Prospect Info: The 2015 Draft Thread Part II

[HughJazz3dg]

What a perfect time for us to suck!

 

[njdevils1982]

Any non playoff team can get the 1st pick and the odds have increased outside of 30th in the league.

Next year it changes again with the 2nd overall getting put up to chance.

…and the 3rd also


the worst team can end up picking 4th

 

[Emperoreddy]

…and the 3rd also


the worst team can end up picking 4th

God I wish it was this year.

The chance of Edmonton and Buffalo missing out on both McDavid AND Eichel would of been amazing trolling.

 

[Zippy316]

I don't know if this was posted, but to put some perspective on why you can't look back at a draft and play the should've could've game that people like to do on here. Rich Chere had people ask questions which he asked Lamoriello and this is one of the more interesting ones I think, with an honest, insightful answer.

14. I remember watching the (2001) draft on tsn and I thought for sure Derek Roy was going to be selected 28th overall by the Devils. Why did the team pick Adrian Foster that high? From jon dieks

"At that time we had a real stockpile of young talent and where we were drafting we were looking to try and hit a home run. Adrian Foster and Dany Heatley were the top two midgets in Western Canada. We knew Foster was hurt that year, the whole year, so we took a chance. It didn't work out. It was a calculated risk with homework being done by our scouting staff and the western scouts. He and Dany were the top two midgets the prior year."

 

[Brooklyndevil]

If we're picking 8th or 9th, take Zacha if he's still there.

 

[Brodeur]

I have a buddy who grew up playing with Heatley/Foster. He was surprised when I brought up Foster's name a couple years ago. Buddy mentioned how Foster was way too reckless throwing around his body.

Gare Joyce has a book with a brief overview of the Foster pick. He mentioned that the Devils made the pick knowing that they could opt to not sign Foster and get the 58th pick in 2003 as compensation.

 

[Emperoreddy]

If we're picking 8th or 9th, take Zacha if he's still there.

Outside of a good trade I have no problem with this. About the best you can do at that spot of he is still on the board.

 

[MichaelJ]

Outside of a good trade I have no problem with this. About the best you can do at that spot of he is still on the board.

I'd be ecstatic.

 

[billingtons ghost]

Of course not. I am not happy with the product on the ice, but I don't lose sleep over it because the Devils are here for my enjoyment, not as my punching bag. There are also other posters on this board who take a similar perspective.

But for a lot of you, there's just an incessant dissatisfaction with almost everything that happens with the organization and an unwillingness to enjoy anything. People on here treat the Devils like a co-dependent relationship, micro-managing every little detail about something they can't control. Even when the team was successful this was still the case (people b****** the majority of the 11-12 season, before we had a good run at the end and in the playoffs).

 

[Devils1029]

I really want us to drop back down into the 4/5 range although it's going to be tough with the suckage being put forth by Toronto.

I really want us to draft Mitch Marner just so we can hear Lamoriello call him MAAAHHHHNER.


Alas, I fear we're going to be slotted where BPA is a D-Man even though Lou knows we need to pick a forward.

 

[glenwo2]

Outside of a good trade I have no problem with this. About the best you can do at that spot of he is still on the board.

Yep. I'm down for Zach...uhh....I mean Zach...with an A.


Zacha would definitely be the best of most likely the rest of what would be remaining if we end up toward the bottom of the Top 10 draft pick order.

 

[R8Devs]

zacha or rantanen is fine with me

 

[MichaelJ]

zacha or rantanen is fine with me

Two big players who can skate, pass, and score. Getting either would be a win.

 

[MichaelJ]

Yep. I'm down for Zach...uhh....I mean Zach...with an A.


Zacha would definitely be the best of most likely the rest of what would be remaining if we end up toward the bottom of the Top 10 draft pick order.

I wouldn't be the least bit disappointed.

 

[Devils Dominion]

zacha or rantanen is fine with me

My gut feeling is that Rantanen is going to be an impact player.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

My gut feeling is that Rantanen is going to be an impact player.

He certainly looked that way at the WJC, but I've seen so little of him compared to the CHL players that I wonder. I really like the general idea of taking Finns and Czechs, though. Both programs seem to be on the rise, and a lot of very good forwards are coming out of both programs at lower picks than you'd expect.

When you think about it, when was the last time we saw a really high-end Finnish forward come up through their program? There's a pretty long stretch where all we saw were goalies. Now we're seeing a lot of Finnish forwards beginning to make an impact like Salomaki, Granlund, Teravainen, Pulkkinen, Pakarinen, Barkov, and now Puljujarvi is being talked about as a possible first overall pick next season.

And on the Czech side, players like Pastrnak, Palat, Voracek, Hertl, seem to be a lot better than any Czech forwards to come up in recent memory. Maybe it's just selective memory, but I feel like these things follow a pattern as young players see stars in the NHL and think "I wanna be like that guy!"

 

[nugg]

zacha or rantanen is fine with me

I'd rather have Barzal, may have more upside.

 

[Tretyak 20]

When you think about it, when was the last time we saw a really high-end Finnish forward come up through their program

Next year we will.

I'd rather have Barzal, may have more upside.

Barzal is smallish, not great defensively and a pass-first setup man.I wouldn't hate the pick, but I'd take Zacha higher.

 

[Devils Dominion]

He certainly looked that way at the WJC, but I've seen so little of him compared to the CHL players that I wonder. I really like the general idea of taking Finns and Czechs, though. Both programs seem to be on the rise, and a lot of very good forwards are coming out of both programs at lower picks than you'd expect.

When you think about it, when was the last time we saw a really high-end Finnish forward come up through their program? There's a pretty long stretch where all we saw were goalies. Now we're seeing a lot of Finnish forwards beginning to make an impact like Salomaki, Granlund, Teravainen, Pulkkinen, Pakarinen, Barkov, and now Puljujarvi is being talked about as a possible first overall pick next season.

And on the Czech side, players like Pastrnak, Palat, Voracek, Hertl, seem to be a lot better than any Czech forwards to come up in recent memory. Maybe it's just selective memory, but I feel like these things follow a pattern as young players see stars in the NHL and think "I wanna be like that guy!"

I was praying for Pastrnak to drop to 30 last draft.
I'm still shocked that so many GMs passed on him.

He's already shown flashes of the world-class talent he possesses as an 18-yr old.
Boston made an excellent move in drafting Patty Elias Jr.

 

[AusDev]

Next year we will.



Barzal is smallish, not great defensively and a pass-first setup man.I wouldn't hate the pick, but I'd take Zacha higher.

Sounds a bit like Gomez.

 

[Hockey Sports Fan]

Next year we will.

Honestly, I think Barkov might already be that guy. He reminds me so much of Kopitar.

 

[Tretyak 20]

Sounds a bit like Gomez.

Probably not a bad comparison. I'm still hoping for one of Marner, Strome or Zacha, though. They are all players more likely to be able to create their own chances and finish them, too. But I'd take Barzal over Kyllington, Werenski or Crouse.

Honestly, I think Barkov might already be that guy. He reminds me so much of Kopitar.

I forgot about Barkov. He'll probably be a very good player.

 

[Emperoreddy]

zacha or rantanen is fine with me

He is a RW too. I wouldn't lose sleep over rantanen.

 

[Missionhockey]

Sounds a bit like Gomez.

That description fits a lot of forwards. Parise was billed as a Gomez like centerman when he was drafted. Gomez in his prime was a pretty unique player too.

 

[KovalSNIPE]

Just watched Rantanen WJC highlights, and wow he's better than I thought. Tell me if you have a better comparison, but he reminds me of Rick Nash a lot. Definitely could see Conte/Lou love him because of their current obsession to make us the eastern LA Kings.