Draft 2022 - Lottery - Devils get second pick!

[Guadana]

2 hours ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

I guess it depends on the organisations confidence in Nico and Mercer to stay down the middle and perform. 

I would be comfortable trading this year's pick for established tallent. 

established? Tkachuk?

If organisation think they need 3rd center, they must draft him not by top-10 pick. If they want to draft Wright as a winger for Jack or Nico, so, draft him. 
But his production and scoring rate is a question mark still. As for a player from the draft - pretty good, for a 1OA? When you try to draft absolutely best player from the draf? Very questionable.

Edited February 4, 2022 by Guadana

[2ELIAS6]

Are there any good goalie prospects that stand out in this years draft? I think its beamingly clear we are just fvcked in net and have no idea what to do to fix it. 

[Guadana]

23 minutes ago, 2ELIAS6 said:

Are there any good goalie prospects that stand out in this years draft? I think its beamingly clear we are just fvcked in net and have no idea what to do to fix it. 

https://www.recruitscouting.com/recruit-scouting-nhl-draft-2022-goaltending-prospects-by-frank-longo/

 

and this is my guy for later round https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/595272/zakhar-vinogradov

[pumpkin cutter]

wrong thread.

Edited February 4, 2022 by pumpkin cutter

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

14 hours ago, 2ELIAS6 said:

Are there any good goalie prospects that stand out in this years draft? I think its beamingly clear we are just fvcked in net and have no idea what to do to fix it. 

One player we should and hopefully have been watching is Dryden McKay , who is on his senior year at Minnesota State and will be free to sign with an NHL team when he is done. 

He holds the record for Men's NCAA div 1 wins and shutouts. 

 

 

He will draw a lot of interest, but maybe the Devil's situation and lack of quality depth will attract him to us. 

 

 

[2ELIAS6]

3 hours ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

One player we should and hopefully have been watching is Dryden McKay , who is on his senior year at Minnesota State and will be free to sign with an NHL team when he is done. 

He holds the record for Men's NCAA div 1 wins and shutouts. 

 

 

He will draw a lot of interest, but maybe the Devil's situation and lack of quality depth will attract him to us. 

 

 

Fingers crossed that we make some type of move to do something to try solidifying the goalie issue. I feel like we would be in a much different position if we had quality consistent goaltending.

[Guadana]

It`s a funny tricky thing, that today consensus of "what makes a player good" goes in the funny direction. Everybody start to think that puckhandling and transition game is the only thing to be successful. And I understand that when we are talking about junior hockey, but it doesn`t work in adult hockey in vacuum. Everybody loves tv shows about herous where small and speedy, mobile fighter win against big and slow stupid gianlty man. The real thing is IQ doesn`t depends from height, and gap control meaning much more(no matter what is a sport - knight fight or hockey), and in adult hockey players have less opportunities and space to use dribling effectively. There are a lot of players with good hands, but you see them very rarely in that shiny role. Puck protection, speed, physical game, two way game - this things give you much more. It`s a tricky complicated questions, small players with good hands could be successfull players, and good physical guys could lost themselfs easily, that`s allways a question of summ of the skills. But when your gap control is good and your physical game(and size) are good, player has advantages.
Ang general managers understand it.

And Cutter Gauthier has advantages.
Height 190 cm / 6'3"
Weight 88 kg / 194 lbs
Position C/LW
Shoots L
Cutter Gauthier at eliteprospects.com - stats

I did watch 6 games of U.S.U18 and Gauthier is a guy, who makes every line better. And he made his line better, even if he didn`t play with Cooley\Howard. My post did start about physical aspect of the game, Steven did tell about Gauthier like a player who is a physical guy with options.
But the most exiting thing that his physical game is an option for him.
He is fast.
He has good starting speed.
He has good offensive iq, that helps him to make fast passes, protect the puck and find a better place for next move.
He has great shot - fast rrelease, good wrist shot and he use it in different situation.
He is pretty good enough puckhandler. And with good puck protection he is really dangerous in offensive zone.
He is good two way player - he protect the zones, active in forecheck and his speed help him to challange opponents. He play against transition, his stick skills are good enough to protect his zone against shifty moves.

And he is freakin rock. Players don`t like to play against him on the board.
 

Not so great sides of his game.

First of all - everubody loves skilly drivers and this is not who he is. He isn`t your future best offensive transition player. His puckhandling is good, but he use it very consirvatively, he challanges his opponents by his body and puck protection, he doesn`t swinging.

As center he is pretty... ok, but I dont see playmaking potential. His passing game is very good, but he isn`t the player who conduct the game and think two-three steps ahead. His ceiling as winger is much higher. He is pretyy good offensively and diffensively, but he is much better on the wing and on the boards, than he play in the middle of the zones.

His skating and speed is very good, above avarage, but he isn`t top skater and his speed isn`t on the top level.
This are the reasons why he will not be picked in top-6.

He makes his line better and more stable. He is a player, playmaker of your team will try to find on the ice, he is a player who will create space for your playmaker, he is a player who will help to safe and protect the puck in offensive zone.

He is easy top-10 pick with great pack of tools that you want to see from your forward in NHL. He is perfect top-15 pick. And general managers love players like him. Your center will love him, because he will make all the work to create space and safe the puck. And after that he will find a space to have good opportunity to score. When the game will go to your half of the ice, he will not dissapear. He did help to maximize potential of Cooley or Snuggerud or Howard or Spicer, no matter with whom he did play. His line allways dominate on the both ends. His scoring pace is on the level of Jack Hughes, M Tkachuk, Keller, J Eichel, Boldy etc. Only Auston, Caufield and Wahlstrom did have better scoring pace in the last 16 year. He doesnt produce a lot(only 1 ppg player) but he didnt play on the first line full season and spent a lot of time with very complimentary guy Snuggerud, where he was the man of the "one man line".
And most of all I like a certain one in him... confidence. In his actions, in his movements, in his choice of position. There is some beautiful fleur of something more in this.

If Devils will pick him, you can exhale and be happy for our centers. Gauthier has great floor with his skating, speed, physic and shoot, and his ceiling is a perfect first line winger, who will score a lot and will help to win a lot.

Edited February 7, 2022 by Guadana

[Guadana]

It is really strange thing for this draft.

Because you know... I like middle of the draft more, than what I saw from the top of the draft.

Shane Wright is a top-1 talent, but his skating isn`t on the high end level - not so important thing in vacuum, but best players are players with high end skating and iq, that work on that speed. I think Beniers is a better center overall.
Jiricek sometimes makin some loopsy shmoopsy things, he is akwardly build and it effects him from time to time. And his playmaking abuility is questionable. 
Nemec is awesome playmaker, but you never know what will work on NHL level, a lot of things he is doing - will never work on NHL level, and he doesnt challange his opponents and trying to wait and make a poke check, but this is not how you gonna work defense in NHL.
Slafkovsky`s offensive upside is very questionable, because of production and especially scoring work. I think he is very inteligance player, but you wanna see a lot more from your winger to create offensive situations by his own.
Yurov is very smart, tollsy guy, he is very good everywhere, but not great anywhere.
Cooley is great and fun, but he is more about offense and transition and needs a lot of help. Like Nazar and Howard. They are different players, but they all not so big and they are not the type of player who is small but play big.
Like Savoie.
Geekie is freakin slow. 

Every top prospect has their own very quesionable side, when you will ask yourself - how he will be on NHL level. Shane Wright will be good ofcourse, and Cooley will be good. But are they right players for their draft spot?

And when you dig deeper in the draft you have enough good players for special role. Is it to high to draft Perevalov in top-10? Ofcourse. But if you will draft him in 20`s - great. Is it to high to draft Gauthier in top-10? May be, but in the second tens he is pretty reasonable pick. Chesley in the third tens - great, it`s a steal. You`ve got very good defensive defenseman with good skating, great starting speed and booming shot. If you draft Miroshnichenko in the second tens - you will laugh right in the face to the entire league. Player with awesome scoring potetnial, great speed, skating, physic. He heas a lot of questions about his 200 foot game, decision making, but he did play in adult league in his 17 and he has best production as 17yo in VHL history. 

The funny thing is - Devils could draft in top-5. I would say Wright, Cooley and Kemmel are safe picks, but even Kemmel isn`t as good in second half as he was in the first, he has his own cons, I do really like him, but I want to watch more to understand. And there are a big chance they will gone before our pick. 

I really hope Devils will trade a player or a couple of players, will get a first round pick and second round pick, will trade up  a little bit. And will have a couple of picks in the first round at least. Because there are very interesting players I really wanted in the deep of the first round. And I really afraid to pick in the beggining of the first round.

For now of course. More time will tell me more. I really like to track players, to watch them how they change their game and fix their problems.  How they are using their opportunities. They whole picture of the US U18 did change very much in my eyes after watching more games. I was exited about Yurov in his frst games I saw, but when I did watch more, something I did like more, but something I did not. And future games will change my opinion. Nemec and Slafkovsky have opportunity to play olympic games and I can`t wait to see them.

[Guadana]

I did the record of Cutter Gauthier with highlights from one game, some of his shifts - there are takeaways, hits, shots. And some of his goals after. (video is adding on youtube, please, waut a couple of minutes)

 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Slafkovsky pushing his draft ranking up a few places today. He has been immense, he is full of confidence. 

Nemec has grown into the game. He made a couple of risky plays trying to take the puck up the ice. 

[Guadana]

I`m really impressed by Slafkovsky and not impressed by Nemec. I ask defensive game from defensemen at first, and other things after. Will see how he can fix his gae and how coaching can focus his attention. Nemec made couple of turnovers and wathc at goals against. His offensive game is very good, but my preferences are not "offensive defenseman" on this draft.

And I did rewatching of scouching 2019 draft day and after that I want Jiricek even more. Guy love some things that didn`t work in NHL and underwhelmed some things that works pretty well.

I really like Slafkovsky  first game. If he can score - he is a good player to be picked.  It will be harder to track everyone) I liked Jiricek, Yurov and Slafkovsky for 4-6 pcik (if Kemmel and Cooley goes away), and Slafkovsky was my #3 in that trio, but if he can score. God. He doesn`t make my job easier.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Guadana

[Brewskies]

It is difficult to get excited about any Devils' draft or the draft day period. "Immediate"  is the operative word for the Devils, not future. I am tired of the same old excuses and results these past 8 or so years. 

[nessus]

I have to agree with a lot of what people are saying here: many of the prospects that will be available when the Devils pick have some question marks attached to them, despite how much I like some of them. It's why I'm of the opinion that if the Devils are fortunate enough to win the first overall pick, it makes sense to just take Shane Wright. Deal with the organizational surplus of centers later. But if you put the context of the Devils team aside, Shane Wright is the type of player that is a substantially safer bet to move the needle far more than any of these other prospects. 

For that reason, I think it would have to be an insane offer to move the first overall pick. Luckily, there will be some desperate teams, if the Devils find themselves in that situation.

[Guadana]

4 hours ago, nessus said:

I have to agree with a lot of what people are saying here: many of the prospects that will be available when the Devils pick have some question marks attached to them, despite how much I like some of them. It's why I'm of the opinion that if the Devils are fortunate enough to win the first overall pick, it makes sense to just take Shane Wright. Deal with the organizational surplus of centers later. But if you put the context of the Devils team aside, Shane Wright is the type of player that is a substantially safer bet to move the needle far more than any of these other prospects. 

For that reason, I think it would have to be an insane offer to move the first overall pick. Luckily, there will be some desperate teams, if the Devils find themselves in that situation.

I would trade first overall to Columbus for their two picks+. Or to baffalo for their two picks and goalie. Or pick Shane Wright and will see who will make a call.

anyway we can use him as a winger. I’m not so exited about Wright. I like Beniers more as free example of the high draft. But he is player with talents and ambitions. He didn’t play a full year. And he can grow a lot on the Jacks wing. 
If we will trade him? Ok, the price is huge. I like it too. If deal is right, let’s trade Shane Wright. 
Detroit want Wright, ask Seider. Ottawa wants Wright, ask Sanderson. Buffalo wants Wright, ask Power, Arizona wants Wright, ask this year first round pick and next year unprotected first round pick(why not, if it’s too much, we can find another buyer). Columbus? Sillinger + 1st round pick this year. Etc. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Guadana

[Guadana]

Slafkovsky score another one against Sweden. Looks like we will even have no shot at him. Now he looks solid enough to be picked in top-3. 

[Guadana]

Olympic game for bronze medal. 17 yo. 

My biggest issue with him was his scoring work and shot. 
I still see a problem with the shot, but he play very active agrssive role, going on the slot, challange opponents. This is great and if he will be available somehow - he is great candidate to be picked.

[SterioDesign]

The Slafkovsky situation is interesting.

He sure played well at the olympics and did outperformed top picks from last year, pretty impressive.

But then, i remember arguments brought up few years ago when people were rooting for Kakko before the draft. Bringing up that he had better numbers or on par with other NHLers in their draft year playing in that league and that he won gold and played great at the world juniors. 

The counter argument there was that you should never let one tournament influence the ranking, you have to look at the whole year and all. Which is fair in a way, i get it. Some may remember Andrei Kostitsyn with his 15 pts in 6 games at the world junior, rising in his draft year and going 10th overall and.... not becoming much.

So now the situation is... before leaving for the Olympics, Slafkovsky had just one goal and three assists in 21 games with TPS, while playing an average of 13:07 per game. In the Olympics, he’s played 14:43 per game. Kakko and other guys outplayed him big time and most are not much to get excited about either. But then he was projected in the top 10 for a reason too even with that production.

Soooo what is he exactly? I mean we know the Olympics quality of competition is not what it usually is, but he's still just a kid and again, still outplayed top prospects from last years draft and some... over the hill adults.

Really curious to hear what scouts have to say about him now. 

 

 

[Guadana]

6 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

The Slafkovsky situation is interesting.

He sure played well at the olympics and did outperformed top picks from last year, pretty impressive.

But then, i remember arguments brought up few years ago when people were rooting for Kakko before the draft. Bringing up that he had better numbers or on par with other NHLers in their draft year playing in that league and that he won gold and played great at the world juniors. 

The counter argument there was that you should never let one tournament influence the ranking, you have to look at the whole year and all. Which is fair in a way, i get it. Some may remember Andrei Kostitsyn with his 15 pts in 6 games at the world junior, rising in his draft year and going 10th overall and.... not becoming much.

So now the situation is... before leaving for the Olympics, Slafkovsky had just one goal and three assists in 21 games with TPS, while playing an average of 13:07 per game. In the Olympics, he’s played 14:43 per game. Kakko and other guys outplayed him big time and most are not much to get excited about either. But then he was projected in the top 10 for a reason too even with that production.

Soooo what is he exactly? I mean we know the Olympics quality of competition is not what it usually is, but he's still just a kid and again, still outplayed top prospects from last years draft and some... over the hill adults.

Really curious to hear what scouts have to say about him now. 

 

 

Kakko was very good full year. If Montreal will draft Slaf over Wright they will be stupid.

[SterioDesign]

9 hours ago, Guadana said:

Kakko was very good full year. If Montreal will draft Slaf over Wright they will be stupid.

oh big time. I kind of hope they do haha

I'm more worried about us. We might be in a position to draft him so i hope that if we do, that the olympics was really what that kid is and not who he was during the regular season in his league

Edited February 20, 2022 by SterioDesign

[SterioDesign]

With the season he's having I think if Luke Hughes was born 10 days later, he'd be in the 2022 draft instead and might go first overall

[Guadana]

2 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

oh big time. I kind of hope they do haha

I'm more worried about us. We might be in a position to draft him so i hope that if we do, that the olympics was really what that kid is and not who he was during the regular season in his league

They are Kids. Sometimes they score a lot. Savoie score a lot. But he is nowhere Devils pick, if our scouts are smart enough. If you are good scout - you are watching on skills, intence of working, work ethic and decision making. Scores can cheat you easy. Even in the adult leagues. Raymond was scoreless in his draft year.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Guadana

[Guadana]

2 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

With the season he's having I think if Luke Hughes was born 10 days later, he'd be in the 2022 draft instead and might go first overall

He couldn't have been, he would have been. There is almost a year difference between him and Power.

Edited February 20, 2022 by Guadana

[nessus]

I'm beginning to think Slafkovsky will be out of reach for us come draft day. I watched some parts of Slovakia's games at the Olympics, and he looked like a top prospect. Definitely had some puck luck, but also showed what a great player he is. GMs will definitely be targeting him for his unique skill set and playing style. Hoping some of the top 3-5 teams are targeting defensemen and good ol' Canadian boys.

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Interesting reading. 

Slafkovsky, as expected now close to the top of the rankings. 

 

 

[Guadana]

Slafkovsky found his groove.

He isn't perfect shooter, but he have great iq, he is very good puck fighter and puck protector, his playmaking game is good to be great, and he is working on his way to create a space for himself and for his partners. His game is very great to be translate. His actual Liiga performance is on the level.

I don't ghink he will drop from top-3, only if Arizona and Montreal will decide they need centers much more and will pick Wright and Cooley. I don't think Seattle will pick not-Juraj, they will make great complement to Beniers. May be they think that Jiricek is talented enough to build their defense around him. 

He is my number one candidate for devils pick, but even with 2nd pick we don't have any guarantee.

My top priorities on this draft are 1. Slaf, 2. Jiricek 3. Gauthier 4. Nemec. I like Nazar and I think Cooley is talented enough to make our team better, but with our pack of players we need some special role player. Would be great to have another pick and draft Chesley in the second ten or/and Perevalov in the third. Guys have top-6/top-4 potential. Gaucher, Kasper, McGroarty would be good add too.

Edited April 10, 2022 by Guadana