Could the Devils get Askarov the goalie from Nashville?

[StevenToddIves]

Depends on the cost, like anything else.

If the cost is Holtz + a NJ prospect outside the top 7 + a mid-round pick? Then, yes.

If the cost would involve Nemec or a valuable roster player or multiple high picks? Then no.

 

[Guttersniped]

If they’re willing to trade him I’m wondering what’s wrong with him because Nashville is one the best NHL team’s at evaluating goalies.

Having Askarov seems like a great way of potentially avoiding re-signing Saros to a giant deal at age 30.

If he’s nothing spectacular, and you’re very good at finding goalie talent like Nashville, then maybe it makes sense to trade him for a higher 2023 1st pick if someone was biting. (They didn’t.)

Not sure their attempt to score an early 2023 1st means they have any interest in trading him for a pile of our stuff though.

 

[FinnishDevil]

That 2020 draft is interesting to look back at. I remember many wanted one of the top Dmen but they went just before our pick. Rossi was also popular here I think. But I think when we made the pick it made sense to get the best sniper in the draft to play alongside Jack who we had just gotten year before.

I dont think at that point many expected Jack to become a 40 goal scorer either so maybe the consensus was that we need to get someone to finish his passes cause he's a playmaker or whatever. I think now the need for a pure sniper is less cause we see what Jack has been able to do on his own and that he is both a passing and shooting threat. But like I said, at the time the pick made sense imo.

Blackwood was also at the peak of his career. He had a .918 rookie year and had just finished his second season at .915 .. I think there was legitimate believe both here and within the organisation that he was the goalie of the future, it made sense. Its the time right after this draft that his stock started to fall and hard.

So I wonder if we had drafted Askarov if Preds beat Yotes in the bubble and we basically had like the #11 pick or somewhere around there. Maybe we wouldve went Mercer even with the #11 pick? I remember Fitz said they were surprised he was still there at #18 but every GM says that. We couldve gone D route and took someone like Guhle who went before #18. I dont think we wouldve took Schneider cause we drafted Mercer ahead of him and then Rags forced us to draft Muk due to that. But maybe Guhle?

In hindsight, I dont think Fitz drafts Askarov at #11. But many probably take him over Holtz if they could go back due to need and how theyre trending as prospects. I think both will be fine players.

To answer the question, I dont think we have the assets.

 

[My3Sons]

That 2020 draft is interesting to look back at. I remember many wanted one of the top Dmen but they went just before our pick. Rossi was also popular here I think. But I think when we made the pick it made sense to get the best sniper in the draft to play alongside Jack who we had just gotten year before.

I dont think at that point many expected Jack to become a 40 goal scorer either so maybe the consensus was that we need to get someone to finish his passes cause he's a playmaker or whatever. I think now the need for a pure sniper is less cause we see what Jack has been able to do on his own and that he is both a passing and shooting threat. But like I said, at the time the pick made sense imo.

Blackwood was also at the peak of his career. He had a .918 rookie year and had just finished his second season at .915 .. I think there was legitimate believe both here and within the organisation that he was the goalie of the future, it made sense. Its the time right after this draft that his stock started to fall and hard.

So I wonder if we had drafted Askarov if Preds beat Yotes in the bubble and we basically had like the #11 pick or somewhere around there. Maybe we wouldve went Mercer even with the #11 pick? I remember Fitz said they were surprised he was still there at #18 but every GM says that. We couldve gone D route and took someone like Guhle who went before #18. I dont think we wouldve took Schneider cause we drafted Mercer ahead of him and then Rags forced us to draft Muk due to that. But maybe Guhle?

In hindsight, I dont think Fitz drafts Askarov at #11. But many probably take him over Holtz if they could go back due to need and how theyre trending as prospects. I think both will be fine players.

To answer the question, I dont think we have the assets.

I do take some satisfaction that the shine has worn off Schneider and that narrative about him went away. Schneider’s a nice bottom pair guy but Mukhamadullin might be a middle pairing guy and was the key piece to get Meier.

 

[FinnishDevil]

I do take some satisfaction that the shine has worn off Schneider and that narrative about him went away. Schneider’s a nice bottom pair guy but Mukhamadullin might be a middle pairing guy and was the key piece to get Meier.

I think its understandable. Drafted right before us by our main rival, it felt like they took him so we couldnt and then we drafted Shakir Whatchumaduhlin from Narnia and people freaked out. Then Schneider makes the league pretty early on and Shakir stays in Russia.

If Schneider was drafted by like Dallas and we took a forward afterwards I doubt no one cares.

 

[Eggtimer]

Our window is startimg right now. Askarov would not fit the timeline and fit that we need at this point. 3 years ago? Hell ya . Now ? No. If we do get a goalie , it has to be for a proven and established one . Not paying the premium assets it would take to get an inexperienced unproven kid. Albeit , a very elite and promising kid , but we can’t take that sort of gamble and waste any years waiting for him to eventually become elite (if he even does)

 

[Bleedred]

We may be better off going for Saros, but he’d probably be more expensive.

It doesn’t seem like Nashville is really blowing it up (they should), but their roster looks pretty bad.

Maybe Trotz feels as long as they have Saros they have a chance? They almost made it in last year, with a pretty mediocre/bad/slow roster, all because of Saros.

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

NJ will be going after proven NHL stars, not potential stars. They are past that stage.

 

[Guttersniped]

That 2020 draft is interesting to look back at. I remember many wanted one of the top Dmen but they went just before our pick. Rossi was also popular here I think. But I think when we made the pick it made sense to get the best sniper in the draft to play alongside Jack who we had just gotten year before.

I dont think at that point many expected Jack to become a 40 goal scorer either so maybe the consensus was that we need to get someone to finish his passes cause he's a playmaker or whatever. I think now the need for a pure sniper is less cause we see what Jack has been able to do on his own and that he is both a passing and shooting threat. But like I said, at the time the pick made sense imo.

Blackwood was also at the peak of his career. He had a .918 rookie year and had just finished his second season at .915 .. I think there was legitimate believe both here and within the organisation that he was the goalie of the future, it made sense. Its the time right after this draft that his stock started to fall and hard.

So I wonder if we had drafted Askarov if Preds beat Yotes in the bubble and we basically had like the #11 pick or somewhere around there. Maybe we wouldve went Mercer even with the #11 pick? I remember Fitz said they were surprised he was still there at #18 but every GM says that. We couldve gone D route and took someone like Guhle who went before #18. I dont think we wouldve took Schneider cause we drafted Mercer ahead of him and then Rags forced us to draft Muk due to that. But maybe Guhle?

In hindsight, I dont think Fitz drafts Askarov at #11. But many probably take him over Holtz if they could go back due to need and how theyre trending as prospects. I think both will be fine players.

To answer the question, I dont think we have the assets.

It’s a bit painful to look back on just because there isn’t a draft we were forced to look forward to for that f***ing long.

We played our last game on March 10, 2020 and the 2020 draft was Oct 6-7. Nothing like almost 7 months of draft talk.

There was a video of our table at the 2020 Draft discussing a trade down but Fitz was worried we would lose out on Holtz. I can’t find the video. (Maybe @Brodeur knows more, I assume he know all.)

We had a mock draft contest that year and only 1 poster out of 16 had us taking Holtz. A shout to @Peter Sidorkiewicz for not only nailing that but slaughtering the field in general.

2020 Mock Draft Competition thread
There were 16 contestants, for our picks there were: 5 Raymond, 5 Sanderson, 2 Rossi, 2 Drysdale, 1 Perfetti and 1 Holtz.

I was so late that the thread had already closed, but I threw it in the Live draft thread and it got counted.

I got a whopping 3 right, but not the ones people might think, they were Laf (#1), Rossi (#9) and Schneider (#19).

I went with Stützle at #2. He was my favorite player in the draft, just an amazing prospect. Loved me some Stützle from day 1. The Kings taking the 6’5” project center instead was such a “eat your broccoli” pick.

The rest of my guesses were based on wishful thinking to get one of the top two defensemen and/or Raymond would make it through the Top 6 to us:
-Perfetti to Detroit was a rumor I clung to in hopes that it would mean that they would somehow pass on the Swede. But counting on Detroit to pass on a Swede is a sucker’s bet.
-There were rumors that Ottawa might take Askarov at 5, but Sanderson was the other rumor.
-As @StevenToddIves had pointed out, the Ducks didn’t historically draft sub-6 ft in the 1st (or even 2nd really) Rd. But that turned out not to matter because they later said their target going in was either of the top two defensemen.

I didn’t particularly want Rossi but thought we were very likely going to end up with him.

I was higher on Jarvis than Quinn, so I had Jarvis going earlier. Of the later guys, I actually liked Bourque a lot too, more than Lapierre. I had Lundell go comically late here lol.

Despite what I wrote there, I didn’t actually think Perrault was a guy we would draft because we don’t seem to draft talent over character.

Spoiler: My goofy, pretty bad 2020 mock draft

I hunted down the other delinquent who had the other late entry in the main thread, @Guadana

He also picked Stützle 2nd, so wasn’t alone there. We also both had the Devils getting Drysdale, even though we preferred Sanderson and Raymond, in some weird Eastern European negotiation with fate. (“I always assume the best case scenarios aren’t happening, and I’m actually confused when they occur, but maybe this preferable good one sneaks through?”)

Spoiler: Here’s his mock

He just got #1 & #9.

Spoiler: The other 14 contestants

Just for the hell of it
5/31 (1, 2, 3, 5, 6) (listed as 6/31, confusing the hell out of me)

6/31 (1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 13)

9/31 (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 22)

5/31 (1, 2, 3, 22, 27)

4/31 (1, 2, 3, 5)

4/31 (1, 2, 3, 10)

8/31 (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 27, 30)

7/31 (1, 2, 3, 11, 13, 17, 19)

7/31 (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 15, 19)

6/31 (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11)

5/31 (1, 2, 3, 6, 10)

6/31 (1, 2, 3, 6, 11, 13)

6/31 (1, 2, 3, 10, 13, 24)

4/31 (1, 2, 3, 6)

This is our own @StevenToddIves
2020 Devils-Centric Mock Draft, Conference Finals Edition
September 5th

Spoiler: Steve’s Sept 5th Mock Draft

1. NY Rangers: LW Alex Lafreniere, Rimouski QMJHL he’s going to be the most talented forward ever drafted by the Blueshirts, plain and simple
2. Los Angeles: C Quinton Byfield, Sudbury OHL I still think Ottawa tries to flip the 2 and 3 spots to get Byfield, but if not LA cannot pass up on the best combination of size/speed/skill at the center position in over a decade
3. Ottawa: C/LW Tim Stutzle, Mannheim DELa dazzling combination of elite skating, hands and vision unmatched by anyone in the class of 2020
4. Detroit: LD Jake Sanderson, US-NTDP USHL the best two-way defenseman available in the draft in recent memory; Detroit is incredibly thin at LD and GM Yzerman knows how to build a winner
5. Ottawa: C Anton Lundell, HIFK FIN I think Lundell goes earlier than expected, much like Finnish country-mate Kotkaniemi a few years back; Senators need center depth and Lundell is a big, two-way force who is nearly NHL ready
6. Anaheim: RD Jamie Drysdale, Erie OHL the Ducks are organizationally bereft on the blueline; Drysdale is a dynamic offensive force who reminds of Cale Makar not long ago
7. NEW JERSEY: C Marco Rossi, Ottawa OHLof course there are connections to several Devils prospects in Ottawa and his relationship with Nico Hischier, but Rossi is the best two-way center in the draft and his offensive skills are absolutely dynamic.
8. Buffalo: W Lucas Raymond, Frolunda SWEthe Sabres need wingers for superstar center Eichel and future superstar center Cozens, Raymond is a dazzling offensive weapon with a combo of skating/hands/vision which compares to Stutzle at the top of the 2020 class
9. Minnesota: RW Alexander Holtz, Djurgardens SWE new GM Billy Guerin inherited a mess where the Wild need pretty much everything; they would likely prefer a center (Rossi or Lundell) fall to them, but here we have them making off with the best pure sniper in the entire 2020 draft
10. Winnipeg: RW Jack Quinn, Ottawa OHL the Jets draft very well when they actually have not traded their picks; Quinn has the ability to score more goals than anyone else in the 2020 draft and combines that with an excellent 200-foot game
11. Nashville: LW/C Cole Perfetti, Saginaw OHL someone’s got to fall out of the top 10, and this is no fault of Perfetti — a high character, high-IQ player with a tremendous shot and uncanny ability to slow the game down
12. Florida: LD Kaiden Guhle, Prince Albert WHL a front office in flux makes the Panthers tough to predict, but they need D and Guhle is a big, fast hitting machine with great compete and a bomb from the point
13. Carolina: G Yaroslav Askarov, SKA-St. Petersburg VHL the Hurricanes have needed goaltending pretty much forever, Askarov is considered the best draft-eligible at the position since Carey Price
14. Edmonton: RW/C Seth Jarvis, Portland WHL the Oilers are on a perpetual quest to surround ultra-elite centers McDavid and Draisaitl with wingers; Jarvis compares quite well to Raymond and could be a surprise as early as the #8-#10 range
15. Toronto: RD Helge Grans, Malmo SHL the Leafs acquiring the #15 pick from Pittsburgh has made this pick far more difficult to predict; the Leafs need defense and have a GM who does not believe that playing defense is a requirement for an NHL defenseman. Grans is huge, skilled and can fly however, making him a big risk with big potential reward
16. Montreal: RD Braden Schneider, Brandon WHL the best shut-down RD available by a long shot, Schneider is big, mobile, smart, efficient with the puck and will be a 20+ minute stud at the NHL level
17. Chicago: LW Rodion Amirov, Salavat Ufa KHL after spending the lion’s share of first-round picks in recent years on D, the Blackhawks are trying to rebuild a talented stable of future forwards; Amirov is incredibly skilled with silky hands and a sniping shot, while also a 200-foot competitor.
18. NEW JERSEY: RW/C Dawson Mercer, Chicoutimi QMJHL call it wishful thinking, but it could happen. A few defensemen and Askarov go earlier than the consensus thinks, and the Devils could get a top-10 caliber, future first-line winger with the pick acquired from Arizona. Mercer’s hands are dynamic, and his game is complete. He can set it up and finish, drive a line, and play a physical 200-foot game. If he can improve his skating a little more, this kid has superstar potential.
19. Calgary: RW Jacob Perreault, Sarnia OHLwhen I say this kid’s talent level is better than any wing in the 2020 draft not named Lafreniere, I’m not exaggerating. His shot, skating and vision combination is better than any winger in the draft at all, even Lafreniere. He’s young and needs to up his 200-foot game and compete level, but there’s just no denying his upside.
20. NEW JERSEY: RW Noel Gunler, Lulea SWE when you have three picks in the top-20 of a forward-heavy draft and your top organizational need is high-end talent? Well, shoot for the moon. Gunler is every bit as talented as fellow Swedish RW Holtz — his shot is not Holtz's superpower, but it’s an elite skill, and his skating is outstanding. Like Perreault, there have been questions about Gunler’s compete level and 200-foot game, but he’s a smart kid and his talent ceiling is astronomical.
21. Columbus: LW/C Dylan Holloway, University of Wisconsin NCAA no player screams “Tortorella” more than Holloway, a big, fast power forward with the requisite skill to play with top scorers. Lacks the high ceiling of some first round forwards, but has a high floor as a middle-6 beast.
22. NY Rangers: C Marat Khusnutdinov, SKA-St. Petersburg MHL the Rangers need a center, and traditionally defer early to their Swedish and Russian scouts. Khusnutdinov may be small, but he combines his dynamic offensive game with a high compete level and relentless defensive effort.
23. Washington: C Connor Zary, Kamloops WHL might be a bit lower than Zary is projected, but his offensive ability is more middle-6 than top-6. However, he’s a smart and polished two-way pivot with very low risk and the ability to put up 50-60 point seasons at the NHL level.
24. Colorado: LW JJ Peterka, EHC Munchen DEL what a year for Germany, who could have as many as 3 first-round picks. Peterka has sick hands and dynamic offensive skills, he’s also incredibly smart and great at anticipating the puck, especially in the offensive zone.
25. St. Louis: LD Ryan O’Rourke, Sault Ste Marie OHL fiercely competitive, shut-down LD with incredible leadership and intriguing offensive skills, nothing not to like here.
26. Anaheim: LD Tyler Kleven, US-NTDP USHL the Ducks have a very old-school front office and they love big, physical shut-down D who can skate. That’s Kleven, who also adds a bomb from the point.
27. Philadelphia: C Ridley Greig, Brandon WHL the Flyers scouts love kids with high compete levels, and Greig’s is absolutely ferocious. He’s also a very skilled player with no discernible weakness. There’s nothing this kid will not do to win, and he’s one of the most likable players in the entire draft class.
28. Ottawa: RD Justin Barron, Halifax QMJHL if Ottawa goes forward with their two top-5 picks, there is little doubt they fortify their blueline with the pick acquired from the Islanders. Barron has all the requisite size, speed and skill to be a very good mid-pairing NHL defenseman, but an injury and inconsistency plagued draft-eligible season has dropped his standing somewhat
29. Dallas: C/LW Jan Mysak, Hamilton OHL I really love this young, Czech sniper and think he should go even higher. The kid really knows how to score and when he’s on his game can absolutely dominate, he just needs to smooth out his skating stride, especially in terms of acceleration, and improve his consistency. The sky is the limit.
30. Vegas: LD Yan Kuznetsov, University of Connecticut NCAA big, physical shut-down defensemen are always always valued more by NHL front offices than by draft writers, so I don’t think this pick is the shocker some will make it out to be. Kuznetsov really impressed as a 17 year old playing a power game against young men in the NCAA, while still learning the language and culture. A very high floor, this kid is an NHL-er all the way.
31. San Jose: RW Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan QMJHL there’s no doubt this kid can score, but his need for improvements in the surrounding aspects of his game could drop him to the bottom of the first round. The Sharks are desperate for pure scorers in their system, and Bourque has a dizzying array of shots which can beat a netminder clean from virtually anywhere in the offensive zone.
32. Detroit: C Hendrix Lapierre, Chicoutimi QMJHL just for fun — and because a couple of my good buddies are big Wings fans — I’ll add the first pick in the second round. Lapierre could rightly be called the wild card of the draft — his passing and vision could be second-best in the entire draft after Alex Lafreniere. But a litany of serious injuries, concussions and a neck injury, make his draft position very difficult to speculate. Could wind up being that second-round pick who scores 90+ points in the NHL and you wonder how you passed on him. Also, could be that “what if” player who spends more time in the training room than on the ice. I’m rooting for this dynamic talent all the way.

& Steve’s last Mock Draft
2020 Devils-Centric Final Mock Draft, Rounds 1 & 2
September 26th

Spoiler: Steve’s Sept 26th Mock Draft

After posting Steve’s mocks now I feel like I have to post his rankings for context.
Ives Final 2020 Draft Rankings -- Top 100

Spoiler: Here’s Steve’s final Top 100 for 2020

It’s a lot of work, but the one thing a crazy 2020 has accomplished was giving me more time for more research on more prospects. This draft is a bit weird — it’s extraordinary in talent at RW (an amazing 17 of my top 50 players) and LW (#1, #7 and #9 overall and almost 30% of my top 100). Conversely, we’re only average at center depth and pretty poor at D, with only 6 players in my top 40, which might be a record low.

P.S. Goalies not included.

ROUND ONE:

1) LW Alex Lafreniere, Rimouski QMJHL quite simply, the next NHL mega-star.
2) C Quinton Byfield, Sudbury OHL a rare mix of elite size and speed up the middle, combined with elite skill-set gives him the highest upside in this draft
3) C/LW Tim Stutzle, Mannheim DEL electrifying combination of speed, hands and vision is tops in the class of 2020
4) C Marco Rossi, Ottawa OHL best two-way center in the draft. Revered for a rare combo of compete level and hockey IQ, the prodigal Austrian also features dazzling offensive skills
5) LD Jake Sanderson, US-NTDP USHL shut-down defensemen with elite skating and high-end offensive ability are scarcely as polished as this stud
6) RD Jamie Drysdale, Erie OHL best offensive defenseman in the draft compares closely to a younger Cale Makar
7) LW/RW Lucas Raymond, Frolunda SHL dazzling combo of speed/hands/vision plays like hybrid of Marner and Gaudreau
8) RW Seth Jarvis, Portland WHL the #8 slot might be higher than many see Jarvis, but I had a tough time deciding between him and Raymond at #7 — just an extraordinary offensive player with an off-the-charts compete level
9) LW/C Cole Perfetti, Saginaw OHL he’s like The Ice King — Perfetti thinks the game like a supercomputer and slows down the game to find your weakness and exploit it; the sum is greater than the parts with this lethal scoring machine
10) RW Jack Quinn, Ottawa OHL merciless sniper with great vision and two-way acumen had the highest developmental arc of any 2020 forward
11) RW Alexander Holtz, Djurgarden SHL best pure sniper in the 2020 class also has a very solid all-around game; will score at any level
12) RW Jacob Perreault, Sarnia OHL his upside is preposterous — absolutely elite skating, vision and shooting; but will his intangibles propel his freakish abilities to their stratospheric potential?
13) RW Dawson Mercer, Chicoutimi QMJHL sick hands, razor-sharp hockey mind and a two-way, power game = star upside in the NHL
14) RW Noel Gunler, Lulea SHL incredible mix of shooting and skating is comparable to Holtz, but a bit mercurial in his 200-foot game
15) LW Rodion Amirov, Salavat Ufa KHL undeniably elite offensive skills and a very complete package, just needs to build strength and the future is his
16) C Anton Lundell, HIFK FIN ultra-smart and polished two-way center is NHL ready now, the only question is how much will he score?
17) C Tristen Robins, Saskatoon WHL I’m sure to take some heat here but Robins is everything big in an NHL player except physically — dynamic offensively and plays with as much heart as anyone in the class of 2020; a lot of Brayden Point qualities here
18) LW/C Dylan Holloway, University of Wisconsin NCAA the prototypical power forward, tough and nasty, also possesses the requisite skill to play with a top scoring line
19) LW/RW Lukas Reichel, Eisbaren Berlin DEL absurdly smart and competitive winger keeps impressing and defying expectation with a sneaky-good offensive skill-set
20) RD Braden Schneider, Brandon WHL best defensive RD in the draft and it’s not close; this big, physical force is smart and skates well, projects to a shut-down stud at the NHL level
21) C/LW Connor Zary, Kamloops WHL smart and polished two-way center does everything well and is can’t-miss as can’t-miss gets
22) LD Kaiden Guhle, Prince Albert WHL fast and physical shut-down defenseman also features an absolute bomb from the point
23) C Hendrix Lapierre, Chicoutimi QMJHL “wild-card” of the 2020 draft, his passing vision is second only to Lafreniere but injuries have been scary; Lapierre could literally be drafted anywhere from just outside top 10 to late 2nd round
24) LW/C Jan Mysak, Hamilton OHL sniping winger is actually under appreciated for his all-around game and will score at any level
25) C Marat Khusnutdinov, SKA-St. Petersburg MHL like Robins, the only criticism against this blue-chipper is size — a ferociously competitive and enormously skilled two-way center with big-time potential
26) RW Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert WHL dual-threat winger with a motor that never quits is going to be a fan favorite wherever he plays
27) RW Luke Evangelista, London OHL extremely underrated forward who forces you to like him more each time you watch him; incredibly smart with sneaky good offensive skills, expect a big draft +1 campaign in London
28) RW/LW Dmitry Rashevsky, MHK St. Petersburg MHL just when we think we know anything at all, a kid like this comes out of nowhere after being undrafted in 2019 and blows the doors off with a ridiculous combination of hands and shooting. A first-line NHL talent — if he can improve his skating explosiveness, just look out.
29) LD Ryan O’Rourke, Sault Ste. Marie OHL do-it-all defenseman will shut it down on defense, chip in with reliable offense, and lead your team both in the locker room and the ice with high character and high compete
30) C Ridly Greig, Brandon WHL heart-and-soul, two-way forward gets the most of his abilities… which are also notably impressive in their own right
31) RD Brock Faber US-NTDP USHL rock-solid shut-down D has size and very good skates; plays conservative but possesses a sneaky-good offensive skill set

ROUND TWO:

32) RW/C Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan QMJHL sniping forward wields a litany of shots which can all beat you from anywhere; terrific offensive weapon in all respects but skating is a question
33) RW Tyson Foerster, Barrie OHL big winger with one of the deadliest snipes in the draft, very smart with high-compete level
34) C Evan Vierling, Barrie OHL underrated center checks off every tool in the box and has a lot of room to grow
35) LW Jake Neighbours, Edmonton WHL high-compete and high-combat winger is a load to play against and also features high-end vision
36) LW/RW JJ Peterka, Munich DEL silky hands on this offensively skilled winger, a team could draft Germans Stutzle, Reichel and Peterka and have one hell of a top NHL line some day
37) RW Sam Colangelo, Chicago USHL big but raw power winger features great offensive skills and is impossible to move from the crease
38) LW Carter Savoie, Sherwood Park AJHL one of the best finishers in the draft can also dangle the lights out, just tore up a league which was below his talent level, so he’s a player to watch in 2020-21
39) LW Daniel Torgersson, Frolunda SWE JR 6’3 winger with great skates and a tremendous two-way game, the only question is does his offensive skill-set translate to an NHL second or third line?
40) C/LW Brendan Brisson, Chicago USHL high-end puck skills are the calling card for this undersized University of Michigan commit
41) RD Justin Barron, Halifax QMJHL tough to judge after an injury plagued draft-eligible campaign, Barron certainly has the size/speed mix to intrigue NHL front offices
42) C/LW Thomas Bordeleau, US-NTDP USHL most talented forward in “The Program”, his shot is ridiculous but his all-around game needs more commitment
43) RW Veeti Miettinen, Espoo FIN JR one of my favorite sleepers, high-end offensive skills and always-revved motor but lack of size and elite skating will make him available later than he deserves
44) RD Topi Niemela, Karpat FIN do-it-all two-way D with terrific skates is the perfect all-situations second-pairing NHL-er
45) LD Tyler Kleven, US-NTDP USHL big and physical shut-down monster also features very good skating and a cannon from the point
46) RW/C Jean-Luc Foudy, Windsor OHL one of the top 5 skaters in the draft, Foudy also is one of the top available playmakers
47) LD Yan Kuznetsov, University of Connecticut NCAAmonstrous, physical defenseman was shut-down intimidator vs. far older college competition
48) LD Donovan Sebrango, Kitchener OHL another fluid, do-it-all defenseman is very good two ways and a very safe pick in the second round
49) RW Brandon Coe, North Bay OHL huge winger with exceptional speed needs to put it all together, but look out if he does
50) RW/C Tyler Tullio, Oshawa OHL gutsy winger with fierce motor plays beyond the apparent capability of his size and speed limitations
51) RW Martin Chromiak, Kingston OHL Slovakian sniper is gifted with a ridiculous shot, needs to improve his game around it
52) C Vasily Ponomarev, Shawinigan QMJHL future middle-6 center simply does everything well on both sides of the puck
53) RD Viktor Persson, Brynas SWE JR late riser for me to become my top Swedish defenseman for 2020, great size, skating and two-way potential
54) LD Jeremie Poirier, Saint John QMJHL he’s two players, really — offensively he’s the best LD in the entire 2020 draft, while defensively he’s just frustrating to the point where you’re pulling your hair out
55) C Ty Smilanic, US-NTDP USHL an elite skater with size and skill, it’s difficult to pinpoint where the results have yet to meet the potential.
56) C/LW Roni Hirvonen, Assat FIN this undersized center has oversized skill and his future might be on the wing at the NHL level; a very nice sleeper with top-6 NHL upside
57) RD Helge Grans, Malmo SWE JR very similarly to Poirier, Grans has enormous offensive upside but he’s a absolute liability in his own zone
58) LW Evgeni Oksentyuk, Flint OHL another one of my favorites, this Belarussian overager might lack size and top-end speed, but whoooo boy those hands and that vision
59) RD Ian Moore, St. Mark’s USHS a very raw defenseman but my top USHS prospect due to a size/skating/skill combination to rival the more-heralded Grans
60) LW Will Cuylle, Windsor OHL huge, bruising power winger with a nice shot and good enough hands to play a NHL mid-6 banger role
61) LW Antonio Stranges, London OHL high-risk high-reward with this exceptional skater with perhaps the best backhand in the draft; but several aspects of his game are in need of development and refinement

ROUND THREE:

62) LD Emil Andrae, HV71 SWE JR cerebral offensive defenseman plays with effort and composure which belie his small stature
63) C Jack Finley, Spokane WHL 6’6 pivots who can skate are rare enough, when they add this type of intelligence and playmaking you circle them on your draft board
64) RW/C Justin Sourdif, Vancouver WHL the skill is evident but the consistency is not, a steal in the third if it clicks with this young talent
65) RD Ruben Rafkin, Windsor OHL hell-bent-for-leather D will not back down to anyone and is also very solid with the puck
66) LD Shakir Mukhamadullin, Salavat Ufa KHL highest upside D likely to be available after the top two rounds, but can he reach his enormous potential?
67) LW Emil Heineman, Leksand SHL the perfect fast, hard-forechecking winger has a very high floor as an NHL third-liner; great shot also gives him some offensive upside
68) LD Wyatt Kaiser, Andover USHS competitive and physical despite his 5’11 frame, also slick with his outlet passing and offensively quite skilled
69) LW Sean Farrell, Chicago USHL part III of the Chicago Steel 2020 draft trilogy, Farrell has a ridiculous shot and some tantalizing offensive tools
70) LW Brett Berard, US-NTDP USHL a difficult player to rank — absolutely dynamic offensive tools but sometimes can frustrate from the perimeter
71) RD Mitch Miller, Tri-City USHL another big-time 2020 wild card, his high-octane offensive skill-set would have him just outside the first round, but character concerns could drop him lower than this
72) LD Daemon Hunt, Moose Jaw WHL speedy defenseman lost much of his draft-eligible season to injury and could be undervalued as result
73) RD Luke Prokop, Calgary WHL big and steady defensive defenseman is adept with the puck and plays a heads-up game
74) RD Michael Benning, Sherwood Park AJHL two guys from the same AJHL team in the top 100? Well, Benning is an offensively gifted playmaker with serious upside
75) C Jaromir Pytlik, Sault Ste. Marie OHL 6’3 centers with high intelligence and enviable mixes of compete and physicality are tough to find, the only question is his offensive capability
76) LD Emil Viro, TPS FIN speedy offensive-minded defenseman could be a big steal in the mid-rounds if he shores up his play in his own zone
77) C/RW Zayde Wisdom, Kingston OHL two-way, all-situations forward plays a smart, simple game and is a safe bet for your middle six
78) LW Ivan Didkovsky, MHK Moscow MHL, high-effort winger can wire the puck and works hard down low
79) LW Roby Jarventie, Koovee FIN JR first-round caliber skating and shooting, needs to put effort into compete and consistency
80) LW/RW Danil Gushchin, Muskegon USHL unbelievable puck skills, hands of a magician, but undersized and needs to improve skating explosiveness
81) LW/C Matthew Gleason, Cretin-Derham Hall USHSthe classic “if he were three inches taller everyone would know his name” offensive dynamo
82) LD Lukas Cormier, Charlottetown QMJHL the classic smallish, all-offense defenseman who has a bright NHL future if he can improve his play defensively
83) RW/C Dylan Peterson, US-NTDP USHL has the size, the skill and the shot to aspire for an NHL middle-6
84) LW Luke Tuch, US-NTDP USHL wrecking ball winger with a heavy shot can be an impact NHL checking liner
85) RW Alex Laferriere, Des Moines USHL New Jersey native can snipe the lights out, has four years at Harvard to build a complete game around the shot
86) LW/RW Maxim Groshev, Neftekhimik MHL one of the toughest players to rank but the tools are certainly there
87) RD Jake Boltmann, Edina USHS big and fast rearguard with a mean streak who plays a pro-style game with nice offensive elements
88) RD Eamon Powell, US-NTDP USHL Jake Sanderson’s partner lacks size but makes up for it with speed, skill and smarts
89) LW Elliott Desnoyers, Moncton QMJHL smart and fast, this checking line player just might need a scoring-line role and skilled line mates to strut his true potential
90) RD Tyrel Bauer, Seattle WHL hulking defenseman is hell to play against, makes smart decisions with the puck
91) RW Connor McClennon, Winnipeg WHL pint-sized sniper defies expectations and scores at every level, tough to bet against this puck wizard
92) RD Jeremie Biakabutuka, Val D’Or QMJHL huge defenseman can also rocket the puck, a work in progress but with extreme athleticism and a great compete level

HONORABLE MENTION:

93) RW Kaspar Simontaival, Tappara FIN JR one of the best snipes in the 2020 draft, but another player who lacks both size and top-end speed
94) LW Kyle Crnkovic, Saskatoon WHL pint size winger with some serious offensive skills, an offensive dynamo who is easy to root for
95) LW Carson Bantle, Madison USHL humongous 6’4 winger with soft hands and a big shot, the kind of raw project scouts go ga-ga over
96) LD Anton Johannesson, HV71 SWE JR I’ll admit I’m more skeptical of undersized D than undersized forwards, but Johannesson mixes very good offensive ability with a toughness and compete belying his slight 5’9-145 frame
97) LD William Wallinder, Modo Allsvenskan the best combination of size and speed of any player in the 2020 draft not named Byfield, but needs to work every one of his hockey skills at least up to average in order to make an NHL impact
98) LD Joni Jurmo, Jokerit FIN JR another player with a tantalizing mix of size and blazing skating ability, but another player who is responsible for as many scoring chances against as he creates offensively
99) RW Ryder Rolson, Waterloo USHL the son of the Devils great can fly and is an insanely good forechecker, a likely bottom-6 mucker extraordinaire
100) LD Alexander Nikishin, Spartak KHL the hardest hitter in the entire draft leaves opposing forwards quaking in their skates and also features one of the top point blasts in the draft — can he shore up his error prone decision making to reach his potential as a physical, shut-down defender?

Well, there it is. I'd love to hear your comments and questions about guys you may not be too familiar with, or players you would personally rank higher or lower. And -- as always -- save this to make fun of me for everything I'm wrong on in five years.

From the live 2020 Draft day thread:
Here’s where Detroit took Raymond
And Ottawa took Sanderson
And the Ducks took Drysdale
And then it’s, as one poster said, down to “Perfetti vs Rossi vs Askarov”.
And we take Holtz
We pick Mercer, and there’s much rejoicing
We pick Muk, and there’s much confusion & freak outs

 

[Brodeur]

There was a video of our table at the 2020 Draft discussing a trade down but Fitz was worried we would lose out on Holtz. I can’t find the video. (Maybe @Brodeur knows more, I assume he know all.)

Is it this one? I remembered a different one with Nashville taking calls leading up to #11 and Fitz was one of several GMs shown kicking the tires.

 

[MadDevil]

We may be better off going for Saros, but he’d probably be more expensive.

It doesn’t seem like Nashville is really blowing it up (they should), but their roster looks pretty bad.

Maybe Trotz feels as long as they have Saros they have a chance? They almost made it in last year, with a pretty mediocre/bad/slow roster, all because of Saros.

Nashville seems destined for mediocrity. Their forward group is about as average as it gets. They bought out their leading scorer among forwards. ROR is a good player but he's 32 years old so how much longer before he starts to decline? He had 2 more points last season than Johansen, who he's replacing. Beyond that Nyquist, Sissons, and Thomas Novak isn't exactly a scary group of forwards. They seem to be clinging to the "just get in and anything can happen" dream, which with a goalie like Saros is possible, but they aren't the 2022-23 Panthers or the 2011-12 Kings.

 

[Guttersniped]

Is it this one? I remembered a different one with Nashville taking calls leading up to #11 and Fitz was one of several GMs shown kicking the tires.

That was it.

 

[Soundgarden]

Nashville seems destined for mediocrity. Their forward group is about as average as it gets. They bought out their leading scorer among forwards. ROR is a good player but he's 32 years old so how much longer before he starts to decline? He had 2 more points last season than Johansen, who he's replacing. Beyond that Nyquist, Sissons, and Thomas Novak isn't exactly a scary group of forwards. They seem to be clinging to the "just get in and anything can happen" dream, which with a goalie like Saros is possible, but they aren't the 2022-23 Panthers or the 2011-12 Kings.

We have many high potential forward prospects who are close to NHL ready.

 

[My3Sons]

We have many high potential forward prospects who are close to NHL ready.

Having watched NJ rebuild for several years I’ll suggest it’s likely going to take a season or two longer than you expect.

 

[MadDevil]

We have many high potential forward prospects who are close to NHL ready.

Fair, but "potential" and "close to ready" are the key parts there. Until they actually are making an impact I think they're stuck in the worst spot to be in the NHL, right in the middle.

 

[Brodeur]

That was it.

View attachment 727304

POINT BREAK LIVE!Point Break LIVE!

Staged parody of the 90s EXTREME action blockbuster Point Break: bank robbing, surfing, skydiving, survival kits, and meatball sandwiches!

www.pointbreaklive.com

Fun silly show if you ever get the chance. I was too chicken to audition for Johnny Utah.

 

[FinnishDevil]

We pick Muk, and there’s much confusion & freak outs

I love reading these now. I'm not the type to go blame someone for "hey you said this 3 years ago now eat crow" but more so "this is fun to look back at now" type. I say stupid stuff all the time that doesnt stay relevant for a week let alone years, lol. Saying that just for the record that this is not an attack on any poster or anyones opinions since we all know were a passionate bunch.

Some of the highlights..

"next Gelinas"
"Russian Kevin Bahl"
"worst pick in the first round"
"we picked Dingis Pingis"
"this is who we got for Coleman?"

Just goes to show that we as fans (not counting those of on our board who actually do draft previews etc) know very little about prospects after all. Everyone was calling for Perreault or bust and he just put up 19 pts in 48 games in the AHL. Lapierre hasnt been lights out either, 30 pts in 60 in the AHL. Meanwhile Muk was huge piece in the Meier deal and has developed quite nicely.

 

[My3Sons]

I love reading these now. I'm not the type to go blame someone for "hey you said this 3 years ago now eat crow" but more so "this is fun to look back at now" type. I say stupid stuff all the time that doesnt stay relevant for a week let alone years, lol. Saying that just for the record that this is not an attack on any poster or anyones opinions since we all know were a passionate bunch.

Some of the highlights..

"next Gelinas"
"Russian Kevin Bahl"
"worst pick in the first round"
"we picked Dingis Pingis"
"this is who we got for Coleman?"

Just goes to show that we as fans (not counting those of on our board who actually do draft previews etc) know very little about prospects after all. Everyone was calling for Perreault or bust and he just put up 19 pts in 48 games in the AHL. Lapierre hasnt been lights out either, 30 pts in 60 in the AHL. Meanwhile Muk was huge piece in the Meier deal and has developed quite nicely.

It’s Tingis Pingis and he’s from Latavia

 

[Guttersniped]

I love reading these now. I'm not the type to go blame someone for "hey you said this 3 years ago now eat crow" but more so "this is fun to look back at now" type. I say stupid stuff all the time that doesnt stay relevant for a week let alone years, lol. Saying that just for the record that this is not an attack on any poster or anyones opinions since we all know were a passionate bunch.

Some of the highlights..

"next Gelinas"
"Russian Kevin Bahl"
"worst pick in the first round"
"we picked Dingis Pingis"
"this is who we got for Coleman?"

Just goes to show that we as fans (not counting those of on our board who actually do draft previews etc) know very little about prospects after all. Everyone was calling for Perreault or bust and he just put up 19 pts in 48 games in the AHL. Lapierre hasnt been lights out either, 30 pts in 60 in the AHL. Meanwhile Muk was huge piece in the Meier deal and has developed quite nicely.

Spoiler: The many shades of responses

If I remember correctly I was all grumpy because we didn’t trade down to draft Muk, but in my defense, I love pick trades (Shero really delivered on that front more than Fitz) and always complain about pick value (it’s a real thing!).

It’s Tingis Pingis and he’s from Latavia

 

[NJDevs26]

I thought Fitz reached a bit for Muk after the Rangers picked Schneider over us...but not trading down I only got on him for about five minutes until the Blue Jackets picked someone even more off the board than we did. Then it basically becomes the pick your guy and don't get cute portion of the draft.

 

[My3Sons]

I thought Fitz reached a bit for Muk after the Rangers picked Schneider over us...but not trading down I only got on him for about five minutes until the Blue Jackets picked someone even more off the board than we did. Then it basically becomes the pick your guy and don't get cute portion of the draft.

it was only a reach because some prospect bloggers decided it was. He'd have been a much higher scorer in the USHL or in Canadian juniors. He was a first time draft eligible playing in a men's league and he was an obvious project. Of course he had warts that looked worse than they actually were. I'd be surprised if he had gotten such bad press had he played in an age appropriate league that US/Canadian fans paid closer attention to.

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

i thought of trying to get Askarov and Schmid to battle for net

but Fitzgerald may be thinking bigger!

 

[My3Sons]

i thought of trying to get Askarov and Schmid to battle for net

but Fitzgerald may be thinking bigger!

Unless Helle drops his extension price in both dollars and term which to me seems unlikely unless and until he has to I'd pass unless he's still being shopped at the TDL for something reasonable. You figure WPG is holding out for TDL plus value right now.

 

[Guadana]

We pick Muk, and there’s much confusion & freak outs

Thank you for that. I spent some time and gave a lot of likes right from my heart to the people. Great day, great memories.

 

[forceten]

It sort of saddens me that Russian players are colored with this stigma. I've met many Russian people both in business and in personal life and like EVERYONE else, they're mostly wonderful people who are nuanced and different and interesting (funny, or smart, or talented, or whatever). I'm especially annoyed by the Russian Mafia nonsense, having an Italian background on my mom's side (and citizenship to boot!), and the assumption that everyone Russian is their government which I've found is extremely untrue.

If anything, they have nuanced views of Russia and the government and like China the government and the people are different things.

Whatever, all I'm saying is sign me up for more Russian players.