find some guy that was superficially similar to another and you’d then be able to project their whole career.
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I don’t know why this is eluding people, but the comparison is not Zacha versus Slafkovsky. It’s draft profiles that align with one another and that are worth recognizing when you’re evaluating the player.

Yes, they are different players with different qualities. That doesn’t mean it’s not instructive to remember that a lot of the same “calls to context” people are saying now to hand wave Slaf’s lack of production, people were saying about Zacha - suspensions, injuries, transition to a new country/league. Meanwhile, all the evaluation in the world didn’t make that production materialize. Everything was just somewhere in that elusive toolbox - you can’t ask people to just ignore the similarities.

Like all things with the draft and prospects, there are no absolutes.
 
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Jersey Fresh said:
I don’t know why this is eluding people, but the comparison is not Zacha versus Slafkovsky. It’s draft profiles that align with one another and that are worth recognizing when you’re evaluating the player.

Yes, they are different players with different qualities. That doesn’t mean it’s not instructive to remember that a lot of the same “calls to context” people are saying now to hand wave Slaf’s lack of production, people were saying about Zacha - suspensions, injuries, transition to a new country/league. Meanwhile, all the evaluation in the world didn’t make that production materialize. Everything was just somewhere in that elusive toolbox - you can’t ask people to just ignore the similarities.

Like all things with the draft and prospects, there are no absolutes.
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Sorry, this makes no sense, there is zero correlation between Zacha or Slaf, none.
 
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I will say, another thing in Cooley's favor is that the USNTDP has had a very strong track record in regards to draft results in recent years. Hughes brothers, Tkachuk brothers, Zegras, Sanderson, Beniers, Caufield, Boldy, Fox, Norris, Miller, Keller, Knight, Oettinger, etc... is an absolutely stellar class of players to put into the league in the time frame they did.

And outside of Wahlstrom (who I think has been heavily underutilized), Turcotte (Who's dealt with injuries and still has a ton of time to work out), and Boucher (who was a huge reach in the covid draft) there's not many misses when picking out of the USNTDP in those years.
 
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Lou is God said:
Or matter for that matter?

And I'm open minded, I'm leaning Slaf but I want to get it right, but sell us on the players you want instead of trying to tear down the one you don't want.
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How it matters is that you can evaluate for tools all you want, but for all the tools in the world they don’t just materialize into production. Having successive years of mediocre production is a red flag - maybe that eventually blossoms into numbers, maybe it doesn’t. We already know it didn’t with Zacha.


Nobody’s tearing down anyone. This is a hockey board and a thread about prospects. The gaslighting of trying muzzle the discussion as if no one should even dare bring up relevant tangents or concerns related to the players is ridiculous. Stop being so sensitive.
 
Jersey Fresh said:
How it matters is that you can evaluate for tools all you want, but for all the tools in the world they don’t just materialize into production. Having successive years of mediocre production is a red flag - maybe that eventually blossoms into numbers, maybe it doesn’t. We already know it didn’t with Zacha.


Nobody’s tearing down anyone. This is a hockey board and a thread about prospects. The gaslighting of trying muzzle the discussion as if no one should even dare bring up relevant tangents or concerns related to the players is ridiculous. Stop being so sensitive.
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No one is trying to muzzle or gaslight anyone, stop being oversensitive yourself. Comparing Slaf to Zacha is flat out stupid.
 
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Similarities between Zacha and Slavkovsky:
1.They are both white males
2. They play hockey
3.
That’s pretty well much it .
I am concerned now about Slafs production not being amazing . I get the idea of him not being used properly etc etc but still concerns me .
I am just going to chill and watch the WC like everyone else who is invested in the upcoming draft and see what happens
 
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Take production out of this, does anyone who has watched Slafkovsky play, whether it be full games or even just clips, see Zacha when they watch him play? I would honestly be shocked if anyone does.
 
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Jersey Fresh said:
:facepalm:
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Sorry man, but I'm not going to sugar coat it, I compare players to others all the time just to discuss their styles, but to try to predict any one player's career based on another has never made sense to me, they've all taken different paths to get to their draft day status and after they're all different paths again.
 
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Lou Bloom said:
I will say, another thing in Cooley's favor is that the USNTDP has had a very strong track record in regards to draft results in recent years. Hughes brothers, Tkachuk brothers, Zegras, Sanderson, Beniers, Caufield, Boldy, Fox, Norris, Miller, Keller, Knight, Oettinger, etc... is an absolutely stellar class of players to put into the league in the time frame they did.

And outside of Wahlstrom (who I think has been heavily underutilized), Turcotte (Who's dealt with injuries and still has a ton of time to work out), and Boucher (who was a huge reach in the covid draft) there's not many misses when picking out of the USNTDP in those years.
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I just don’t see the need amd gettig the most of our C if we draft Cooley. Having 4 very good C is overkill. Move Mercer to wimg and even 3 is overkill. Can habe a roster full of almost all players with similar attributes and skillsets.
Id way rather consider Slaf and the two D . Fills needs way more effectively.
Even if Cooley end up beig a very good C or even winger , we simply need a player like Slaf or the RHD in Nemec and Jiricek way more.
I don’t think Cooley shoudlreqlly be an option unless he was substantially the better player of the bunch . But he is not.
 
Eggtimer said:
I need to chill out and just wait and see how WC play out.
Are there any other tournaments or anything beside the WC before the draft where we can see one or more of the kids in our range where we pick, play?
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Wright and Kingston play tomorrow night in an elimination game.

Savoie and Geekie and Winnipeg play tomorrow night in a possible series clinching game.
 
FooteBahl said:
Are you a jabroney, homie?
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images
 
It’s so weird; do none of y’all follow drafts in any other sport outside hockey? A lot of arm-chair GMs, no hate, but truly, metrics, analytics blah-blah, Slafkovsky is deplorable, & Nemec isn’t too far behind. Team sake your Cooley for Cooley
 
Eggtimer said:
I just don’t see the need amd gettig the most of our C if we draft Cooley. Having 4 very good C is overkill. Move Mercer to wimg and even 3 is overkill. Can habe a roster full of almost all players with similar attributes and skillsets.
Id way rather consider Slaf and the two D . Fills needs way more effectively.
Even if Cooley end up beig a very good C or even winger , we simply need a player like Slaf or the RHD in Nemec and Jiricek way more.
I don’t think Cooley shoudlreqlly be an option unless he was substantially the better player of the bunch . But he is not.
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Having 3 very good centers hasn't worked out too bad for Florida. Their wingers by the way outside of Huberduea and Reinhart were all acquired with minimal assets before the Giroux trade (Verhaeghe, Duclair, Marchment, Hornqvist, Luostarinen).

It also isn't like the Devils can't trade one of their stud forwards down the line for a player who's a better fit. If Cooley kills it in Wisconsin next season like most expect of him he'll be one of the most sought after players outside of the NHL.

Need is great and all but talent is more important. Do you think the Oilers are happy with picking a big, speedy, physical D in Broberg over Zegras, Boldy and Caufield because of their need? Having too many talented players is always a good problem.

If you watch all of the prospects and come out thinking Slafkovsky, or Jiricek or Nemec or even Kemell or Savoie are better players that's fine but to say a consensus top 5 prospect that has one of the most impressive resumes in the class shouldn't be considered an option is crazy.
 
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Zajacs Bowl Cut said:
Slaf scares the sh** out of me.

I want one of the DMen or to trade the pick. Or Cooley I guess, but hes another midget.
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Hello. Agreed on the D and Slaf. Don't see what there is that'll make trading it worth it over them. We're only going to have 2 midgets as is and they're the 2 best players on the team. You can survive adding another one if they're also going to be one of the best players on the team.
 
So many options . All of them are a good “ problem” to have deciding on who to take or trade the pick . Whatever way we go I just hope it makes us the best team possible . We should be adding a very very nice piece to what is already oooking like a very good young team . This is without seeing what we really have in Holtz Luke Shakir Gritsyuk and others .
 
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