Devils select Steven Santini 2nd Round (42 overall)

[Derlique]

Discuss

[BlueSkirt]

He's tall !  That's good.

[maxpower]

Seems like a stereotypical Devils pick.   Hilariously so.   

[brickwall30]

the blurb they put next to him when we picked him said 
"best zero-goal-scoring skater" ... yeah that`s exactly what we need  .

Edited June 30, 2013 by brickwall30

[moustic]

Santini: "I used to be a Rangers fan. I just changed 10 minutes ago."

[GoArmySports]

I played against him as a kid. He grew up a Rags fan. His parents owned the local ice rink I think.

Edited June 30, 2013 by GoArmySports

[Jimmy Leeds]

He's Great

[Jerzey]

Well we should have a lot of extra tradable assets on defense I guess.

Someone has to get Lou on one of those hoarding shows.

[moustic]

Santini said he always admired Scott Stevens when he was growing up. Said he's looking forward to working with him as assistant coach.

[CarpathianForest]

Well at least Lou is addressing our offensive black hole.

[PWW]

Sometimes I wonder if Lou just hears about guys who were Rangers fans growing up and then drafts them to forcefully convert them. Building the fanbase one draft pick at a time.

[SterioDesign]

not thrilled about this pick at all. Not because of the player but because this kind of player can be found cheap, with nhl experience or wtv. Plus were stacked in d prospects.

 

take a chance drafting guys who can put the puck in the net at least. But then maybe Lou has something up his sleeve with some of our d prospects

[Triumph]

He's Great

 

hahaha, well done.

 

As for the pick not a fan in general, but we'll see.  I can see a player like this being drafted in the 3rd round, but the 2nd, little early to take guys with no puck skills.

[Revan]

Well, didn't really know anything about him, but I'm kind of optimistic since people had him ranked around that number despite him not scoring goals. If you get this high solely on defense, you gotta be damn good at it. ...I hope so

[2ELIAS6]

Cant say ive ever even heard of this one..

[Triumph]

Pronman had him ranked 28th, so I'm a little higher on the pick - Pronman knows that drafting defense and goalies high is dicier than drafting forwards.

[maxpower]

On TSN's list he fell exactly into his slot.    I don't know sh!t about 95% of these guys, but from reading on him he's right in their wheelhouse.   At least he CAN skate and they say he has a shot.   There's so many defensemen to climb over, though.   They're going to need to start trading a few.

[mikepeluso8]

Played my whole life with his cousin in Morris County, NJ...knew the family for a long time, good family, supposedly a good kid.  Family owns the rink up in Brewster, NY and owns Apple Core Juniors in the EJHL.  His cousin was a stud too but couldn't get his $hit together off the ice (use your imagination).  I think it's a good pickup from a high level of simply knowing the family.

[pumpkin cutter]

Heard he's kocalchuk on defense.

[Pepperkorn]

He's Great

haroogah haroogah!!

[Jimmy Leeds]

hahaha, well done.

 

.

At least someone caught it........!   

 

Kids!

[thefiestygoat]

D Steven Santini 6'2 207 USNTDP (Boston College commit)

 

Future Considerations:

 

STEVEN SANTINI
POSITION: Defense
SHOOTS: Right
TEAM: Under-18 (US NTDP)
BORN: March 7, 1995
VITALS: 6’-1” / 210 Lbs
STATS: 65 GP 0 G 15 A 15 PTS 46 PIM

SCOUTING REPORT: Santini is an old-school, defensive defender whose priority is his own zone above all else. He is a good skater who generates healthy speed but lacks burst in his skating. His stride is powerful and fluid but turns condensed and choppy when he really digs in. He plays with a healthy amount of sandpaper -- he will bury an opponent if he gets the chance, but won’t take himself out of position just to blow someone up. He is gritty, physical and not afraid to drop the mitts if needed and uses his body and strength to separate the puck and clear zones. He forces the puck carrier to the outside and whacks and hacks with little slashes and cross-checks to the legs and hips if they wonder into his area. Santini also shows solid gap control and defensive awareness but can get caught chasing the puck at times. Offensively, he sees the ice well and makes strong passes but is not overly creative and likely will not run a power-play. He has decent hands that allow him to control the puck and start a breakout. A heavy shot from the point, good touch on his passes, very good poise under pressure are also in his arsenal. His head is constantly on a swivel with the puck on his stick. Never throws the puck away or forces it into traffic.

NHL POTENTIAL: Top 4 Defensive Defenseman

Hockey Prospect:

 

Santini, Steve – RD – US NTDP Under-18 Team – 6’2, 205

Mean, strong, and sound at both ends of the rink, Santini is the best defensive prospect from the NTDP this year. A confident leader who brings it for big games and works hard on and off the ice, he rarely goes a shift without making a positive impression and can be iced comfortably in any situation. A defense-first player, Santini makes life hell on opposing forwards, physically dominating those who come into his corner or try to camp out in front of the net. He makes very few mistakes against the rush and is difficult to beat wide, though he does chase the play from time to time when the opposing team get their offense set up. He steps up when he senses hesitation and can lay big, open-ice hits. He takes few penalties for such an aggressive player, but discipline is an occasional issue. Though he managed to go the entire year without scoring a goal, Santini’s puck skills are actually quite good. He’s not dynamic, and therefore not an ideal power play quarterback, but he has the ability to skate the puck out of danger and makes a good first pass. His shot is powerful and he keeps his head up when shooting, but his release tends to be slow and his accuracy is lacking. He’s not particularly elusive against the forecheck but protects the puck well and shows good instincts under pressure. When he finds himself without an option, he’s good about making the safe clearance. Excellent skating ties his game together. He has a powerful stride and is difficult to beat in tight with great edge work.

 

Santini projects as a top-quality, smooth-skating shutdown defenseman who won’t be a liability with the puck. Santini is the type of glue player that helps teams win championships.

Quotable: “Had him really high on my list early this season. I thought he could post some offensive numbers but they never came. He’s still a top 40 guy for me, I like the toughness, he moves the puck and can skate.” - Mark Edwards

Hockey Prospectus:

 

28. Steven Santini, Defense, USA Under-18 (USHL)

 

Santini is a defenseman possessing several professional-level qualities. He is not a player who will wow you with a high level of skill, but he does have some impressive attributes. He is a good, if not a high-end skater, with good four-way bursts and nice technique on his pivots and footwork. His top speed helps him when joining the rush. Santini is strong for his age, and he displays physical qualities in muscling forwards off of the puck or delivering solid body checks. He defends very well, be it closing gaps, making stops with his body or stick, or positioning himself effectively. Santini's area of dispute lies in his offensive upside. He shows good abilities on the power play, but scouts have given me divided opinions on his puck moving, ranging anywhere from it being one of his best qualities to being just average. I tend to lean toward the latter, despite the occasional flashes of puck rushing Santini shows. One source praised his shot, although I am not as convinced that it is a strength. He is committed to attend Boston College in the fall.

 

[PWW]

I really like this pick actually. With all the defensive prospects we have, we don't have anyone who is really a big checker and who plays the physical game the way the scouting reports say that Santini does. He sounds like he could someday play the role that Volchenkov was expected to.

[Onddeck]

It is nice to get a player than can land big heads and play a defensive game. The only downside is that he doesn't have any offensive skill (maybe a hard shot) and it costed us a 2nd rounder. For a 2nd, many of us were hoping to land a scorer

Also, being committed to Boston, he won't be available for a while

[Jas0nMacIsaac]

Not a fan of this pick. I prefer to avoid the US development program.