Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Entry Draft Part II

[Jack Be Quick]

I respectfully disagree. Nico hit 20 goals and 52 points as a 18/19 year old rookie last season. This year he's on pace for around 25 goals and 60 points despite Taylor Hall being hurt for much of the campaign. His defensive game has also been terrific. There is no reason whatsoever to think he cannot become a 30-goal/85-point two-way force up the middle in the next season or two.

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

 

[MichaelJ]

I would take Byram over Podkolzin for a litany of reasons. Though Podkolzin has the upside to be a special player, there are those to think he will remain in Russia to develop for two to three more seasons. Also, if Podkolzin has one area to improve upon it's his skating, which is decent but far from a plus tool. Shero and Castron have shown a proclivity to draft with speed and tempo at the forefront of their wish-list. Lastly, and I know the "best available player" is a huge debate, but Podkolzin is a left-shooting winger, something the Devils are rich with organizationally. What the Devils really need to stock up on is pretty much everything else: defensemen, centers, right-shooting forwards.

Though Kakko is also a left-shooting winger, he would be impossible to pass up at #2 for the reasons that 1)he would make a considerable impact on the Devils next season and 2)he's a full talent tier above the player destined to be drafted at #3 overall.

I am extremely high on Bowen Byram. He is an outstanding skater, he's smart, he's competitive. He has the potential to be an absolute offensive force from the blueline, but he is much further along the development curve defensively than most offensive defensemen. Some of the other offensive defensemen that are high on some draft lists can be considered complete liabilities in their own zone (Broberg, Honka) while Byram is a physical, shut-down beast. Byram has no red flag, no liability whatsoever. His improvement curve over the 2018-19 season has been astounding, and he started the year as one of the top D in the WHL.

The idea of getting 20+ minutes per night at the ever-important LD position from Byram and Ty Smith a few years down the road is just tantalizing. Of course I would love to win a 1/2 slot and walk away from the draft with Hughes or Kakko, but if not I would say that Byram would be my choice.

I agree with everything, although after Kakko I can see the merits in taking Byram OR Cozens. The Devils couldn’t pass up a talent like Kakko. I’d be a little disappointed with just another LH forward to add to the mix, but Kakko would immediately become the Devils’s most valuable (age, salary, potential, obviously not the best...yet) and make another forward or two expendable for trade to improve other areas.

 

[Scooooooooooooot]

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

Toews, Bergeron, Kopitar have 6 cups combined playing that exact role.

 

[Nubmer6]

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

I think JT slots in as a 1C on almost any contender that doesn't have a generational talent like Mathews, McDavid or Crosby.

 

[MichaelJ]

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

There are other proper contenders that don’t have talents like Matthews at C where Tavares would be the top C.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Toews, Bergeron, Kopitar have 6 cups combined playing that exact role.

It's nice to see someone else agree with my opinion.

Bergeron - Seguin, the rat, Krejci. Oh, and what have they won since Tyler left?

Toews - Kane and Hossa

Kopi - perhaps this is the exception of just a solid lineup top to bottom with plenty of guys playing over their heads.

Regardless, the point stands. 3 monster forwards.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

This can't be a serious post....

 

[Jack Be Quick]

There are other proper contenders that don’t have talents like Matthews at C where Tavares would be the top C.

There sure are. Which is why I qualified my statement by saying that San Jose and Nashville could have me reevaluate my opinion.

But every other real contender this season have all stars on the top 2 lines.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

I know there are plenty of other great prospects from 5-10 but my excitement level for Hughes, Kakko, and Byram is >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the other prospects. I want one of those 3 so bad haha

 

[SteveCangialosi123]

Except you don't disagree.

A ppg defensively sound center on a bad-bubble team is John Tavares. Who just so happens to slot in as a 2C on a proper contender.

lol wut. John Tavares is obviously good enough to be the top center on a cup winning team.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

There are other proper contenders that don’t have talents like Matthews at C where Tavares would be the top C.

Perhaps not guys as good as Matthews, but plenty who JT would be behind.

Scheifle
Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Point
Backstrom
Kuz
Bergeron
Monahan
Aho
Barzal

Cheers.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

lol wut. John Tavares is obviously good enough to be the top center on a cup winning team.

He sure is.

If there's another JT on the 2nd line and a Taylor Hall on one of the wings.

Which is all my initial point was.

 

[MichaelJ]

Perhaps not guys as good as Matthews, but plenty who JT would be behind.

Scheifle
Crosby
Malkin
Stamkos
Point
Backstrom
Kuz
Bergeron
Monahan
Aho
Barzal

Cheers.

Tavares isn’t playing behind half of those players. Let it go. Cheers.

 

[MichaelJ]

There sure are. Which is why I qualified my statement by saying that San Jose and Nashville could have me reevaluate my opinion.

But every other real contender this season have all stars on the top 2 lines.

Those are two separate points.

- Hischier could absolutely be the 1C on a proper contender playing elite defense and generating 85+ points.

- The Devils need more than Hischier playing at that level. No one argued that they wouldn’t lol.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Tavares isn’t playing behind half of those players. Let it go. Cheers.

Half?

That all depends on how they're coached.

But no one who appreciates their job would plop him on the 1st line regularly over at least 3/4 of that list.

 

[devilsblood]

He sure is.

If there's another JT on the 2nd line and a Taylor Hall on one of the wings.

Which is all my initial point was.

No one player is ever going to carry a team to a Cup. Even the best players to ever play the game need a high quality supporting cast.

 

[Jack Be Quick]

Those are two separate points.

- Hischier could absolutely be the 1C on a proper contender playing elite defense and generating 85+ points.

- The Devils need more than Hischier playing at that level. No one argued that they wouldn’t lol.

Read the full trajectory.

Regardless, I'm just going to take MichaelJ's advice.

 

[devilsblood]

I agree with everything, although after Kakko I can see the merits in taking Byram OR Cozens. The Devils couldn’t pass up a talent like Kakko. I’d be a little disappointed with just another LH forward to add to the mix, but Kakko would immediately become the Devils’s most valuable (age, salary, potential, obviously not the best...yet) and make another forward or two expendable for trade to improve other areas.

We do have organizational depth, but we could use a top 6 LW.

Bratt could be that, or he could continue to play RW. With Mojo gone we did lose top end talent at that position.

 

[devilsblood]

I would take Byram over Podkolzin for a litany of reasons. Though Podkolzin has the upside to be a special player, there are those to think he will remain in Russia to develop for two to three more seasons. Also, if Podkolzin has one area to improve upon it's his skating, which is decent but far from a plus tool. Shero and Castron have shown a proclivity to draft with speed and tempo at the forefront of their wish-list. Lastly, and I know the "best available player" is a huge debate, but Podkolzin is a left-shooting winger, something the Devils are rich with organizationally. What the Devils really need to stock up on is pretty much everything else: defensemen, centers, right-shooting forwards.

Though Kakko is also a left-shooting winger, he would be impossible to pass up at #2 for the reasons that 1)he would make a considerable impact on the Devils next season and 2)he's a full talent tier above the player destined to be drafted at #3 overall.

I am extremely high on Bowen Byram. He is an outstanding skater, he's smart, he's competitive. He has the potential to be an absolute offensive force from the blueline, but he is much further along the development curve defensively than most offensive defensemen. Some of the other offensive defensemen that are high on some draft lists can be considered complete liabilities in their own zone (Broberg, Honka) while Byram is a physical, shut-down beast. Byram has no red flag, no liability whatsoever. His improvement curve over the 2018-19 season has been astounding, and he started the year as one of the top D in the WHL.

The idea of getting 20+ minutes per night at the ever-important LD position from Byram and Ty Smith a few years down the road is just tantalizing. Of course I would love to win a 1/2 slot and walk away from the draft with Hughes or Kakko, but if not I would say that Byram would be my choice.

Would you consider trading the #2 if we were to get it?

Would that be a legit consideration? Ie would teams be willing to ante up to take Kakko?

 

[LoktionovMVP]

JT not a 1c? I've seen it all folks

 

[MichaelJ]

We do have organizational depth, but we could use a top 6 LW.

Bratt could be that, or he could continue to play RW. With Mojo gone we did lose top end talent at that position.

I agree, that’s why just any LH forward (Turcotte, Zegras, Krebs, etc) would be a little disappointing but Kakko would be great. I just view him as more of a sure thing than the others.

 

[Nubmer6]

Would you consider trading the #2 if we were to get it?

Would that be a legit consideration? Ie would teams be willing to ante up to take Kakko?

I want Byram so bad that I'd trade #2 *IF* we could still get him AND get a very, VERY good young forward. I'd even throw in one of our LHD (other than Smith).

 

[devilsblood]

I agree, that’s why just any LH forward (Turcotte, Zegras, Krebs, etc) would be a little disappointing but Kakko would be great. I just view him as more of a sure thing than the others.

Even though I posted the above, I think we are in the same boat, I actually prefer Byram, or even Cozens.

Wouldn't pick those guys at two, but I'd be willing to trade down to 3 or 4 for sure. Or lower yet if we really like Turcotte or Zegras.

 

[devilsblood]

JT not a 1c? I've seen it all folks

Well he is, on a team that blows bubbles.

 

[MichaelJ]

Even though I posted the above, I think we are in the same boat, I actually prefer Byram, or even Cozens.

Wouldn't pick those guys at two, but I'd be willing to trade down to 3 or 4 for sure. Or lower yet if we really like Turcotte or Zegras.

Seems like we are. I’m not against a trade down if Shero can really squeeze a team. If they believe in one of the lower tier guys and can get another valuable young player as well it might make sense.