New Jersey Devils to draft #17

[Brooklyndevil]

Bodie Wilde would make my day. Unfortunately, I see the Islanders drafting by position. First, one the available centers and two, a defensemen who should be Wilde.

 

[D3vilsH0ck3y]

At #17 it only seems right to pick a Russian. Especially this off season

 

[MichaelJ]

New mock draft is posted. Kaut, Berggren, Ylonen just miss the first round. Same with Bernard-Docker, Dellandrea, McGlaughlin -- all are first-round quality:

NHL Mock Draft 2018: Sabres hit jackpot with Rasmus Dahlin; lottery prizes aplenty after No. 1

I really like the Rangers’ draft. In fact, I like it so much, if the Devils knew Bokk and Alexeyev would be available at those picks (they both probably won’t) and the Rangers would trade them both to move up to #17 (they wouldn’t) I’d be ecstatic to see the move.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I can see Shero trading down to acquire more picks if the guys they targeted are off the board. There's still some very solid talent that can be available in the mid 20's.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Bodie Wilde would make my day. Unfortunately, I see the Islanders drafting by position. First, one the available centers and two, a defensemen who should be Wilde.

I'm thinking his U18 struggles on the defensive side plus mistakes with the puck might knock him down. The Isles need a kid that can defend and skate the puck out of trouble. Wilde at this point is the latter, albeit very good at it.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Shero seems very much like the kind of guy that wants one pick in every round. I can definitely seem him trying to recoup a 2nd.

That being said, if there's an impact defenseman on the board it would have to be a hell of a package for me to trade down.

 

[Scorcho]

Read a mock with us taking Wilde @ 17 and I came a bit

 

[StevenToddIves]

Canes winning does little for them. They need centers, the top of this draft has wingers and defensemen.

Obviously, they could trade a guy, but it's not like they are getting the next McDavid out of this draft. If they were getting an elite C, they would be set longterm as long as they get a half decent goalie.

Svechnikov is EXACTLY what the Canes need. They have no power Fs in their top 6 -- they're very soft up front. He's got Tarasenko-like upside, but he's better defensively and more physical at the same age. He's going to be an absolute beast.

I agree Carolina needs a #1 C, but I expect them to shop for one through their wealth of talented young D. They also will need a goaltender if they hope to compete for the playoffs in the next couple of seasons, and their bottom 6 Fs need upgrading. Strangely, they would make a great trade partner with the Devils -- they have what we need and vise versa.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Yeah I dont feel sorry for Buffalo either. Even if they get the top draft pick, you go to waste away at buffalo.

Not anymore. Dahlin-Eichel-Mittelstadt might be the most talented trio of under-22 players in the NHL to build around.

 

[StevenToddIves]

idk, i mean @Darkauron isn't wrong - wasn't eichel supposed to help them take a huge step forward? it didn't though.

if i'm botterill, i'm gauging the canes (or maybe the habs) interest in dahlin and seeing if they can bolster other desperately needed aspects of theirs. maybe.... hayden fleury+, or one of their other LDs, to swap draft picks?

Dahlin is exactly what the Sabres need. Their top organizational need is at LD. You can offer your next four #1 picks and they still might not do it. He's the best D to enter the entry draft since I can remember, and I've been doing this for a looooong time.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Curious to see what kind of defenseman Dahlin really becomes. He'll be playing half the game in his own zone with no help.

If he's Erik Karlsson-lite, that's not what Buffalo needs, crazy as it sounds. But his fanboys seem to think he truly is that well-rounded of a player. I have nearly no viewings of him so I'm not sure what kind of player he is.

He's better than Karlsson at the same developmental point. I'd say they are about even defensively, and Dahlin is far superior in the physical game and his own zone. If Dahlin maxes out his potential, Karlsson will be Dahlin-lite.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Apparently this k’andre miller guy has been playing really good as of late. He’s a defencman and is projected to go around where we pick. Does anyone have a quick scouting report on him?

I haven't shut up about K'Andre since about November. I couldn't love a prospect much more.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Who is most likely to be drafted lower than projected come draft day? It would be really cool to see someone like Hughes, smith or Wilde fall to 17 sort of like liljegren did last year for Toronto

I will do another post-lottery mock, maybe today. I would say the chances of falling to #17 pick are:

Smith 10%
Wilde 30%
Miller 50%
All 3 1%
None of the three 10%

"Everybody knows that 84.3% of all statistics are completely made up." -- Homer Simpson

 

[StevenToddIves]

did liljegren have a rough end to his season though, hence why he dropped? or was it interview issues? or both?

His defense was seen as sub-awful despite his amazing offensive ability (reminiscent of Merkley in this draft). Unlike a player whose defensive limitation was attributed to size (Boqvist, Hughes) or needing more development (Miller, Wilde) -- Liljegren was often called lazy or disinterested in his own zone.

Another example of this would be Oliver Kylington, a defenseman universally considered a top-5 pick before the 2014-15 season who frustrated scouts with inconsistency to the point that he fell to Calgary with the #60 pick in the 2015 draft.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

I haven't shut up about K'Andre since about November. I couldn't love a prospect much more.

I've been real high on Miller for a while because he adds some much needed toughness, the guy can actually skate for a big man and he probably has the most upside out of any dman in the draft outside of Dahlin of course.

I was talking about trying to add someone like Darnell Nurse and someone like Miller is as close as you can get IMO.

 

[StevenToddIves]

this is the reason why k'andre miller is supposed to drop, right?

The important thing to keep in mind about Miller is that he was a F until a few years ago. He is still learning the myriad intricacies of the position. The other important thing to keep in mind is that K'Andre is an extremely intelligent kid and his athleticism is on par with a top-5 pick.

No one doubts Miller's effort or desire or physicality. He just has a slight propensity to misread plays and take unnecessary risks. Given a few years with good coaching, and I think K'Andre's upside is greater than Dobson or Bouchard, both universally considered top 10 picks at D in the 2018 draft.

 

[My3Sons]

The important thing to keep in mind about Miller is that he was a F until a few years ago. He is still learning the myriad intricacies of the position. The other important thing to keep in mind is that K'Andre is an extremely intelligent kid and his athleticism is on par with a top-5 pick.

No one doubts Miller's effort or desire or physicality. He just has a slight propensity to misread plays and take unnecessary risks. Given a few years with good coaching, and I think K'Andre's upside is greater than Dobson or Bouchard, both universally considered top 10 picks at D in the 2018 draft.

Tell me he isn't going to be Gelinas redux and make me believe you.

 

[Nubmer6]

"Everybody knows that 84.3% of all statistics are completely made up." -- Homer Simpson

And 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions.

I'm looking forward to the next mock.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Tell me he isn't going to be Gelinas redux and make me believe you.

Because if you comparing a draft prospect's attributes to K'Andre Miller, Gelinas would not be in the top 500 players you would name in the past 15 years. My best comparison from the last three years would be "a rawer Charlie McAvoy".

 

[StevenToddIves]

And 5 out of 4 people have problems with fractions.

I'm looking forward to the next mock.

Done -- I set up a new thread.

 

[Blackjack]

Because if you comparing a draft prospect's attributes to K'Andre Miller, Gelinas would not be in the top 500 players you would name in the past 15 years. My best comparison from the last three years would be "a rawer Charlie McAvoy".

I'm running out of socks.

 

[StevenToddIves]

It occurs to me that I should tell you all to take this conversation to my new draft thread (post-lottery mock), except Steve Kournianos is already on this one and he is far better at prospect analysis than I am.