I understand there was nothing they could do in 2020, and this year there was no way they were taking anyone but Hughes, but man it is just heartbreaking to miss out on Drysdale and Clarke in consecutive years. Don't know when we'll ever be in position to add that kind of talent on the right side again.
Next year. There are a ton of talented RD.
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I`m the man of balance and strong defense, so I dont see any need in Severson in roster for 4 more years after his current deal will end. With Hamilton, Smith and Hughes in the future roster there are no real place and time for what he will have from his future contract(5.5+ per year). And now Devils must find replacement with trades or on the next market.
I will understand why we will sign him again after two years, but I don`t like this idea from any angle. Hope devils will fix question of the RD depth.
I like next draft and hope devils will give Tatar one year deal and maximum of minutes to find a way to trade him for 1st round pick somehow. I just want to believe. Organisation has real problem with right defenseman and Severson and Mccarthy\Walsh isn`t the answer.
I hate decision to draft Vilen over Bar and think it was stupid. No matter how will things goin with finnish defenseman.
I dont believe in Walsh. He is Butcher #2 at best.
May be
1. Mccarthy
I really like what I saw from Okhotyuk. He did win absolutely most of the puck battles. He is strong, has great speed and skating. He is no where close to be a good puckmover, but I think he has decent potential to be great third line defenseman, first pairing PK defenseman. I like his game more than game of Vukoevich and especially Bahl. Bahl is the best physic machine I see in all leagues, but he makes some akward moves, doesnt understand where he should move in different situation. I think he can fix it. Anyway I have 90% confidence, that at least one of three will regular NHL player.
I like raw potential of Mukha, but we should slow down expectations and see how he will develope. At the moment, he has weaknesses that he needs to deal with, otherwise he will not be able to be a defenseman in the NHL. The same applies to Hughes - his problems are much bigger, but his set of tools for fixing them is much more suitable.
I will put Zaitsev over Misyul for now. He could be very good left defensive defenseman(4-5th best LD prospect), but I cant rank him so high, because I have no confidence, will he would cross the Atlantic ocean?
I think the organization has done a great job of finding left defensemen. Overkill here.
1. Okhotiuk\Hughes(because he has a LOT to fix)
2. Bahl
3. Vukoevich
May be
1. Mukhamadullin
2. Misyul
I want to make mistake here, what I saw in AHL and NHL, I think Foote can be top-6 NHL forward if only he will be ready for specific role. I think he isnt great skater and isnt great for positional offence for that. I think Gritsyuk has more tolls and mindset for that. he is great line driver. I want to see him in KHL for regular basis. But we put player not for their readiness for NHL, but for their potential. And I think Gritsyuk has more aces and trump in his sleeves. I really want success of Foote, because I like this type of physical player who can score, but from what i saw last year he is little bit passive and uninitiative for this role on my taste. Gritsyuk is over the Foote in my rank.
Anyway Kukka, Yegor, PZ, Bratt, Wood are left wingers and with Foote and Gritsyuk(and Bardakov maybe) this is enough depth to build strong enough core on the left side of offense. Devils needs to find more talent, but this is not the primary task at all.
1. Gritsyuk
2. Foote
After trading Maltsev Devils lost their last close perspective for bottom line center. And I dont see how easily it is replasing. I like decision to draft Bardakov, but he isn`t great zone controller as center and will be better winger and slot fighter on the NHL level. I dont think Thompson has even 2% to be NHL center. Mercer would be better winger. He is very suitable RW for Hughes - as he was with very comparable player Lapierre. Pytlik and Moynihan are good depth guys, but they are not even AHL player and there are no clue they will great on adult level, because they are not top notch player from their peers.
I really like Salminen, but this is a long story and we dont know how he will develope his game. Talvitie was lookin awesome, but after injuries and hurts he isn`t lookin even competent avarage in AHL last year.
Even more. I think Devils are in position to draft potential top-6 center after next draft. I know, I like Nico and I`m big defender of him, but clocke are ticking and time is running. Luke will solid NHl player after 4 may be 5 years. If Nico will stay on the 50pts per season level, there are will be a room to make some movements. I still think he has potential to be 30+ goals 65+ points, but he needs to stay healthy first at all. There are never many first centers. After finding top right defenseman prospect and som RD depth I hope devils will start to work in this way. Wish in one hand, shit in the other, see which one fills up first. Devils are one\two drafts away from selecting center by their first pick.
I hope Boqvist will handle it for the near future, but I see holes in his game for bottom six role. Not so great for top-6, not so sturdy for bottom-6.
1. Pytlik
2. Boqvist
3. Moynihan
May be
1. Salminen
Right wingers? Everything is great for now. I wasnt excited about drafting Holtz, I was watching a ton of his game last year and I have a feeling he is close to burn this world to the ground, but he must find a lot of gas. He is bad two way player for now and pretty passive forechecker for AHL level. For now. He is pretty creative and his shot is pretty dangerous still, but he must to work with his feet and crate more movement. His avarage skating isnt help and his red flags bother me. Hope he will fix it next year and turn the corner. I dont know will he pan out, but if he will - you know. I dont think he is close to be NHL ready. I think he can score on NHL level, especially in PP, but I think he is very raw for 200-foot NHL game.
If you take raw potential, Tyce Thompson is one of our best prospects. May be top-3. He has skating, he has shot, he is very fast and creative. But he has to put it all together, gain more weight and muscles. May be, may be not, I don`t know. It's a lot of fun to watch him, but it often turns into sympathy, rather than delight.
I wasnt sold by Stillman. I see great potential to be a good bottom-6 player who will score 10+ goals and hits more than anyone, but I dont like his feets and how he stays on it(and I think it`s a problem for a player like him to make his work on the slot), I dont see any positioning in his game, he is good forechecker, but I didnt see zone protecting from him. He is winger, thats enough, may be he will be pretty good for his special role in top-6, I don't keep my expectations high.
1 Dawson Mercer
2 Graeme Clarke
3 Alexander Holtz
4 Chase Stillman
May be
1 Tyce Thompson
Mukha is very very strong may be. I think if he will be NHL player he will top-4 player. I think he has raw tools to be a better defenseman than Okhotiuk, Vukoevich, Bahl. He has much better first pass than any defenseman from any prospects. But he has gaps. Like Hughes. But Hughes is Hughes and he will have his chance to play in NHL. And some another chances after even if he will not be integrated immediately. Mukha does not have such a privilege.
Tyce Thompson is not so strong in his may be. But I really like his raw potential. He isn`t Chase Stillman, who can be as 1st line winger, as 4th line winger. He will be top-6 player or AHL player. For now, he's not in a good position.