Prospect Info: Devils HFBoards 2022 Draft Resource, Indexed Profiles A Thru Z

[StevenToddIves]

Wait, so you’ve been @Guttersniped all along? How did we not see that coming after the events of season 2? It all makes sense now.

I'm not as bad as @Guttersniped haha. Who is?

 

[forceten]

"Boulevardier" is the actual name.

I love Amaro. There are just so many different varietals, the range is huge. Best Amaro I've ever had is Rucolino -- it's hard to find but really unique and delicious, made from arugula if you can believe that. It's great neat and it actually changes chemically and in color and consistency if you add an ice cube.

Also, all Manhattans and Negronis and Boulevardiers are improved exponentially if you substitute sweet vermouth with Amaro. Montenegro is a really easy to find brand which works with all three.

That being said, my bar is owned by rock musicians and not really a cocktail place so much as beer-and-shot and great music and a sexy atmosphere which tends to attract an inordinate amount of bohemian people and attractive women. It's a great bar if you're ever in Greenpoint -- Lake Street on Manhattan Avenue.

Yep. I meant Bourbon Negroni as separate from Boulevardier since I know a regular Negroni is usually gin, but I like it with bourbon or -- ooh, a smoky mezcal with a smoky amaro to make a smoky negroni.
I will look for the Rucolino. I love Rabarbaro too which is a smoked rhubarb amaro. I really enjoy pairing a sweeter vermouth with an interesting amaro and a solid not overpowering bourbon for my Boulevardiers. Every single one of those components changed out makes a different drink. So cool.

Next time I am up in my old stomping grounds I'll have to swing by

 

[StevenToddIves]

Folks, I probably have about 60 of the picks from the first two rounds written up here, so feel free to use this as a resource when guys are drafted you might not be as familiar with. That's why I wrote it, after all!

 

[StevenToddIves]

I just wanted to shoot this thread up near the top of the docket, because believe me, a lot of you folks are going to need it.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Ok folks, I'm going to try to re-rank the Devils prospects tomorrow.

On Monday and Tuesday, I will try to find time for a quick draft review for the entire NHL.

After that, I'm probably leaving these boards until December or so, when I will see about next year. Let me know if there's any more draft/prospect content you guys would like, because after this week I'm out to concentrate on some other things in my life.

 

[Nubmer6]

Ok folks, I'm going to try to re-rank the Devils prospects tomorrow.

On Monday and Tuesday, I will try to find time for a quick draft review for the entire NHL.

After that, I'm probably leaving these boards until December or so, when I will see about next year. Let me know if there's any more draft/prospect content you guys would like, because after this week I'm out to concentrate on some other things in my life.

I plan on running the prospect rankings polls after the free agent fernzie calms down so you may want to check back in to observe over the summer.

 

[Guttersniped]

I plan on running the prospect rankings polls after the free agent fernzie calms down so you may want to check back in to observe over the summer.

The summer of Luke vs Nemec debates.

 

[StevenToddIves]

The summer of Luke vs Nemec debates.

It's Luke. Nemec is a bit better defensively, sure, but Luke's offensive upside is almost difficult to fathom. He's truly rare -- Hughes' skating goes almost beyond elite, while his puckhandling and offensive awareness are off the charts. Nemec will generate offense consistently, but Luke can turn a nothing play into a goal in the blink of an eye like no one we've seen since Makar.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

2022 Draft Profile:

C Brady Berard, US-NTDP (STI Ranking #95, McKenzie: Not Ranked)
This young Rhode Island native is getting very little interest in the general consensus for the 2022 draft, but I'm going to come right out and say that anywhere between the 4th and 7th round he's an outstanding pick. The younger Berard is not a flashy point-producer like his older brother, 2020 Rangers selection Brett. Rather, he's a physical, shut-down center who is in the conversation for the best face-off guy in the class of 2022. You're drafting him as a player with an extremely high floor as a 4th line guy who is extraordinarily ahead of his age in every aspect of defensive play, even if his limited upside is that of a 3rd line center who can chip in with a little offense.

Brady Berard is not flashy and has no singular aspect which will get you out of your seat. But you watch him matched up in a game against a 1st line NCAA center who is averaging a PPG at 22 years old, and then you realize the older player did not get a single scoring chance when Berard was on the ice. That's it, simple but effective. Berard is a decent but not great... well, everything. Skater, passer, puck-handler, shooter -- all of it. Berard is pretty good, nothing stands out as particularly good or bad. His offensive awareness is pretty much pitch-n-grind, cycle cycle, crash the net. He's as north/south as they come.

Defensively is where he shines. Berard is not huge at 6'0-180 but plays bigger. He's really strong for his size and although he's far from a headhunter, don't let him catch you with yours down or he will lay you out with a huge open-ice hit. He loves the dirty areas, he's a real mucker. His defensive IQ is far higher than offensively -- his positioning is simply outstanding, his coverage is like a blanket. He drives the opposition crazy with his defensive relentlessness.

"Relentless" is a great word for Brady Berard, who has one of the best compete levels in the entire 2022 class. This kid leaves everything on the ice every shift. A goal against while he's on the ice is an affront to his very existence, and he'll come out the next shift with another gear you did not even think was possible. And again -- his prowess in the face-off circle is just remarkable. Normally, one of the areas the US-NTDP struggles in against much older and bigger NCAA competition is in face-offs, but Berard dominates against all ages. It's a big asset to have, and he's out there for a ton of draws when the US-NTDP has a slim lead late in a contest.

Again, Brady Berard is not a player you're drafting in the first or second round, the offensive ability is just not there. But he's a guy you grab in the 5th/6th round to be your future Cizikas or Faksa or Kuraly when other teams are swinging for the fences on flashy but soft 5'9 wingers who don't know what the defensive zone even looks like. From a Devils standpoint, he makes a ton of sense. The only quality defensive center prospect in the entire organization is likely Jaromir Pytlik. Berard would immediately become the best defensive forward in the system and the best face-off specialist as well. Most importantly, players with high compete levels more often reach their talent ceilings, and Berard's motor is his singular elite trait.

Young guy so plenty of time to develop. But yet to have a big impact with the Friars and his numbers were so so with the NTDP.

only came across him because I was looking for NCAA players who may have been snubbed for the WJC.

Were there injuries or other factors involved?

 

[StevenToddIves]

Young guy so plenty of time to develop. But yet to have a big impact with the Friars and his numbers were so so with the NTDP.

only came across him because I was looking for NCAA players who may have been snubbed for the WJC.

Were there injuries or other factors involved?

I have no idea what kind of politics are involved while selecting the USA WJC rosters. I will say we took some nice bottom-6-type forwards with Savage, Duke and Boucher. I think the USA's problem is more on the blueline, which is very penetrable with too many all-offense types. I would have taken the more elite offensive guys like Hughes and Hutson, but opted for more stout defenders over Ufko, Peart and Mittlestadt.

 

[My3Sons]

I have no idea what kind of politics are involved while selecting the USA WJC rosters. I will say we took some nice bottom-6-type forwards with Savage, Duke and Boucher. I think the USA's problem is more on the blueline, which is very penetrable with too many all-offense types. I would have taken the more elite offensive guys like Hughes and Hutson, but opted for more stout defenders over Ufko, Peart and Mittlestadt.

I think the US roster looks for a balance of both republicans and democrats. They typically go with libertarian for the goalies however.