What to do with #2?

[Guadana]

20 hours ago, nessus said:

It really would have been interesting to see what Brad Lambert could have done this season if he had played in a junior/weaker league. He has the skill set of a top 3 pick, but he had such a weak season that he could easily fall out of the first round. When I watch him play, I see a high motor, strong work ethic, excellent skating, good passing, great puck protection/stickhandling, and some good offensive instincts. But he seems to have this problem where he moves too fast for his mind to keep up. He'll enter the offensive zone effectively, but when pressured by the defense, he quickly evades danger, but holds on to the puck so long that any momentum that his team has built is just totally shot. Once he's safe from the opposition, he'll throw a pass to someone that isn't exactly in the best spot to do anything meaningful, and the scoring chance is gone. His anticipation and overall decision making under pressure really need a lot of work. And while he can outskate just about anyone to protect the puck, it's not exactly useful if he isn't finding an effective way to distribute it. I feel that in a weaker league, maybe he could have developed this skill better. It's unfortunate that he plays in such a defense-based league, where his deficits are particularly difficult to overcome. I don't think it's just bad luck that he scored so little this season.

If he's available at the Devils' second round pick, do you take a chance on him? His upside is just huge given his skill set, but he is very far off from reaching it at this point. There are certainly a few first round talents that I expect to drop to the second round (e.g. Perevalov), but I'm not super excited about many players who are expected to go at the top of the second round based on their rankings. I definitely would be tempted to take a chance on Lambert there. 

 

Compete level and iq over any other skill. He is very questionable guy. But as a late first rounder he is awesome. I can't believe that he could be available for 37 pick. Teams with 2-3 picks before us will draft him. And even some team who try to retool, can make a bet on him. Too good skater for pass.

12 hours ago, vadvlfan said:

I really don't like drafting Russian players, (nothing against the players) but they tend to want to stay over there,  & learn their skill & play a couple years in KHL.(and Swedish players as well)

You draft No. America (players), you watch them immediately. They should be adjusting to the No. American size rink. Find out in a few years whether they will pan out.

Yeah. Shotdown seasons, prevent from ahl until 20. Playing with juniors. Great development perspective. 

[SterioDesign]

Can you imagine we'd draft Jack Hughes with our 2nd round pick? lol

[MadDog2020]

 

[mfitz804]

6 minutes ago, MB3 said:

for dinner tonight I'm between food, just a bunch of booze, or a combination of the both. 

I guessing the second option. 

[mfitz804]

1 minute ago, MB3 said:

been moving into our newly renovated house all week and drinking beers while moving is kind of just what you do, right? 

today’s the first day i haven’t drank like 8+ beers in almost 10 full days and i have full body shakes. might be a sign 

to play catch-up and butt chug a tall boy

Congrats on the house man! We did something similar 9 years ago, except we had owned and lived in the house for 9 years first. Moved out, renovated down to the foundation, and back in. Crazy times. 

Hope everything came out as it was supposed to!

[mfitz804]

1 minute ago, MB3 said:

but I spend 2 weeks on site with laborers and drawings agonizing over where we can center that bitch up.... times... a thousand other decisions like that lol. 

I bet they loved that lol. 

I definitely found at least a half dozen things I could’ve had done better,  but I didn’t really know better at the time. We wanted a full 2nd story, another bedroom, more closets, and more open space for entertaining. Those things we accomplished. 

Edited July 4, 2022 by mfitz804

[MadDog2020]

Button’s final mock: https://www.tsn.ca/button-has-habs-making-the-wright-pick-in-final-mock-draft-1.1819441

[SterioDesign]

I'd pick Slaf or Cooley over Wright.

I see potential in those 2 to be something special.

Wright all i see is a guy that will be good enough and do the work but nothing special. Kind of like RNH or Hischier

[MadDog2020]

6 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

I'd pick Slaf or Cooley over Wright.

I see potential in those 2 to be something special.

Wright all i see is a guy that will be good enough and do the work but nothing special. Kind of like RNH or Hischier

 

[SterioDesign]

27 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

 

i mean, its not fun to hear but it's still true.

Around the league he's kind of vanilla. You don't see a lot of other teams drooling over him and the things he does or anything.

The fact that he's projected like 9 on that redraft thing kind of gives you an idea of how people around the league that arent biased are seeing him

Edited July 5, 2022 by SterioDesign

[MadDog2020]

15 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

i mean, its not fun to hear but it's still true.

Around the league he's kind of vanilla. You don't see a lot of other teams drooling over him and the things he does or anything.

The fact that he's projected like 9 on that redraft thing kind of gives you an idea of how people around the league that arent biased are seeing him

My reply wasn’t serious. It didn’t require a serious reply back.

[SterioDesign]

9 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

My reply wasn’t serious. It didn’t require a serious reply back.

Well you got what you got, now deal with it

[Guadana]

3 hours ago, MB3 said:

with every passing day I hope we take Jiricek. He comps similar to Seider and that’s the exact type of defenseman we need to compliment the young kids we’re being up. 

It’s a lot easier to find a goal scoring wing in UFA than a top-pairing defenseman. Spend your cash on Forsberg or Gaudreau and draft Jiricek.

His skating limits him. Especially after injury. Its a too way risky pick for 2nd overall. Overall  he is very good. Hope flyers will not draft him. 

[Devil Dan 56]

9 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

i mean, its not fun to hear but it's still true.

Around the league he's kind of vanilla. You don't see a lot of other teams drooling over him and the things he does or anything.

The fact that he's projected like 9 on that redraft thing kind of gives you an idea of how people around the league that arent biased are seeing him

The people around the league also don’t think Elias is a hall of famer but Alfredson is. It’s not bias that has Nico at #9. Bias is what has Suzuki ahead of him. 

I know Nico isn’t flashy but he brings things that a guy like Jack might not. 

[vadvlfan]

15 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

The people around the league also don’t think Elias is a hall of famer but Alfredson is. It’s not bias that has Nico at #9. Bias is what has Suzuki ahead of him. 

I know Nico isn’t flashy but he brings things that a guy like Jack might not. 

Not sure if Nico will ever be big time goal scorer, but rather a P. Bergeron type! Defensively sound,  pops in goals. etc. I don't think teams (at that time) were thinking Makar was the next D man Messiah! We all knew he'd be a good,  mobile defenseman, but this good? Remember the consensus (very important) that many had Nico/Nolan Patrick #1 & 2 all year.  That's the way it panned out!  

Should we not have taken the overwhelming consensus pick for Hughes? Not one scout had any other prospect close.  Even if scouting staff thought someone was better, they wouldn't dare take another player. The Devils fans on championship square were thrilled. As was I. 

[mfitz804]

12 minutes ago, vadvlfan said:

Not sure if Nico will ever be big time goal scorer, but rather a P. Bergeron type! Defensively sound,  pops in goals. etc. 

Let’s not forget also that Nico wound up at 0.85 PPG last season after an abysmal start, he had 18 points through the end of December and added another 42 in January-April. 

I will leave it to @Colorado Rockies 1976 to tell you what that January-April run means /82 games. 

[EdgeControl]

6 hours ago, Guadana said:

His skating limits him. Especially after injury. Its a too way risky pick for 2nd overall. Overall  he is very good. Hope flyers will not draft him. 

so if its D.. then its Nemec. cooley is the best skater out of the offensive bunch.  he would fit our top six nicely .. how will slafs game translate to small ice?

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

59 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Let’s not forget also that Nico wound up at 0.85 PPG last season after an abysmal start, he had 18 points through the end of December and added another 42 in January-April. 

I will leave it to @Colorado Rockies 1976 to tell you what that January-April run means /82 games. 

Probably fair to start from 12/29…he had 18 G and 26 A for 44 points in 45 GP (dipped at a little at the end).  Suffice it to say that if he can produce at that pace over a full season largely playing as the 2C, we’ll happily take it. 

[mfitz804]

16 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Probably fair to start from 12/29…he had 18 G and 26 A for 44 points in 45 GP (dipped at a little at the end).  Suffice it to say that if he can produce at that pace over a full season largely playing as the 2C, we’ll happily take it. 

BOOOOOO, no calculation??

Fine, I’ll do it, that’s 80 pts over 82 games. 

Knowing that Nico was never expected to be a McDavid, Matthews, or even Jack Hughes type #1OA, I think 80 points a year would be quite nice. 

[Nicomo]

12 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

BOOOOOO, no calculation??

Fine, I’ll do it, that’s 80 pts over 82 games. 

Knowing that Nico was never expected to be a McDavid, Matthews, or even Jack Hughes type #1OA, I think 80 points a year would be quite nice. 

Especially with a dreadful power play coordinated by Mark Recchi. You’d like to think he could have been on pace for at least a handful more points with even a semi-competent power play. 

[mfitz804]

Just now, Nicomo said:

Especially with a dreadful power play coordinated by Mark Recchi. You’d like to think he could have been on pace for at least a handful more points with even a semi-competent power play. 

I’m expecting this to be a big year for Jack and Nico both. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Just now, mfitz804 said:

I’m expecting this to be a big year for Jack and Nico both. 

Agree, just hope that they can both play 70+ games.

[NJDevils1214]

2 hours ago, EdgeControl said:

so if its D.. then its Nemec. cooley is the best skater out of the offensive bunch.  he would fit our top six nicely .. how will slafs game translate to small ice?

Not that it is bad to have too many good players in one position, but I think Nemec projects to be a similar O geared D man as Hughes, Hamilton, Smith(lol?). I am kind of wondering if NJ would want him at 2 given the other players/positions available given that he would be, in a way, sort of redundant.

[Guadana]

3 hours ago, EdgeControl said:

so if its D.. then its Nemec. cooley is the best skater out of the offensive bunch.  he would fit our top six nicely .. how will slafs game translate to small ice?

Cooley... meh. He us good but offensive oriented and he is very not interior. Nazar is faster and better manipulator. His 200 foot game is better and he us great as interior forward. Not perimeter skater like Cooley. If you wanna shiny speedy small toy, you should draft another guy from usntdp.

Nemec is a bad fit for the Devils. His defensive game is svcks, and with Luke, Dougie and Sevs we don't need in his service. If we dud draft Sanderson or Edvinsdon drafts or two ago, I would say absolutely different things. Gap between Nemec and Jiricek isn't as great. Jiricek manipulate pretty great, when he is healthy, he isn't slow player and his shot much better, million times. Like his defensive game.

 

Slaf gaMe translates pretty well. He makes fast decisions and build his game on puckprotection.

Edited July 5, 2022 by Guadana

[mfitz804]

7 minutes ago, Guadana said:

His defensive game is svcks,

That was half our roster this past season.