Post-Lottery 2018 Mock Draft, Devils-centric

[nugg]

The price for Karlsson will be untenable. I think Shero has a great plan in place, the Devils (and all of us) just need to stick with it. Why mortgage a future which is so bright?

Yeah, but it's Dorion

 

[Call Me Al]

Frankly, not to be too pessimistic, but it's definitely questionable.

questionable is one thing, but probable? come on

 

[Call Me Al]

“the devils are probably a lottery team next year” is not a good take

 

[StevenToddIves]

COL will prob take Miller just like they took Jost right before we were slotted to pick in 2016

Miller is certainly exactly what the Avs need, but they don't have a big history of trusting US-NTDP players with early draft picks. I think they will play it safe with McIsaac or draft a forward.

 

[Teddy Bristow]

Do you see Kravtsov as a potential pick for the Devils?

 

[Devils Dominion]

Do you see Kravtsov as a potential pick for the Devils?

Nope

 

[Teddy Bristow]

Nope

Why not? I don't think drafting for need is the best way to go about it. If Shero and Castron value Kravstov as BPA why wouldn't they take him?

 

[Darkauron]

No thanks to Kravstov either. Always hesitant to take a russian that high not in NA and the fact that his number dont seem to jump out at me. Plenty of other players around our spot that we could get

 

[Devils Dominion]

Why not? I don't think drafting for need is the best way to go about it. If Shero and Castron value Kravstov as BPA why wouldn't they take him?

There will be better players still on the board.

He's not similar to Tarasenko , Kucherov nor Kuznetsov

 

[Jason MacIsaac]

Kravstov has very impressive playoff numbers in KHL that suggest a massive 18/19 year old season

 

[StevenToddIves]

There will be better players still on the board.

He's not similar to Tarasenko , Kucherov nor Kuznetsov

The player Kravtsov actually reminds me of the most at the same age is Alexei Kovalev. Who became a pretty outstanding NHL-er.

Again, the players I am promoting the most at #17 are defensemen: Smith, Miller, Wilde, even Alexeyev. But that being said, it would be tough to argue a potential high-scoring top-line RW like Bokk or Kravtsov (whom I have ranked very closely).

 

[Devils Dominion]

The player Kravtsov actually reminds me of the most at the same age is Alexei Kovalev. Who became a pretty outstanding NHL-er.

Again, the players I am promoting the most at #17 are defensemen: Smith, Miller, Wilde, even Alexeyev. But that being said, it would be tough to argue a potential high-scoring top-line RW like Bokk or Kravtsov (whom I have ranked very closely).

I'll have to read up more on the Rusky

 

[StevenToddIves]

I'll have to read up more on the Rusky

On Kravtsov:

Cam Robinson (#16 ranking): Smooth skater with skill to burn had managed to produce a few points in the KHL as a 17-year-old – no easy feat. He followed that up with an explosion of goals as a go-to option during the playoffs and has seen his stock rightly rise. Lacks exposure due to not being selected for Russia’s international squads but is a highly talented player with soft hands and pro-level release.

Last Word On Sports (#16 ranking): Kravtsov is a skilled offensive player. He pairs his great skating ability with outstanding hands. He can stickhandle in a phone booth. This makes him absolutely deadly in one-on-one situations. The best part of his game is that he can make all these moves and handle the puck while moving at top speed. If defenders back off to respect his speed and stickhandling, he has a deadly arsenal of shots that he can put on net. Kravtsov has a very good wrist shot and snapshot. Both shots feature a quick release. With the hands to also score in tight, he’s a natural sniper.

 

[Teddy Bristow]

The player Kravtsov actually reminds me of the most at the same age is Alexei Kovalev. Who became a pretty outstanding NHL-er.

Again, the players I am promoting the most at #17 are defensemen: Smith, Miller, Wilde, even Alexeyev. But that being said, it would be tough to argue a potential high-scoring top-line RW like Bokk or Kravtsov (whom I have ranked very closely).

Funny that you compare him to Kovalev, one of my all-time favorite players (except for the years he played in Gotham). Maybe that's why I'm drawn to Kravtsov

 

[thethinglonger]

It was reported last year that shero had significant interest in Cale Makar. I wonder if he would be willing to trade up to snag one of the pure offensive d men. On a side note, it seems like bode Wilde has been dropping in most recent mock drafts. Is it because of hockey iq? At number 17 I think he would be a good value pick

This was asked on the first page but I thought I would have a whack at it. It's hard to deny the incredibly gifted tools to Wilde's game. However, the biggest question for me (which may not be why he is dropping in some mocks - may be because of a somewhat rough U18 Championship tournament...many people thought he would be a "man among boys" out there, but ended up being pretty pedestrian) is that he makes so many risky decisions that I genuinely can't tell if he's just a risk-taker on the ice or that he has trouble mentally processing the game at the highest speeds. I do think it's somewhere in the middle there, but there are certainly some questions about him being a "all tools and no toolbox" type player.

I'll be honest, he's so much fun to watch...a guy who's built like a tree trunk who can skate like the wind, lay out some punishing hits...can command the game as good as anybody in the draft past the center ice line. If he can put it together, he definitely has top-pairing potential, but players like him scare the hell out of me.

 

[StevenToddIves]

This was asked on the first page but I thought I would have a whack at it. It's hard to deny the incredibly gifted tools to Wilde's game. However, the biggest question for me (which may not be why he is dropping in some mocks - may be because of a somewhat rough U18 Championship tournament...many people thought he would be a "man among boys" out there, but ended up being pretty pedestrian) is that he makes so many risky decisions that I genuinely can't tell if he's just a risk-taker on the ice or that he has trouble mentally processing the game at the highest speeds. I do think it's somewhere in the middle there, but there are certainly some questions about him being a "all tools and no toolbox" type player.

I'll be honest, he's so much fun to watch...a guy who's built like a tree trunk who can skate like the wind, lay out some punishing hits...can command the game as good as anybody in the draft past the center ice line. If he can put it together, he definitely has top-pairing potential, but players like him scare the hell out of me.

That's a great analysis.

I'm going to say again that I like K'Andre Miller a shade better than Bode Wilde at this point. I think Miller matches Wilde's upside but with a higher level of consistency and a steeper development curve over the past couple of seasons. But I think either of them would be a good pick at #17.

 

[Bleedred]

“the devils are probably a lottery team next year” is not a good take

I actually thought we were one of those flukier teams early in the season. Like that one fluky team that gets in every year, but doesn't replicate it the next season. When we came back down to earth a little bit in the new calendar year, that's when I thought we were probably right around where we should have been. We had a slightly higher than league average shooting percentage and a slightly below league average save percentage to balance it out.

In the end, I think we were a 100.1 PDO team, which isn't insane. We probably finished right where we should have. It's not like we were a 101.8 PDO team like some of these one year wonder fluke teams. For comparisons sake, the Islanders had a 100.2 PDO, had a significantly lower team save percentage than us and still finished with 17 fewer points than we did. The Rangers finished with an even 100 PDO and finished 20 points behind us. Earlier in the season we were on pace to have a -100 or maybe even a -200 shot differential at season's end. We wound up with a -11 shot on goal differential, which isn't terrible. Not nearly as bad as Toronto or even Washington. I really think the biggest problem with the team is having Andy Greene playing all those minutes. Between that and the sharp decline in play from Schneider the last two seasons, those are my biggest worries going forward.

We could miss the playoffs next year, but I really don't think we'd be a lottery team, which to me implies a bottom 5-10 team in the league?

 

[Devils Dominion]

That's a great analysis.

I'm going to say again that I like K'Andre Miller a shade better than Bode Wilde at this point. I think Miller matches Wilde's upside but with a higher level of consistency and a steeper development curve over the past couple of seasons. But I think either of them would be a good pick at #17.

Your thoughts on Lundestrom?

 

[StevenToddIves]

Your thoughts on Lundestrom?

He's on my list of players I would not prefer the Devils to draft. While his speed/hockey IQ are sure to attract a Devils' brass which covets those attributes, I do not see him as a first-line scorer and I see him more as a LW than a C. Frankly, while Lundestrom is a very talented player with a bright future, he is a perimeter player who tends to shy away from physicality and dirty areas of the ice. The Devils drafted a very similar player last year in Jesper Boqvist.

While I have no doubt that Lundestrom will be a good NHL player, I don't see it in New Jersey. When the Devils step up to the podium at #17, there are likely to be talented players available at several positions of need. This is a deep draft at the hugest organizational hole of D -- and players like Smith, Wilde and Miller are all very high upside talents. If the Devils seek a future top line RW they can dream of playing with Hall & Nico, then Kravtsov, Bokk and Akili Thomas may all be around at #17. Even if they want a two-way, second line C they could have great options in Hayton and Ryan McLeod. But what the Devils most certainly don't need is another second-line LW -- behind Hall they already have Johansson, Bratt and soon Boqvist. And let's not forget C/LWs Zacha & Quenneville, also capable of filling that role.

I'm not saying don't draft the best available player due to positional need. Believe me, if LW Joel Farabee falls to #17 it would be tough to resist. But Lundestrom does not offer the offensive upside of Farabee.

 

[My3Sons]

The player Kravtsov actually reminds me of the most at the same age is Alexei Kovalev. Who became a pretty outstanding NHL-er.

Again, the players I am promoting the most at #17 are defensemen: Smith, Miller, Wilde, even Alexeyev. But that being said, it would be tough to argue a potential high-scoring top-line RW like Bokk or Kravtsov (whom I have ranked very closely).

I’m sure you are just talking style but a Kovalev at 17 would be a homerun for all the faults Kovy had.

 

[Devils Dominion]

He's on my list of players I would not prefer the Devils to draft. While his speed/hockey IQ are sure to attract a Devils' brass which covets those attributes, I do not see him as a first-line scorer and I see him more as a LW than a C. Frankly, while Lundestrom is a very talented player with a bright future, he is a perimeter player who tends to shy away from physicality and dirty areas of the ice. The Devils drafted a very similar player last year in Jesper Boqvist.

While I have no doubt that Lundestrom will be a good NHL player, I don't see it in New Jersey. When the Devils step up to the podium at #17, there are likely to be talented players available at several positions of need. This is a deep draft at the hugest organizational hole of D -- and players like Smith, Wilde and Miller are all very high upside talents. If the Devils seek a future top line RW they can dream of playing with Hall & Nico, then Kravtsov, Bokk and Akili Thomas may all be around at #17. Even if they want a two-way, second line C they could have great options in Hayton and Ryan McLeod. But what the Devils most certainly don't need is another second-line LW -- behind Hall they already have Johansson, Bratt and soon Boqvist. And let's not forget C/LWs Zacha & Quenneville, also capable of filling that role.

I'm not saying don't draft the best available player due to positional need. Believe me, if LW Joel Farabee falls to #17 it would be tough to resist. But Lundestrom does not offer the offensive upside of Farabee.

I don't like him either but saw him to us in two mocks already

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’m sure you are just talking style but a Kovalev at 17 would be a homerun for all the faults Kovy had.

Yeah, I absolutely think Kravtsov can be a high-scoring, first-line RW if he fulfills his enormous potential. I also think Akili Thomas and Bokk have first-line upside, though slightly below Kravtsov. Thomas is the safest pick of the three, because his maximum-effort style and outstanding skates would make him a great fit for a middle six RW/C, even if he does not develop into a top liner. We should probably talk about him a bit more on this thread in the future -- judging by Shero/Castron draft preferences, Thomas is certainly on the NJ radar.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don't like him either but saw him to us in two mocks already

Most mock drafts don't pay enough attention to the organizations they are mocking picks to. While Lundestrom is clearly the type of player (very fast, high hockey IQ) which attracts Shero/Castron, the Devils picked a very similar player last year at the same position(s) in Jesper Boqvist; and the Devils have two more similarly-styled players at the same position in MoJo and Bratt. I just can't see the Devils dipping over and over again into the same inkwell, so to speak. Especially when there will be higher-upside players available at #17.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Most mock drafts don't pay enough attention to the organizations they are mocking picks to. While Lundestrom is clearly the type of player (very fast, high hockey IQ) which attracts Shero/Castron, the Devils picked a very similar player last year at the same position(s) in Jesper Boqvist; and the Devils have two more similarly-styled players at the same position in MoJo and Bratt. I just can't see the Devils dipping over and over again into the same inkwell, so to speak. Especially when there will be higher-upside players available at #17.

Any chance Ty Smith falls?

I really like his game

 

[StevenToddIves]

Any chance Ty Smith falls?

I really like his game

Ohhhhh man would that be amazing. That kid is just unbelievable. Although my top two D are securely 1)Dahlin & 2)Hughes, the next group for me are very close with Smith, Boqvist, Bouchard, Dobson, Wilde and Miller. I think right now I would give Smith the slight edge in that group -- he's an incredible skater, he's extremely smart and competitive, he plays two ways, his vision/passing skills are tremendous. The only knocks on him are size related (5'10-180). In my mind, Smith is a future NHL all-star at the Devils' position of greatest need (LD).

But your question was regarding whether he could fall to #17. Unfortunately, I find it unlikely. Even if Smith fell into the mid-teens, he's the type of player that would be very attractive to Florida (#15) and Colorado (#16), both of which many pundits expect to draft blueliners.

I think the Devils would have to trade up a bit to have a shot at Smith. If he hypothetically fell past the Islanders #11 & #12 picks (Garth Snow does not have a history of drafting undersized D aside from a 7th round grab of David Quenneville in 2016), it might be possible to move up to Dallas' #13 pick. Since the Devils are lacking a second or third rounder to sweeten the pot, the cost for that move of four spots would certainly be one of the Devils' higher regarded prospects.

But again, this is all speculation. Someone always falls. Two years ago, many draft pundits had Jakob Chychrun going in the top 5 and he fell to #16. Three years ago Mathew Barzal and Kyle Connor were slam-dunks for the top 10 but fell to #16 & #17, respectively.

Ultimately, I agree with you wholeheartedly that if Smith somehow fell to the Devils at #17 it would be reason to pop open some champagne.