Prospect Info: The 2014 Draft Thread!

[Status Quo*]

Still trying to cop cheapish tickets to Day 1. Anyone have any connections?

Best bet is to just show up outside the arena. It was impossible to get tickets last year, but when I went to the arena, there were a bunch of people outside giving theirs away.

 

[Traitor Zach]

Really like the range that starts in the low 20s up to the late 40s.

Makes me confident in that there will be some interesting picks. I think this is going to be one of those drafts where there's a bunch of real good players that play in the NHL, but they're peppered throughout the rounds.

I'm not sure what Conte will advise. Considering the Lou-BC love, I wouldn't put it past us to maybe take Demko at 41.

Lot of the names we've been talking about fall into an average range near us. Makes me again confident that we'll nab at least one of those guys.

 

[SeidoN]

Ho-Sang just looks like such a fantastic offensive player. if we could reign him in and get him playing the team game too, he could be amazing

 

[Brooklyndevil]

I'd be happy with Lemieux and Cornel with our first two picks.

 

[NJD1982]

If Pettersson falls to 41, do we take him?

 

[JimEIV]

I can't recall a prospect I really wanted the devils to draft...I was excited for Larsson, but that was different. I really want Lemieux .

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I'm hoping the "Russian go-home factor" causes Barbashev to fall to pick 30.

 

[Lateralous]

If Pettersson falls to 41, do we take him?

I would be all over that. Seems like all the kid needs is a few summers in the weight room to be a 2nd pairing D-man.

 

[tycobb]

Going by McKenzie list here are the 25-35 range

25. McKeown - D
26. Schmaltz - C
27. Demko - G
28. Kempe - LW
29. Bleackley - C
30. Ho-Sang - C
31. DeAngelo - D
32. Quenneville - C
33. Lemieux - LW
34. MacInnis - C
35. Dougherty - D

It looks like we will have a good choice of skill wingers. Kempe sticks out to me since Craig Button has him as his #10.

Excellent skater with speed and quickness and he uses it to get to openings and to back off defenders. Excellent sense for the game and what is necessary and with his multitude of talents, he can deliver. A team player through and through.

6'2'' - 187 lbs

 

[BrodeursCups]

Would have no problems with Kempe, Lemieux, Ho-Sang. If Ho-Sang slid all the way to 30 can you pass him up? The skills are undeniable.

Of course, Schmaltz is at the top of my list but that goes without saying

 

[tycobb]

43. Vladislav Kamenev is another wow.

Button has him at #12. 6'2'' 198 lbs

Protypical centre who can play everywhere on the ice with skills, smarts and comeptitiveness. He reads the play exceptionally well and he has the ability to produce in the crucial moments. Contributes everywhere in game.

Sign me up for a Kempe (30) and Kamenev (41)

 

[devilsblood]

43. Vladislav Kamenev is another wow.

Button has him at #12. 6'2'' 198 lbs



Sign me up for a Kempe (30) and Kamenev (41)

Man a winger AND a center? With out first 2 picks? I feel like it's too much to ask.

 

[elindholm]

Not sure why, but I'll be a nervous wreck when Lou/Conte are walking up to the podium. Afraid they'll go for a goaltender or a D-man.

I don't believe there are any N. Lidstroms out there. Let's let Stevens turn Larss into a Lidstrom.

 

[elindholm]

Not sure why, but I'll be a nervous wreck when Lou/Conte are walking up to the podium. Afraid they'll go for a goaltender or a D-man.

I don't believe there are any N. Lidstroms out there. Let's let Stevens turn Larss into a Lidstrom.

I mean at #30

 

[Devils Dominion]

Going by McKenzie list here are the 25-35 range

25. McKeown - D
26. Schmaltz - C
27. Demko - G
28. Kempe - LW
29. Bleackley - C
30. Ho-Sang - C
31. DeAngelo - D
32. Quenneville - C
33. Lemieux - LW
34. MacInnis - C
35. Dougherty - D

It looks like we will have a good choice of skill wingers. Kempe sticks out to me since Craig Button has him as his #10.



6'2'' - 187 lbs

If Conte drafts Kempe at 30, he mental health status should be evaluated.
We can do much better at that spot.
At 41, maybe, but I'd still rather see us go for more offensively gifted forwards-not a banger.

I like Button but he's way off with Kempe in the Top-10.

 

[Unknown Caller]

If Conte drafts Kempe at 30, he mental health status should be evaluated.
We can do much better at that spot.
At 41, maybe, but I'd still rather see us go for more offensively gifted forwards-not a banger.

I like Button but he's way off with Kempe in the Top-10.

Kempe would be a steal at 30, he's been a consensus top 15-20 guy all year.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Kempe would be a steal at 30, he's been a consensus top 15-20 guy all year.

He's not a top-30 guy on my list.

Josefson was a a top-20 guy too, in popular opinion by Central Scouting.

 

[nugg]

Not sure why, but I'll be a nervous wreck when Lou/Conte are walking up to the podium. Afraid they'll go for a goaltender or a D-man.

I don't believe there are any N. Lidstroms out there. Let's let Stevens turn Larss into a Lidstrom.

If he can turn him into another Stevens, all will be well

 

[Devils1029]

Two very gifted, offensive players are dropping to he 28-40 range because of "character flaws" in Ho Sang and DeAngelo an two others because of size concerns in Goldobin and Point.

I like the idea of one "safer" pick with a sure fire NHLer and then taking a shot on a higher risk/higher reward type of guy with the other top 41 pick.

Character issues are often just immaturity (see Merrill) as long as they have good smarts and think the game at a high level.

At #30: Risks: Ho Sang, Goldobin, DeAngelo.
At #30: Safer: Lemieux, MacGinnis, Quenville, Bleakley

At #41: Risks: Kamanev, Donato, Point, any risks from above who fall
At #41: Safer: Pollack, Doherty, Karlsson, any safer from above who fall

At #71: Kirkland, Dvorak, Foegele, Karabacek if any of these guys are still there.

Might even hope that we move down a few spots from 41 to 45-46 and try to pick up another mid 3rd rounder since we don't have a 4th and not much talent drop off between 40 and 50 unless there is a dropper we might be able to step up and grab at #41.

 

[nugg]

Two very gifted, offensive players are dropping to he 28-40 range because of "character flaws" in Ho Sang and DeAngelo an two others because of size concerns in Goldobin and Point.

I like the idea of one "safer" pick with a sure fire NHLer and then taking a shot on a higher risk/higher reward type of guy with the other top 41 pick.

Character issues are often just immaturity (see Merrill) as long as they have good smarts and think the game at a high level.

At #30: Risks: Ho Sang, Goldobin, DeAngelo.
At #30: Safer: Lemieux, MacGinnis, Quenville, Bleakley

At #41: Risks: Kamanev, Donato, Point, any risks from above who fall
At #41: Safer: Pollack, Doherty, Karlsson, any safer from above who fall

At #71: Kirkland, Dvorak, Foegele, Karabacek if any of these guys are still there.

Foegele and Shmaltz, what great picks they would be for the fans who know some yiddish

 

[New Jersey Devils]

What a odd draft this is. There are a lot of rankings that differ from each other, even within the first round. Not just saying this, but this was probably the best draft we could afford to forfeit.

 

[Devils Dominion]

What a odd draft this is. There are a lot of rankings that differ from each other, even within the first round. Not just saying this, but this was probably the best draft we could afford to forfeit.

It sure is a wide open draft pool.
And to me, that means opportunity to get good talent.

Since there is not a general consensus after the Top-5, if Conte and his beleaguered staff have done their homework, we could walk away with at least 3 promising prospects come Saturday night.

 

[Devils Dominion]

If Pettersson falls to 41, do we take him?

I wouldn't even consider him if my name was Lou Conte.

He's not dynamic enough to justify taking yet another 2-way defenseman.
Now if McKeown fell to 41, yes, draft him if most of the targeted forwards are already off the board.

 

[Unknown Caller]

He's not a top-30 guy on my list.

Josefson was a a top-20 guy too, in popular opinion by Central Scouting.

There's almost no video of Kempe available online. I would love to know how your "evaluation" of him has any legitimacy. Unless you're flying to Sweden and watching the u20 league, I doubt you have any kind of reliable data on him besides a one paragraph blurb in a magazine.

 

[tycobb]

There's almost no video of Kempe available online. I would love to know how your "evaluation" of him has any legitimacy. Unless you're flying to Sweden and watching the u20 league, I doubt you have any kind of reliable data on him besides a one paragraph blurb in a magazine.

Ding! Ding! Ding!