2013 NHL Draft

[NewarkDevil5]

Heh I swore I saw Lindholm listed as a C/LW. Either way, I think it'd be a mistake to shift Monahan to the wing. He seems like the perfect center

 

I've seen scouting reports comparing Monahan to Eric Staal. If that's the case, then you're right, it'd be a waste to turn him to a winger. Question is at that point what do we do with Travis Zajac? I don't see us paying him between $5 and $6.5 million a year to center a third line and I don't see anyone taking him in a trade either. I'll be honest, I've grown rather attached to Loktionov and consider him a big part of the future of this team, but only at center. Zajac really only ever plays center also (although he might be more productive at wing.... it's not a bad idea to try that concept).

[Derlique]

I've seen scouting reports comparing Monahan to Eric Staal. If that's the case, then you're right, it'd be a waste to turn him to a winger. Question is at that point what do we do with Travis Zajac? I don't see us paying him between $5 and $6.5 million a year to center a third line and I don't see anyone taking him in a trade either. I'll be honest, I've grown rather attached to Loktionov and consider him a big part of the future of this team, but only at center. Zajac really only ever plays center also (although he might be more productive at wing.... it's not a bad idea to try that concept).

I know Zajac had a disappointing year, but he is still easily the best center on the team if you're not counting Elias. He is so much more than points. If I HAD to convert someone to wing, it'd be Josefson. That'd be the worst case scenario as JJ is very good at D and a very good playmaker

[elias2600]

I wouldn't be surprised if we trade down from our spot (if we don't get #1). I could see that happening to acquire more picks in later rounds (an extra 2nd or replace our missing third)

I believe we only have 1,2,4, and 6 round picks this year. That's not very good considering we only picked 5 times last year.

Anyway, imagine we do trade down, let's say 5 spots to 14 area. Who would we target there? Wennberg?

[coldply123]

Devils aren't trading down unless all the guys they have rated highly are gone.  Based on the talent that's in this draft, I don't see them doing that unless they get blown away with an offer and the teams that right now have multiple 1sts to do that, need to use those picks to develop their prospect pool and rebuild (Flames especially). 

 

The talent/prospect tier doesn't really drop off until the teens, and they'll have a Top 40 2nd rounder as well that they can use and package with a prospect of future pick to move up into the early 2nd or late 1st if there's another guy they really like and want at that point.

As for Lindholm, he is a far better prospect and offensive talent than Josefson was or will ever be.  It's not even close. 

[Daniel]

I wouldn't be surprised if we trade down from our spot (if we don't get #1). I could see that happening to acquire more picks in later rounds (an extra 2nd or replace our missing third)

I believe we only have 1,2,4, and 6 round picks this year. That's not very good considering we only picked 5 times last year.

Anyway, imagine we do trade down, let's say 5 spots to 14 area. Who would we target there? Wennberg?

The only way the Devils trade down is if they win the lottery. They would trade down a few spots for a team that wants Jones very badly and that at worst would be picking when Barkov will be around.

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[NewarkDevil5]

I know Zajac had a disappointing year, but he is still easily the best center on the team if you're not counting Elias. He is so much more than points. If I HAD to convert someone to wing, it'd be Josefson. That'd be the worst case scenario as JJ is very good at D and a very good playmaker

 

Elias to me has always been better at wing than at center, but what I'm talking about is probably two years away since even if we got a guy like Monahan in this draft he probably wouldn't be taking over our second line center duties until the year after next. By that point I figure Elias is probably sitting on the third line.

 

Maybe Zajac has a bounce-back year next year at center, but right now we've got an awful lot of guys trying to get into 4 middle spots and there's going to come a point where some of them have to be shifted. If Zajac struggles with production again next year in the middle maybe they try him out at right wing. I could particularly see this happening if Clarkson doesn't re-sign.

 

As far as Josefson is concerned, I don't know if I see him as someone who'll definitely be on this team in two years.

[elias2600]

I think they would be willing to consider trading down if there are multiple people available that they like equally, or someone specific they think will still be available later. We've seen this in the past, and Lou has explicitly said that was their strategy, so why not again?

 

The thing I want to clarify is that I do not believe they would trade down until their time to pick (not before draft day). It would be highly dependent on who is still available around the time their pick comes around.

[lazer]

Lazy for Lazar

 

goes to the net good skater

 

jj got hands of stone

Edited April 28, 2013 by lazer

[elias2600]

If the Devils win the lottery, I think they'll take Jones. 

 

The only way that doesn't happen if they don't believe he is the best prospect in the whole draft, or if Jones publicly pulls a Lindros before hand.

 

Let's say they want Barkov more than anyone and they have #1, I wouldn't be surprised if they just take Barkov at #1.

[Derlique]

If the Devils win the lottery, I think they'll take Jones.

The only way that doesn't happen if they don't believe he is the best prospect in the whole draft, or if Jones publicly pulls a Lindros before hand.

Let's say they want Barkov more than anyone and they have #1, I wouldn't be surprised if they just take Barkov at #1.

If we win the lottery, the best thing to do would be to trade down to 3 or 4 and acquire a high second from that team

[NewarkDevil5]

If the Devils win the lottery, I think they'll take Jones. 

 

The only way that doesn't happen if they don't believe he is the best prospect in the whole draft, or if Jones publicly pulls a Lindros before hand.

 

Let's say they want Barkov more than anyone and they have #1, I wouldn't be surprised if they just take Barkov at #1.

 

If they win the lottery, I'd be happy if they took Jones. It isn't what they need, but it would be a phenomenal addition to an already good defense corps. I'm not sure what Lou's next moves would be, but I'm pretty sure that at that point we'd finally have reached the tipping point to trade some defensemen.

[Jerzey]

I see Travis Zajac playing with Matteau on his left and Clarkson on his right in the future. I'm sorry but I really don't see him as a top line center or at least a top scoring line center. I'm assuming we're drafting a center this year and that leaves us with Lokti (hopefully), Henrique, Josefoson, Zajac, 2013 pick (who can possibly be moved to wing), and maybe Elias. 

[NewarkDevil5]

I see Travis Zajac playing with Matteau on his left and Clarkson on his right in the future. I'm sorry but I really don't see him as a top line center or at least a top scoring line center. I'm assuming we're drafting a center this year and that leaves us with Lokti (hopefully), Henrique, Josefoson, Zajac, 2013 pick (who can possibly be moved to wing), and maybe Elias. 

 

To me Travis Zajac is a guy who has the tools at his disposal to be a good second line center. He had linemates at points that allowed him to seem like a first line center, but that's really not his true level. He is good on faceoffs, has a decent shot (when he shoots) and can pass decently, but I don't see that in and of itself mandating that he must be our first line center. As for Matteau and Clarkson, it's very possible that the one winds up replacing the other if he doesn't return this summer.

[lazer]

Or a RW not as if kovy cant go back to his natural position instead of putting 2 wingers on their off wings

my thoughts exactly 

[Lateralous]

I think they would be willing to consider trading down if there are multiple people available that they like equally, or someone specific they think will still be available later. We've seen this in the past, and Lou has explicitly said that was their strategy, so why not again?

 

The thing I want to clarify is that I do not believe they would trade down until their time to pick (not before draft day). It would be highly dependent on who is still available around the time their pick comes around.

 

 

I hate when we trade down, it seems like there's no one left that they really like and we seem to end up with guys like Tedenby and Corrente.  I know we traded down for Brodeur, but that was two decades ago and it's a little different because they were simply targeting a goalie.   How much better off would we have been if we just stayed in our spot in 2006 and drafted Patrik Berglund instead of trading down and going off the board for Corrente and adding another later pick which I believe became Zharkov?   Didn't we also trade down before pissing away a pick on Adrian Foster as well?  

 

On the other hand, when Lou and Conte see someone they really like and trade up to get him it's usually turned out pretty well.   Parise, Zajac and Gomez off the top of my head.  Hopefully they have a similar target this year.

 

Edit: In 2001 we traded the extra pick we has from the Blues fallout to the Panthers for two 2nd rounders which became Thomas Pihlman and Igor Pohanka.  Panthers took Lukas Krajicek who at least had a servicable NHL career.      

Edited April 28, 2013 by Lateralous

[SterioDesign]

with all the bad decisions they took all year im petrified to the idea that Lou could put the nail in the coffin with the ultimate dumb move at the draft

[Onddeck]

with all the bad decisions they took all year im petrified to the idea that Lou could put the nail in the coffin with the ultimate dumb move at the draft

... like if he had chosen to forfeit this pick? haha i think that would about do it for me..

[SterioDesign]

... like if he had chosen to forfeit this pick? haha i think that would about do it for me..

 

yet some folks on here would make excuses defending him that it was the right thing to do. thats 100% sure.

[NewarkDevil5]

yet some folks on here would make excuses defending him that it was the right thing to do. thats 100% sure.

 

I don't think there would be any excuse for forfeiting this pick this year. The draft is being held in Newark, the team has a guaranteed top 10 pick in a draft that has a decent amount of what we want and need.

 

On the other hand, Sterio, there are very good reasons why Lou Lamoriello is given the leeway and defenses that he has received even with some of his more questionable moves: he took a team that had never made the playoffs and brought them there with a run to a 7 game Conference Final. He took that same team and brought them to the Stanley Cup Finals 5 more times out of 20 years with 3 Stanley Cups won. He has missed the playoffs with this team a grand total of four times in 25 years. He has brought players like Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Patrik Elias, Alexander Mogilny, Ilya Kovalchuk, Scott Niedermayer, and Claude Lemieux to this team whether through the draft or through trades. He is the singular reason why this team is still in New Jersey, because without Lou Lamoriello we don't win the Cup in 1995 and we're likely in Nashville the following season. Without him assembling Cup winning teams in 2000 and 2003 we likely would have moved once YankeeNets fell through. Granted, the team being in New Jersey may not mean very much to you as a Quebecois, but to people in a state that gets roundly mocked for some of the stupidest reasons and has no media center of its own to come to its own defense, this team has given us more to be proud of than anything else I can think of in the last 25 years. All of that pride can be attributed to Lou Lamoriello's work and therefore he gets a pass on lots of errors. Does it suck when he makes them? Yes. Does it rock when he makes maneuvers that wind up with us making trips to the Finals to the contrary of every pundit in the sport's predictions? You bet it does.

[caron14]

if we win the lottery best thing to do is to trade with calgary for their pick et and their later pick they acquire for iginla... than draft barkov drouin or mackinnon... and draft another good prospect.

[elias2600]

I hate when we trade down, it seems like there's no one left that they really like and we seem to end up with guys like Tedenby and Corrente.  I know we traded down for Brodeur, but that was two decades ago and it's a little different because they were simply targeting a goalie.   How much better off would we have been if we just stayed in our spot in 2006 and drafted Patrik Berglund instead of trading down and going off the board for Corrente and adding another later pick which I believe became Zharkov?   Didn't we also trade down before pissing away a pick on Adrian Foster as well?  

 

On the other hand, when Lou and Conte see someone they really like and trade up to get him it's usually turned out pretty well.   Parise, Zajac and Gomez off the top of my head.  Hopefully they have a similar target this year.

 

Edit: In 2001 we traded the extra pick we has from the Blues fallout to the Panthers for two 2nd rounders which became Thomas Pihlman and Igor Pohanka.  Panthers took Lukas Krajicek who at least had a servicable NHL career.      

 

Just making my opinion known in that I'm not suggesting that's what we should do either (trade down). I'm just saying that it's a possibility that will happen (which our draft history supports).

 

Therefore, I thought it would be useful to discuss who we think we should take in that case. 

 

at 14/15 area I could see us looking at Wennberg, maybe taking Lazar (his draft rankings vary drastically, and sometimes players like that get taken on the high end of their ranking). Rychel is also interesting, but is geneally ranked around 20.  Those are all forwards, which we need now (and drafting for now is not great), but considering last year we took mostly forwards intentionally, maybe they just go BPA at 14/15. Could we see a goalie like Fucale?

[elias2600]

I don't think there would be any excuse for forfeiting this pick this year. The draft is being held in Newark, the team has a guaranteed top 10 pick in a draft that has a decent amount of what we want and need.

 

On the other hand, Sterio, there are very good reasons why Lou Lamoriello is given the leeway and defenses that he has received even with some of his more questionable moves: he took a team that had never made the playoffs and brought them there with a run to a 7 game Conference Final. He took that same team and brought them to the Stanley Cup Finals 5 more times out of 20 years with 3 Stanley Cups won. He has missed the playoffs with this team a grand total of four times in 25 years. He has brought players like Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Patrik Elias, Alexander Mogilny, Ilya Kovalchuk, Scott Niedermayer, and Claude Lemieux to this team whether through the draft or through trades. He is the singular reason why this team is still in New Jersey, because without Lou Lamoriello we don't win the Cup in 1995 and we're likely in Nashville the following season. Without him assembling Cup winning teams in 2000 and 2003 we likely would have moved once YankeeNets fell through. Granted, the team being in New Jersey may not mean very much to you as a Quebecois, but to people in a state that gets roundly mocked for some of the stupidest reasons and has no media center of its own to come to its own defense, this team has given us more to be proud of than anything else I can think of in the last 25 years. All of that pride can be attributed to Lou Lamoriello's work and therefore he gets a pass on lots of errors. Does it suck when he makes them? Yes. Does it rock when he makes maneuvers that wind up with us making trips to the Finals to the contrary of every pundit in the sport's predictions? You bet it does.

 

Nice post. I'm with you.

 

Lots of people are ready to write Lou and everything he has done for this team off (or at least slag him off) based on one or two decisions they don't agree with (some of which we don't know the full outcome of yet) .

[Lateralous]

Just making my opinion known in that I'm not suggesting that's what we should do either (trade down). I'm just saying that it's a possibility that will happen (which our draft history supports).

 

Therefore, I thought it would be useful to discuss who we think we should take in that case. 

 

at 14/15 area I could see us looking at Wennberg, maybe taking Lazar (his draft rankings vary drastically, and sometimes players like that get taken on the high end of their ranking). Rychel is also interesting, but is geneally ranked around 20.  Those are all forwards, which we need now (and drafting for now is not great), but considering last year we took mostly forwards intentionally, maybe they just go BPA at 14/15. Could we see a goalie like Fucale?

 

Jeez, I hope not.  There's always good goalies available via trade.  Besides, IMO opinion a goalie really needs to become top 15-20 in the world to justify using an early pick on him.  If your goalie isn't one of the top 15 goalies in the league, you're probably looking for another one anyway.  At least with positional players, there are 3-4 spots on each team for each position, so if a guy like Larsson never becoms a true #1, he can still be a valuable contributer for a decade.     

[elias2600]

Yeah I agree with that RE: goalies

There's always the talk about whether the devils will go after a brodeur replacement in the draft. It never really seems to happen, but you never know.

[Devs1965]

yet some folks on here would make excuses defending him that it was the right thing to do. thats 100% sure.

I agree it would be crazy to give up this years pick!