Prospect Info: Way Too Early Devils-Centric Mock Draft For February

[StevenToddIves]

Umm....

You have Raymond twice and no Drysdale

The first Raymond was intended to be a Drysdale. Editing. Sheesh.

 

[glenwo2]

The first Raymond was intended to be a Drysdale. Editing. Sheesh.

Or maybe Everybody Loves Raymond?

 

[Nubmer6]

For me the worst case scenario is Arizona wins the lottery, Vancouver misses the playoffs and we pick in the 11-15 range, miss Quinn and have to ”settle” for a less exciting prospect. There are many great guys at that range, but without a top10 pick to go with them, I couldn’t help to be disappointed.

Just imagine this for a second...

Vancouver misses this year and the pick is pushed to an unprotected first in 2021, where we hit the 2nd pick in the lottery and snag Luke Hughes out from under the Canuck's noses.

Can you just IMAGINE the rage on their board???

 

[StevenToddIves]

not to mention he’s still so young, July 2002 birthday and i feel like he has gotten so confident as this year has gone on. I have been wanting Sanderson since we started the original draft thread so i would be thrilled to get him with one of our picks. Think your analysis is very on point, also Jack Quinn with goal 50 and 51 today...

Yeah, I had Quinn in my top 10 I think as early as anyone. I think we can at least partly chalk that up to the fact that, as a draft guy with a Devils slant, I pay more attention to the Ottawa 67s than most people who do what I do. The kid is just a deadly scorer, with a terrific shot and outstanding hands. What I really like about him is, while many snipers rely on their goal-scoring at such a young age and develop sub-par all-around games, Quinn is very good in all facets of the game. He's good in space and good in tight areas and around the walls, he skates very well and has excellent vision, he's very smart and has a fantastic two-way game, he's not soft and has a very projectable frame. I think he's a first-line, high-scoring winger at the NHL level, and that's why I'm slotting him at #10 overall.

 

[Nubmer6]

Yeah, I had Quinn in my top 10 I think as early as anyone. I think we can at least partly chalk that up to the fact that, as a draft guy with a Devils slant, I pay more attention to the Ottawa 67s than most people who do what I do. The kid is just a deadly scorer, with a terrific shot and outstanding hands. What I really like about him is, while many snipers rely on their goal-scoring at such a young age and develop sub-par all-around games, Quinn is very good in all facets of the game. He's good in space and good in tight areas and around the walls, he skates very well and has excellent vision, he's very smart and has a fantastic two-way game, he's not soft and has a very projectable frame. I think he's a first-line, high-scoring winger at the NHL level, and that's why I'm slotting him at #10 overall.

Just curious... what stands out with Holtz that makes him universally ranked higher than Quinn? Better shot?

 

[StevenToddIves]

I've been doing some research today and think I'm ready for my first top 20:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Rossi
5 Drysdale
6 Holtz
7 Raymond
8 Perfetti
9 Sanderson
10 Quinn
11 Mysak
12 Lundell
13 Amirov
14 Schneider
15 Zary
16 Mercer
17 Holloway
18 Mukhamadullin
19 Askarov
20 Guhle

 

[StevenToddIves]

Just curious... what stands out with Holtz that makes him universally ranked higher than Quinn? Better shot?

Yes.

They're both rare, goal-scoring wingers with advanced all-around games and a lack of weaknesses. They are both top 10 talents in pretty much any draft year, in my mind. But Holtz's shot is downright ridiculous. He can shoot a can of tuna through a shark tank.

An interesting question in my mind is this: let's say the Devils pick first in the #6-#8 range, and they take Holtz (who would be an incredible pick there). Then, the Devils draft at #11-#13 and Quinn is still on the board. Do you take them both, even though they're both goal-scoring RWs? I'm a big believer in Best Available Player, so I would probably take Quinn anyway. But if a top center like Zary or Mysak or LW like Amirov were also on the board, it would make it a tougher decision.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Here's a mini-mock for 3/8, then I'm done for the day:

1 DET Lafreniere
2 LA Byfield
3 OTT Stutzle
4 OTT Holtz
5 ANH Drysdale
6 BUF Raymond
7 NJ Rossi
8 CHI Perfetti
9 MTL Sanderson
10 NJ Quinn
11 MIN Lundell
12 WPG Zary
13 NSH Mercer
14 FLA Amirov
15 NYR Gunler
16 NJ Holloway
17 CBJ Perreault
18 CGY Jarvis
19 CAR Mysak
20 OTT Schneider

 

[glenwo2]

Here's a mini-mock for 3/8, then I'm done for the day:

1 DET Lafreniere
2 LA Byfield
3 OTT Stutzle
4 OTT Holtz
5 ANH Drysdale
6 BUF Raymond
7 NJ Rossi
8 CHI Perfetti
9 MTL Sanderson
10 NJ Quinn
11 MIN Lundell
12 WPG Zary
13 NSH Mercer
14 FLA Amirov
15 NYR Gunler
16 NJ Holloway
17 CBJ Perreault
18 CGY Jarvis
19 CAR Mysak
20 OTT Schneider

Man....I envy Ottawa for having back-to-back Top-5 picks in a Draft like this one.

 

[FooteBahl]

Man....I envy Ottawa for having back-to-back Top-5 picks in a Draft like this one.

I predict we’ll have the 7th and 8th picks which isn’t bad at all with Jack and Nico in the mix. I’d rather be us than Ottawa.

I also predicted I would marry a 5’11” Swedish volley ball player...didn’t work out too well for me.

 

[BurntToast]

Honestly outside of baseball, hockey has to be one of the hardest drafts to get right. There were rumors that they Devils were going to take a defenseman over Nico/Nolan and we would of rioted, but it would of turned out pretty well.

I feel bad for Kakko and Hughes. The notion that 1OA and 2OA picks have play right away is stupid. Both should of been sent down after their slow starts.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Send him where? You send a player down when they are clearly overwhelmed. That isn’t the case with Hughes.

His lack of points isn’t due to a lack of chances.

 

[glenwo2]

Honestly outside of baseball, hockey has to be one of the hardest drafts to get right. There were rumors that they Devils were going to take a defenseman over Nico/Nolan and we would of rioted, but it would of turned out pretty well.

I feel bad for Kakko and Hughes. The notion that 1OA and 2OA picks have play right away is stupid. Both should of been sent down after their slow starts.

Jack has to get in the weight room to put on some muscle so he's not thrown around like a ragdoll as much.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Send him where? You send a player down when they are clearly overwhelmed. That isn’t the case with Hughes.

His lack of points isn’t due to a lack of chances.

I disagree. Hughes clearly has a lot of skill, but he makes the wrong decision a lot. That's a good sign, because it means he can learn, but he could probably have made some decent progress in the AHL this year. Time will tell if matters or not, I'm leaning towards saying it won't because his issues are all decision making and lack of strength. That said, it would have been completely defensible to send him down this year.

In regards to this thread, I love the way it's shaping out that the higher impact tiers seem to shake out well with where our picks will be. Might be able to look back on this one as a turning point.

 

[SYWTom]

Here's a mini-mock for 3/8, then I'm done for the day:

1 DET Lafreniere
2 LA Byfield
3 OTT Stutzle
4 OTT Holtz
5 ANH Drysdale
6 BUF Raymond
7 NJ Rossi
8 CHI Perfetti
9 MTL Sanderson
10 NJ Quinn
11 MIN Lundell
12 WPG Zary
13 NSH Mercer
14 FLA Amirov
15 NYR Gunler
16 NJ Holloway
17 CBJ Perreault
18 CGY Jarvis
19 CAR Mysak
20 OTT Schneider

I think I’d be very happy with that, but also happy if they grabbed Mysak instead of Holloway and because of my limited viewings of Rossi taking Perfetti wouldn’t be awful as he is a game changer IMO.

 

[Spoiled Bratt]

Send him where? You send a player down when they are clearly overwhelmed. That isn’t the case with Hughes.

His lack of points isn’t due to a lack of chances.

Jack Hughes should’ve played a year in the NCAA. If he killed it down there, fine, his confidence would’ve been through the roof entering his rookie camp but the jump he made from the NTDP to the NHL was setting him up for failure in his rookie season. Even his play at the WC wasn’t convincing and that was a tournament where the competition wasn’t as good as what he was about to face in the NHL and his line mates were way better then what he was going to get in NJ.

Let’s stop acting like he’s playing great. He’s just 18 years old and he’s a little in over his head but that’s ok. The kid has amazing potential and that’s exactly why he was selected 1st overall.

I think we have a gem on our hands but I think we rushed him because he’s a 1st overall pick and because we needed as much help as possible to "convince" ownership (and Hall to a lesser degree) we were heading in the right direction.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

And who might that be, if I may ask?

gusev

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Yes.

They're both rare, goal-scoring wingers with advanced all-around games and a lack of weaknesses. They are both top 10 talents in pretty much any draft year, in my mind. But Holtz's shot is downright ridiculous. He can shoot a can of tuna through a shark tank.

An interesting question in my mind is this: let's say the Devils pick first in the #6-#8 range, and they take Holtz (who would be an incredible pick there). Then, the Devils draft at #11-#13 and Quinn is still on the board. Do you take them both, even though they're both goal-scoring RWs? I'm a big believer in Best Available Player, so I would probably take Quinn anyway. But if a top center like Zary or Mysak or LW like Amirov were also on the board, it would make it a tougher decision.

I would take quinn still and it's not even close.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Let’s stop acting like he’s playing great. He’s just 18 years old and he’s a little in over his head but that’s ok. The kid has amazing potential and that’s exactly why he was selected 1st overall.

This. Please stop acting like he's been playing amazing, he really hasn't. That's the truth. He is struggling, but his skill is just so good that it doesn't look like it. This doesn't mean it's the end of the world though.

 

[MichaelJ]

I'd be disappointed too, although it could be interesting to have TWO unprotected 1sts next year where it LOOKS like it may be Defenseman heavy.

Carson Lambos

 

[MichaelJ]

I would take quinn still and it's not even close.

It wouldn’t be the worst thing to have both Top6 RW spots locked down for a decade with goal-scoring machines

 

[Alex NJD]

Trying to make sure I don't fall in love with any prospect in the 3-8 tier. Feel like 3-10 has gone in random order these last 3 drafts. Compared to 2015 and 2016 were aside from a pick or two everyone was picked where they were projected

 

[Emperoreddy]

Trying to make sure I don't fall in love with any prospect in the 3-8 tier. Feel like 3-10 has gone in random order these last 3 drafts. Compared to 2015 and 2016 were aside from a pick or two everyone was picked where they were projected

I have failed at trying not to fall in love with Rossi and Quinn. I want one of them at least.

I blame having so many damn prospects on that team so I actually try to follow them. Quinn is the pure goal scoring prospect we absolutely need.

 

[Emperoreddy]

We are two points from pushing ourselves to #9 and we have games in hand on Chicago and Montreal. Next would be #10 and the insanity of passing Arizona.

canucks are also holding on by a thread so that third pick this year is in danger.

 

[BurntToast]

Hate to say it but after all is said and done the Taylor Hall trade sucks. It’s crazy that Coleman can get a first and top prospect, but Hall got this complicated mess of picks. I have nothing against the prospects in the trade, but Shero put himself in a bad spot trying to trade him early. Shero getting fired made sense to me.