Prospect Info: 2020 Devils-Centric Mock Draft 1.0

[StevenToddIves]

Okay, we know what we don't know, which is what order the draft is actually going to happen in. But I figured now would be a perfect time to get the dialogue going, using the order that's not going to be the order. I feel I'm talking like a drunken Zen priest, but that's what 2020 has done to me.

I'm a bit busy today with fiction stuff and making my website, so I'm not going to include my player descriptions and reasons for the picks, I'm just going to list them. Any questions you have, just put them in the comments section and I'll get to them ASAP. For those who don't know me, I love debate -- if you think I'm a knucklehead for attaching any player to any team, feel free to call me out.

1)MTL -- LW Alex Lafreniere
2)LA -- C Quinton Byfield
3)OTT -- C/LW Tim Stutzle
4)DET -- LW/C Cole Perfetti
5)OTT -- RW Alexander Holtz
6)ANH -- LD Jake Sanderson
7)DEVILS -- RD Jamie Drysdale
8)BUF -- C Marco Rossi
9)CHI -- W Lucas Raymond
10)DEVILS -- RW Jack Quinn
11)MIN -- LD Kaiden Guhle
12)WPG -- RW/C Dawson Mercer
13)NYR -- C Anton Lundell
14)FLA -- C Connor Zary
15)CLB -- RW Jacob Perreault
16)CGY -- G Yaroslav Askarov
17)DEVILS -- LW Rodion Amirov
18)NSH -- RD Braden Schneider
19)CAR -- LW/C Dylan Holloway
20)EDM -- RW/C Seth Jarvis
21)OTT -- LD Ryan O'Rourke
22)DAL -- RW Noel Gunler
23)NYR -- RD Helge Grans
24)MIN -- C Hendrix Lapierre
25)PHI -- C/RW Mavrik Bourque
26)SJ -- LW JJ Peterka
27)COL -- C/LW Jan Mysak
28)VEG -- RD Justin Barron
29)WSH -- C Marat Khusnutdinov
30)STL -- C Ridley Greig
31)ANH -- LD William Wallinder

To quickly explain the Devils picks, I think if either Drysdale or Schneider fall to #7, that's whom the Devils will pick. In this scenario, it was Drysdale. Obviously, the Devils have seen a ton of Jack Quinn on the Ottawa 67s, but still I really struggled whether the Devils would take Quinn or Mercer at #10. I went Quinn not because of familiarity, but because he is more of a pure goal-scorer, which is precisely what Hischier and Hughes need to be surrounded by. This being said, I think all-around Mercer is just as good a player. At #17, my choice for the Devils essentially came down to Amirov vs. Jarvis with a chance of Lapierre. Again, I only went Amirov because he is the purest goal-scorer off the wing of the three players mentioned. I think the best player of those three is Lapierre, but he comes with tremendous injury risk (multiple concussions), and then it's pretty much a coin flip deciding who's better between Amirov and Jarvis.

Click to read more...

 

[Pitaya]

If we got Drysdale and Quinn id lose my shit

And by that I mean after I shit myself and sprint around the house - Id need to search the house for it so it doesnt smell later on

Quinn has size and goal scoring at 10 and Drysdale is the faller we need. Though I think its a pipe dream - I think Raymond could fall below Quinn and Drysdale goes to Ottawa

 

[StevenToddIves]

If we got Drysdale and Quinn id lose my shit

And by that I mean after I shit myself and sprint around the house - Id need to search the house for it so it doesnt smell later on

Quinn has size and goal scoring at 10 and Drysdale is the faller we need. Though I think its a pipe dream - I think Raymond could fall below Quinn and Drysdale goes to Ottawa

Maybe you should just, like... not eat for a couple of days leading up to the draft.

 

[Pitaya]

Maybe you should just, like... not eat for a couple of days leading up to the draft.

In all seriousness thats what’ll happen because I’ll have read 100 more mock drafts the days leading up and forget to eat and drink

 

[Darkauron]

Id run all the way to the bank with that draft

 

[Brooklyndevil]

Okay, we know what we don't know, which is what order the draft is actually going to happen in. But I figured now would be a perfect time to get the dialogue going, using the order that's not going to be the order. I feel I'm talking like a drunken Zen priest, but that's what 2020 has done to me.

I'm a bit busy today with fiction stuff and making my website, so I'm not going to include my player descriptions and reasons for the picks, I'm just going to list them. Any questions you have, just put them in the comments section and I'll get to them ASAP. For those who don't know me, I love debate -- if you think I'm a knucklehead for attaching any player to any team, feel free to call me out.

1)MTL -- LW Alex Lafreniere
2)LA -- C Quinton Byfield
3)OTT -- C/LW Tim Stutzle
4)DET -- LW/C Cole Perfetti
5)OTT -- RW Alexander Holtz
6)ANH -- LD Jake Sanderson
7)DEVILS -- RD Jamie Drysdale
8)BUF -- C Marco Rossi
9)CHI -- W Lucas Raymond
10)DEVILS -- RW Jack Quinn
11)MIN -- LD Kaiden Guhle
12)WPG -- RW/C Dawson Mercer
13)NYR -- C Anton Lundell
14)FLA -- C Connor Zary
15)CLB -- RW Jacob Perreault
16)CGY -- G Yaroslav Askarov
17)DEVILS -- LW Rodion Amirov
18)NSH -- RD Braden Schneider
19)CAR -- LW/C Dylan Holloway
20)EDM -- RW/C Seth Jarvis
21)OTT -- LD Ryan O'Rourke
22)DAL -- RW Noel Gunler
23)NYR -- RD Helge Grans
24)MIN -- C Hendrix Lapierre
25)PHI -- C/RW Mavrik Bourque
26)SJ -- LW JJ Peterka
27)COL -- C/LW Jan Mysak
28)VEG -- RD Justin Barron
29)WSH -- C Marat Khusnutdinov
30)STL -- C Ridley Greig
31)ANH -- LD William Wallinder

To quickly explain the Devils picks, I think if either Drysdale or Schneider fall to #7, that's whom the Devils will pick. In this scenario, it was Drysdale. Obviously, the Devils have seen a ton of Jack Quinn on the Ottawa 67s, but still I really struggled whether the Devils would take Quinn or Mercer at #10. I went Quinn not because of familiarity, but because he is more of a pure goal-scorer, which is precisely what Hischier and Hughes need to be surrounded by. This being said, I think all-around Mercer is just as good a player. At #17, my choice for the Devils essentially came down to Amirov vs. Jarvis with a chance of Lapierre. Again, I only went Amirov because he is the purest goal-scorer off the wing of the three players mentioned. I think the best player of those three is Lapierre, but he comes with tremendous injury risk (multiple concussions), and then it's pretty much a coin flip deciding who's better between Amirov and Jarvis.

I’ll take Holloway or Zary, if he drops wit our second pick, if we have it.

I agree about Holloway. He’s a leader and an excellent two way player with size. Something the team needs. We have to many small wingers that’s another reason I wouldn’t move Wood now.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’ll take Holloway or Zary, if he drops wit our second pick, if we have it.

In my scenario, Zary was already off the board when the Devils picked 17th. As far as Holloway goes -- well, there's a lot to love. He has an extremely high floor as a mid-six, two-way physical forward. The questions with Holloway all begin and end with his offensive upside. Even his biggest proponents seems to think he is a a second-line LW -- albeit one with physicality, character and a terrific all-around game.

Seeing as the Devils are going to seriously need goal-scoring wingers for Hischier and Hughes in the upcoming years, I instead went with two of the best-goal scorers in this draft, RW Jack Quinn and LW Rodion Amirov.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Drysdale falling to us would be a dream scenario but the nightmare begins when Rossi is still available as well and I only have a few minutes to make a decision. As much as we need high end defensemen, I have absolutely fallen in love with Rossi and think he will be one of the most successful players from this top 10.

 

[My3Sons]

Drysdale falling to us would be a dream scenario but the nightmare begins when Rossi is still available as well and I only have a few minutes to make a decision. As much as we need high end defensemen, I have absolutely fallen in love with Rossi and think he will be one of the most successful players from this top 10.

That’s where you have to trust your scouting and the order of your list. Hopefully Castron and the scouts have it right. As someone said previously you almost have to try to screw up in the top seven to not get an excellent player.

 

[Pitaya]

Turns out Quinn doesnt have size - one website I use had him at 6’1” but hes 5’1”

Either way hes still right below that tier of forwards at 7 and im taking Drysdale over them every time. Sanderson Id only take over Raymond and Perfetti (only because hes another passer whos small and we need scorers and some size)

 

[StevenToddIves]

Drysdale falling to us would be a dream scenario but the nightmare begins when Rossi is still available as well and I only have a few minutes to make a decision. As much as we need high end defensemen, I have absolutely fallen in love with Rossi and think he will be one of the most successful players from this top 10.

Rossi is awesome. Drysdale and Sanderson are also awesome. At some point, I think we all just need to let go and be happy with whomever the Devils get instead of sweating whomever the Devils do not get.

Unless they completely lose their minds, the Devils are going to come out of the 2020 draft with two franchise cornerstones and another potential all-star. There is a lot to be excited about. If we get Drysdale at #7 and Rossi goes #8 to the Sabres, I'm going to root for Drysdale to become a superstar with us and Rossi to become a superstar with Buffalo.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Turns out Quinn doesnt have size - one website I use had him at 6’1” but hes 5’1”

Either way hes still right below that tier of forwards at 7 and im taking Drysdale over them every time. Sanderson Id only take over Raymond and Perfetti (only because hes another passer whos small and we need scorers and some size)

My rankings for the NHL are always different than my rankings for my favorite team. For instance, my overall rankings right now are:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Rossi
5 Drysdale
6 Sanderson
7 Perfetti
8 Holtz
9 Raymond
10 Quinn

But for the Devils, they're:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Sanderson
5 Drysdale
6 Holtz
7 Rossi
8 Perfetti
9 Quinn
10 Raymond

 

[My3Sons]

My rankings for the NHL are always different than my rankings for my favorite team. For instance, my overall rankings right now are:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Rossi
5 Drysdale
6 Sanderson
7 Perfetti
8 Holtz
9 Raymond
10 Quinn

But for the Devils, they're:

1 Lafreniere
2 Byfield
3 Stutzle
4 Sanderson
5 Drysdale
6 Holtz
7 Rossi
8 Perfetti
9 Quinn
10 Raymond

what would have you drop Rossi on the NJ list? Just team needs? Is the first list your BPA and the second more of an adjustment taking team needs into account?

 

[My3Sons]

Turns out Quinn doesnt have size - one website I use had him at 6’1” but hes 5’1”

Either way hes still right below that tier of forwards at 7 and im taking Drysdale over them every time. Sanderson Id only take over Raymond and Perfetti (only because hes another passer whos small and we need scorers and some size)

The difference between 5’11” and 6’1” can be fairly minimal depending upon the player’s body frame.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Rossi is awesome. Drysdale and Sanderson are also awesome. At some point, I think we all just need to let go and be happy with whomever the Devils get instead of sweating whomever the Devils do not get.

Unless they completely lose their minds, the Devils are going to come out of the 2020 draft with two franchise cornerstones and another potential all-star. There is a lot to be excited about. If we get Drysdale at #7 and Rossi goes #8 to the Sabres, I'm going to root for Drysdale to become a superstar with us and Rossi to become a superstar with Buffalo.

My use of the word “nightmare” was more tongue and cheek. The thought of Drysdale and Rossi being available at 7 to me means that I will be pleasantly surprised at who is available for the Arizona pick as well.

 

[Pitaya]

My use of the word “nightmare” was more tongue and cheek. The thought of Drysdale and Rossi being available at 7 to me means that I will be pleasantly surprised at who is available for the Arizona pick as well.

Why is that?

If Arizona’s pick is 11, which is the highest percentage, the top-10 will still be gone likely

Whether Rossi or Drysdale is available at 7 doesnt change that Quinn is likely the 9th-10th overall guy and everyone from Lafreniere to Raymond will be gone by 10

 

[Ripshot 43]

Why is that?

If Arizona’s pick is 11, which is the highest percentage, the top-10 will still be gone likely

Whether Rossi or Drysdale is available at 7 doesnt change that Quinn is likely the 9th-10th overall guy and everyone from Lafreniere to Raymond will be gone by 10

Why? Because most likely all of our “top 10s” we see will be false. At least 1 guy will
End up breaking up all of these predictions. Hell, just a month or so ago Sanderson was out of the top 10 and now he’s moved someone else out. Truth be told, I’m also not sold on a top 10 tier. There are some really good prospects to be happy with our Arizona pick.

 

[StevenToddIves]

what would have you drop Rossi on the NJ list? Just team needs? Is the first list your BPA and the second more of an adjustment taking team needs into account?

Yes. I think the Devils really need a surefire #1D and I think they really need a pure goal-scorer.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Why is that?

If Arizona’s pick is 11, which is the highest percentage, the top-10 will still be gone likely

Whether Rossi or Drysdale is available at 7 doesnt change that Quinn is likely the 9th-10th overall guy and everyone from Lafreniere to Raymond will be gone by 10

I'd have to disagree with this. I've seen Quinn ranked from #10 to #23. He's far from a shoo in for the top 10. Askarov can also break into the top 10. More possibilities: Lundell, Jarvis, Lapierre, Amirov, Mercer, Guhle.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Why? Because most likely all of our “top 10s” we see will be false. At least 1 guy will
End up breaking up all of these predictions. Hell, just a month or so ago Sanderson was out of the top 10 and now he’s moved someone else out. Truth be told, I’m also not sold on a top 10 tier. There are some really good prospects to be happy with our Arizona pick.

I'd say the big wild card in this draft is Askarov. It would not shock me if he went in the top 9, and it would not shock me if he fell into the 20s.

 

[beekay414]

I'd say the big wild card in this draft is Askarov. It would not shock me if he went in the top 9, and it would not shock me if he fell into the 20s.

If the Rags stay at 15, I think that's Askarov's floor tbqh.

 

[My3Sons]

If the Rags stay at 15, I think that's Askarov's floor tbqh.

NYR have Shestyorkin though?

 

[beekay414]

NYR have Shestyorkin though?

Don't think that really matters that much. I don't think they'd be afraid to pull that trigger in hopes of Askarov hitting his ceiling, which is far higher than Shestyorkin's.

 

[Pitaya]

NYR have Shestyorkin though?

The Rags have an obviously stacked team, didnt ya hear all the Rags fans saying it? They can take whoever they want, no needs for them

Shestyorkin will be the best goalie, Zibanejad will keep scoring a goal a game, Panarin Art Ross, Fox and Trouba soon to be #1s, Miller Kakko Kratsov all top line guys, etc etc...

But in all seriousness I dont think the Rangers take Askarov. They take a center

 

[StevenToddIves]

If the Rags stay at 15, I think that's Askarov's floor tbqh.

The Rangers are absolutely not taking Askarov. Though having a very good prospect pool overall, they are extremely thin up the middle. Though Zibanajad is a very good #1 center, he is injury prone. Beyond him in the organization, there is still finger-crossing whether Chytil can blossom into the #2C.

The Rangers have been an interesting team draft wise in the past few years. They have spent two top 10 picks at RW (Kakko, Kravtsov) and have drafted extremely well at D (Miller, Robertson, Lundqvist, Keane). But they have drafted unbelievably poorly at center -- preferring to use high picks on Swedish centers with 3rd/4th line upside (Andersson, Henriksson) far earlier than where they should have been drafted. Andersson would have been a nice second round grab, the Rangers drafted him 7th(!) overall. Henriksson would have been a nice pick in the 4th round, the Rangers took him in the 2nd.

I feel that the Rangers must use at least one (and perhaps both) of their 2020 first rounders on a center -- which this draft is very deep in. If the Rangers passed on pivots like Lundell, Zary, Lapierre et al for a goalie, it could be disastrous down the line, no matter how good Askarov becomes.