Prospect Info: 2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Beckett Sennecke is a player I'd be talking a lot about if the Devils were picking in the 15-20 range.

There is no doubt Sennecke is an extremely intriguing prospect, but he's definitely a project and a long, long way from his ceiling. I love picks like this later in the 1st round and in later rounds, because I feel he has a very high ceiling which makes him worth the risk more and more as the draft progresses.

Sennecke shot up from (I think) 5'10 to 6'3 or something in the past year and a half and it shows. Though he shows natural athleticism, he's still a bit gangly and plays much more of a finesse game; he doesn't really know how to use his size and he's not very strong for this size.

If any player in the 2024 class needs 3 years of physical and weight training, it's Sennecke. He's pretty easily knocked off pucks and beaten in physical battles by smaller young men, but again, due to the ludicrous growth spurt it's tough to fault him.

Let's talk about what he brings to the table -- at 6'3, he's an excellent skater with a very good shot, the capability for high-end vision and a high offensive IQ. This is an extremely intriguing combination. If everything comes together, he mixes the skill and physical attributes to become a highly productive top 6 wing at the NHL level. Sennecke becomes even more intriguing when we consider that physical training with NHL teams could potentially bump his skating up two or three levels. This is a kid who skates well despite the fact he is still getting used to his own body. The potential is there.

The converse is that Sennecke still plays a perimeter game, and tends to disappear against physical opposition while not offering any sort of 200-foot consistency which can justify his existence when he's not hitting the scoresheets.

Ultimately, we have a high-upside RW with a looooong way to go, which again -- makes him a very good pick late in the first round. But when the Devils pick at #10? I think it would be an absurd stretch to consider him ahead of Brantseggp-Nygard, Chernyshov or Helenius.

So the answer is Sennecke is a player with whom there's a lot to like and root for, but he's probably 3-4 years away and there are some concerns to keep in mind. He'd make a lot of sense for a team which can afford to be patient with him in the 20s like Colorado or Toronto.

Thanks for the thorough answer. It's always a pleasure to read your (and others) analysis about prospects from this forum.

I have to watch few games of Chernyshov, but I have liked what I have seen from Helenius and Brandsegg-Nygard.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Thanks for the thorough answer. It's always a pleasure to read your (and others) analysis about prospects from this forum.

I have to watch few games of Chernyshov, but I have liked what I have seen from Helenius and Brandsegg-Nygard.

Oooh man are you going to love Chernyshov. The dude plays hard and smart two-way hockey, he's physical and can fly. He can stickhandle a jelly donut through an army ant hill. He's really, really good.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I was asked by a friend recently why I prefer Zeev Buium over Zayne Parekh. Even though Buium plays LD and Parekh RD, I feel they are similar-type players, two guys with big-time scoring upside from the blueline who will likely never be shut-down defenders.

On the surface, Parekh stands out. Even though Buium skates well and possesses excellent edge work, Parekh is an exceptional skater. And with Buium's primary strengths being zone breakouts, passing vision and scoring-chance generation, Parekh is superior in all three respects.

Quite simply, Parekh is elite across the board in every offensive respect. He's an elite skater, passer and shooter with incredible creativity and the ability to show a multitude of offensive looks to fool the opposition. He's a wizard at generating scoring opportunities from the blueline out of seemingly nothing.

But it's also important to realize that Buium is also great at all these things, and probably utilizes his teammates to a greater degree. But that's not where Buium stands out so much as in effort and defensive play. Though he's no Scott Stevens, Buium does not shy from physicality, does not shy from the dirty areas of the ice, and plays a strong cerebral and positional defensive game in general.

Parekh does not. Parekh's upside is tremendous, but one must consider it a bit of a red flag that he cheats so much on offense and sees such a steep decline in compete level when it comes to 200-foot play.

Don't get me wrong, Parekh has immense upside -- maybe just shy of names like Makar and Luke Hughes. If he learns to transfer his offensive IQ and compete level to both sides of the puck, he can win a Norris one day.

But it also stands to reason that he has shown no evidence of rounding out his game thus far. I've seen him take unnecessary chances offensively with his team nursing a one-goal lead in the 3rd period. This just simply must be coached out of him.

I'm rooting for Parekh to figure things out at higher levels, but there's no guarantee. As it stands, the team drafting him is rolling the dice. But while Buium is a bit shy offensively, he's still dynamic in that respect, and shows a greater proclivity to succeed in all facets of the game. Thus, I'm giving Buium the slight edge between these two defenders.

 

[My3Sons]

I was asked by a friend recently why I prefer Zeev Buium over Zayne Parekh. Even though Buium plays LD and Parekh RD, I feel they are similar-type players, two guys with big-time scoring upside from the blueline who will likely never be shut-down defenders.

On the surface, Parekh stands out. Even though Buium skates well and possesses excellent edge work, Parekh is an exceptional skater. And with Buium's primary strengths being zone breakouts, passing vision and scoring-chance generation, Parekh is superior in all three respects.

Quite simply, Parekh is elite across the board in every offensive respect. He's an elite skater, passer and shooter with incredible creativity and the ability to show a multitude of offensive looks to fool the opposition. He's a wizard at generating scoring opportunities from the blueline out of seemingly nothing.

But it's also important to realize that Buium is also great at all these things, and probably utilizes his teammates to a greater degree. But that's not where Buium stands out so much as in effort and defensive play. Though he's no Scott Stevens, Buium does not shy from physicality, does not shy from the dirty areas of the ice, and plays a strong cerebral and positional defensive game in general.

Parekh does not. Parekh's upside is tremendous, but one must consider it a bit of a red flag that he cheats so much on offense and sees such a steep decline in compete level when it comes to 200-foot play.

Don't get me wrong, Parekh has immense upside -- maybe just shy of names like Makar and Luke Hughes. If he learns to transfer his offensive IQ and compete level to both sides of the puck, he can win a Norris one day.

But it also stands to reason that he has shown no evidence of rounding out his game thus far. I've seen him take unnecessary chances offensively with his team nursing a one-goal lead in the 3rd period. This just simply must be coached out of him.

I'm rooting for Parekh to figure things out at higher levels, but there's no guarantee. As it stands, the team drafting him is rolling the dice. But while Buium is a bit shy offensively, he's still dynamic in that respect, and shows a greater proclivity to succeed in all facets of the game. Thus, I'm giving Buium the slight edge between these two defenders.

The little bit I’ve read about Parekh suggests he lacked Buium’s defensive potential.

 

[evnted]

I was asked by a friend recently why I prefer Zeev Buium over Zayne Parekh. Even though Buium plays LD and Parekh RD, I feel they are similar-type players, two guys with big-time scoring upside from the blueline who will likely never be shut-down defenders.

On the surface, Parekh stands out. Even though Buium skates well and possesses excellent edge work, Parekh is an exceptional skater. And with Buium's primary strengths being zone breakouts, passing vision and scoring-chance generation, Parekh is superior in all three respects.

Quite simply, Parekh is elite across the board in every offensive respect. He's an elite skater, passer and shooter with incredible creativity and the ability to show a multitude of offensive looks to fool the opposition. He's a wizard at generating scoring opportunities from the blueline out of seemingly nothing.

But it's also important to realize that Buium is also great at all these things, and probably utilizes his teammates to a greater degree. But that's not where Buium stands out so much as in effort and defensive play. Though he's no Scott Stevens, Buium does not shy from physicality, does not shy from the dirty areas of the ice, and plays a strong cerebral and positional defensive game in general.

Parekh does not. Parekh's upside is tremendous, but one must consider it a bit of a red flag that he cheats so much on offense and sees such a steep decline in compete level when it comes to 200-foot play.

Don't get me wrong, Parekh has immense upside -- maybe just shy of names like Makar and Luke Hughes. If he learns to transfer his offensive IQ and compete level to both sides of the puck, he can win a Norris one day.

But it also stands to reason that he has shown no evidence of rounding out his game thus far. I've seen him take unnecessary chances offensively with his team nursing a one-goal lead in the 3rd period. This just simply must be coached out of him.

I'm rooting for Parekh to figure things out at higher levels, but there's no guarantee. As it stands, the team drafting him is rolling the dice. But while Buium is a bit shy offensively, he's still dynamic in that respect, and shows a greater proclivity to succeed in all facets of the game. Thus, I'm giving Buium the slight edge between these two defenders.

great discussion. i have to say, even as someone who had been a touch lower on buium, his performance in the frozen four was fantastic. possibly only outdone by his goaltender. what i liked best about it was how he adapted to the tighter games. i thought it was the most conservative defensive performances ive seen from him, and of course thats not to say he wasnt involved offensively (he had a number of great plays) but i didnt see the same level of risk taking i saw in prior viewings. i saw someone who recognized he didnt quite have the same time/space to activate as much or try to dance attackers as frequently at the blue line, and he accounted for it in his game by leaning even more into his physicality, great positional game, simpler plays in transition etc., and i loved it

the parekh playoff viewings thus far have been exactly as youve described. elite vision, elite playmaking, an uncanny ability to score from the point. more than fair to say that saginaw's offense lives and dies by him. but, he simply just doesn't seem to care at times defensively. slow getting back, slow to react, passive/stationary positioning, lack of interest in fighting for pucks, etc. and we all know he reads the game at an extremely high level, so its not for lack of following play. i probably like him more than the average hyper offensive junior defender because his read of the ice really is immaculate and he oozes convidence (perhaps to a fault? some of the own zone complaceny makes it seem like he thinks the defensive grind is beneath him), though i wish he was showing a desire to expand his game when it matters

hopefully parekh goes somewhere with plenty of structure and a robust defensive system as i think he'll need both to truly hit, but i agree the upside is gigantic. and credit to the likes of you, guadana, and others who have always been major buium fans. i definitely think i see it a bit more now, and would be happy to take him with our pick

 

[Goptor]

I think something is off there, the Devils can’t get 3rd overall as there are only 2 lottery picks.

So if the Devils win 1 of the 2 lotteries to move up, how do 2 teams end up in front of them?


View attachment 855442

I think the Red Wings may be the best example of something being off.

Its if the Flyers win the lottery and go up 10 spots to #2, and then the #2 pick is pushed to #3.

I don't kow if that is the official rules though. seems like an obvious flaw in their process and the 2nd pick should still go to #1.

 

[longislanddevil]

I was asked by a friend recently why I prefer Zeev Buium over Zayne Parekh. Even though Buium plays LD and Parekh RD, I feel they are similar-type players, two guys with big-time scoring upside from the blueline who will likely never be shut-down defenders.

On the surface, Parekh stands out. Even though Buium skates well and possesses excellent edge work, Parekh is an exceptional skater. And with Buium's primary strengths being zone breakouts, passing vision and scoring-chance generation, Parekh is superior in all three respects.

Quite simply, Parekh is elite across the board in every offensive respect. He's an elite skater, passer and shooter with incredible creativity and the ability to show a multitude of offensive looks to fool the opposition. He's a wizard at generating scoring opportunities from the blueline out of seemingly nothing.

But it's also important to realize that Buium is also great at all these things, and probably utilizes his teammates to a greater degree. But that's not where Buium stands out so much as in effort and defensive play. Though he's no Scott Stevens, Buium does not shy from physicality, does not shy from the dirty areas of the ice, and plays a strong cerebral and positional defensive game in general.

Parekh does not. Parekh's upside is tremendous, but one must consider it a bit of a red flag that he cheats so much on offense and sees such a steep decline in compete level when it comes to 200-foot play.

Don't get me wrong, Parekh has immense upside -- maybe just shy of names like Makar and Luke Hughes. If he learns to transfer his offensive IQ and compete level to both sides of the puck, he can win a Norris one day.

But it also stands to reason that he has shown no evidence of rounding out his game thus far. I've seen him take unnecessary chances offensively with his team nursing a one-goal lead in the 3rd period. This just simply must be coached out of him.

I'm rooting for Parekh to figure things out at higher levels, but there's no guarantee. As it stands, the team drafting him is rolling the dice. But while Buium is a bit shy offensively, he's still dynamic in that respect, and shows a greater proclivity to succeed in all facets of the game. Thus, I'm giving Buium the slight edge between these two defenders.

I’ll preface things by saying both would be terrific picks and are outstanding prospects but do you think Dickinson is a better fit for us than Buium? With Luke, Nemec and possibly Casey, we will be loaded with offensive D-men. While a lot can change in the future, we could use a more physicality on the blue line. Curious who you prefer.

Aside: I think it’s a huge plus these two are LD as we are considerably weaker here.

 

[StevenToddIves]

The little bit I’ve read about Parekh suggests he lacked Buium’s defensive potential.

Parekh shows alarming levels of what we might call "softness" when it comes to physical play. I don't like to use the term because it seems like a slight on a player's character, but some young players are predisposed to physical play and some are not.

When a forward shows disdain for physical play, it is still possible to succeed at higher levels, though it is certainly an inhibiting factor in 200-foot play. But for a defenseman? Almost all your play without the puck is compromised if you're not willing to engage physically. You need to be an absolute genius positionally and in stick-defense in order to succeed, with the best example obviously being Nick Lidstrom. The problem with Parekh is he is not very good in either respect -- he is lazy in his stick-checks and cheats offensively in his positional game. On the defensive side of the puck, Parekh can seem disinterested in my personal viewings.

Now, I would not say "don't draft Parekh" -- though I have often, through the years, cautioned drafting all-offense defenders with mid-pairing type upside, Parekh is far from that. He has absolutely elite offensive upside. This is to say, his upside is closer to Cale Makar than it is to Shayne Gostisbehere. However, his play-style is closer to Gostisbehere than it is to Makar, which has to make one at least a bit leery of whether he'll ever hit that potential.

Ultimately, passing on a rare defender with point-per-game, elite upside is scary. Conversely, taking a defender who is this bad in his own zone at any level is also scary. Personally, I wish Parekh the best and will root for him to improve his all-around game while continuing to dominate offensively, but I'd prefer another team to take that chance.

 

[StevenToddIves]

great discussion. i have to say, even as someone who had been a touch lower on buium, his performance in the frozen four was fantastic. possibly only outdone by his goaltender. what i liked best about it was how he adapted to the tighter games. i thought it was the most conservative defensive performances ive seen from him, and of course thats not to say he wasnt involved offensively (he had a number of great plays) but i didnt see the same level of risk taking i saw in prior viewings. i saw someone who recognized he didnt quite have the same time/space to activate as much or try to dance attackers as frequently at the blue line, and he accounted for it in his game by leaning even more into his physicality, great positional game, simpler plays in transition etc., and i loved it

the parekh playoff viewings thus far have been exactly as youve described. elite vision, elite playmaking, an uncanny ability to score from the point. more than fair to say that saginaw's offense lives and dies by him. but, he simply just doesn't seem to care at times defensively. slow getting back, slow to react, passive/stationary positioning, lack of interest in fighting for pucks, etc. and we all know he reads the game at an extremely high level, so its not for lack of following play. i probably like him more than the average hyper offensive junior defender because his read of the ice really is immaculate and he oozes convidence (perhaps to a fault? some of the own zone complaceny makes it seem like he thinks the defensive grind is beneath him), though i wish he was showing a desire to expand his game when it matters

hopefully parekh goes somewhere with plenty of structure and a robust defensive system as i think he'll need both to truly hit, but i agree the upside is gigantic. and credit to the likes of you, guadana, and others who have always been major buium fans. i definitely think i see it a bit more now, and would be happy to take him with our pick

Buium is difficult not to love, because his immense offensive potential (though not at Parekh's prodigal level) is abetted by an even more impressive combination of hockey IQ and compete level.

I would rank Buium's intangibles as elite. I think he's the smartest defenseman in the entire draft class and I think he plays with extraordinary heart game in and game out. You essentially have a kid with the potential of making defenders look silly with a combination of great hands, edges and the incredible intelligence to seemingly always being thinking the game three steps ahead of the opposition.

Sure, I wish Buium skated with the effortlessness of a Jake Sanderson or possessed the physical strength of Owen Power. But to Buium's credit, he gets as much out of his physical tool-kit as any defenseman at his age you'll ever see. He plays every puck like his life depended on it, and is exceptional at adapting his game situationally.

Right now, I'd probably rank Buium neck-and-neck with Dickinson as the best LD in the 2024 class and the second-best overall D in the draft after only Levshunov. He's a heck of a player, and he's extremely likable. He'd be a tremendous pick at #10 overall, if available.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I’ll preface things by saying both would be terrific picks and are outstanding prospects but do you think Dickinson is a better fit for us than Buium? With Luke, Nemec and possibly Casey, we will be loaded with offensive D-men. While a lot can change in the future, we could use a more physicality on the blue line. Curious who you prefer.

Aside: I think it’s a huge plus these two are LD as we are considerably weaker here.

Right now I'd say Dickinson is the better fit for NJ than Buium, but I also think Dickinson's superior size, complete game and straight-line speed will probably see him go earlier than Buium in the draft. Buium's edge is obviously that he's superior at generating offense from the blueline, but NHL GMs generally don't covet this as much as draft evaluators in the media.

I'd say right now Dickinson has very little chance of lasting to #10 where the Devils pick, while Buium has a (you can quote me) "slight but not strong chance" of falling to #10. I'd say the LD with the greatest chance of slipping to #10 is Anton Silayev, simply due to the fact he's a Russian playing in Russia. If Silayev gets past Arizona (Utah?) at #6 the next three picks -- Ottawa, Seattle and Calgary -- have shown no inclination in recent years of drafting Russians in the early rounds of the draft.

As for Silayev, maybe I'll write a bit on him later. I seem to like him a lot more than @Guadana which is notable, because we usually agree on D prospects.

 

[evnted]

Buium is difficult not to love, because his immense offensive potential (though not at Parekh's prodigal level) is abetted by an even more impressive combination of hockey IQ and compete level.

I would rank Buium's intangibles as elite. I think he's the smartest defenseman in the entire draft class and I think he plays with extraordinary heart game in and game out. You essentially have a kid with the potential of making defenders look silly with a combination of great hands, edges and the incredible intelligence to seemingly always being thinking the game three steps ahead of the opposition.

Sure, I wish Buium skated with the effortlessness of a Jake Sanderson or possessed the physical strength of Owen Power. But to Buium's credit, he gets as much out of his physical tool-kit as any defenseman at his age you'll ever see. He plays every puck like his life depended on it, and is exceptional at adapting his game situationally.

Right now, I'd probably rank Buium neck-and-neck with Dickinson as the best LD in the 2024 class and the second-best overall D in the draft after only Levshunov. He's a heck of a player, and he's extremely likable. He'd be a tremendous pick at #10 overall, if available.

absolutely. smartest D and imo most impressive down the stretch as well. question on levshunov, though. his upside (particularly offensively) is certainly big and i should mention that i still have him ranked quite highly, but im a touch cooler on him because of how much he struggles with unforced errors. i see a bit too much issue with unpressured giveaways, straight misfires, and some pretty lackadaisical defensive positioning at times. i know the NCAA is quite high level for a teenager, and the BLR -> USHL -> NCAA jump in such a short amount of time is significant as well, but i still feel like enough of the questionable decisions can be pinned on him individually. are you seeing this as an issue as well, and are you more confident that it will clean up in time?

 

[Guadana]

Right now I'd say Dickinson is the better fit for NJ than Buium, but I also think Dickinson's superior size, complete game and straight-line speed will probably see him go earlier than Buium in the draft. Buium's edge is obviously that he's superior at generating offense from the blueline, but NHL GMs generally don't covet this as much as draft evaluators in the media.

I'd say right now Dickinson has very little chance of lasting to #10 where the Devils pick, while Buium has a (you can quote me) "slight but not strong chance" of falling to #10. I'd say the LD with the greatest chance of slipping to #10 is Anton Silayev, simply due to the fact he's a Russian playing in Russia. If Silayev gets past Arizona (Utah?) at #6 the next three picks -- Ottawa, Seattle and Calgary -- have shown no inclination in recent years of drafting Russians in the early rounds of the draft.

As for Silayev, maybe I'll write a bit on him later. I seem to like him a lot more than @Guadana which is notable, because we usually agree on D prospects.

Silayev has issues with the puck. Undr pressure his decision making with the puck is questionable. No matter where he is playing. Skating, physical game, gap control and positioning in D zone are very good. Offebsive game is very questionable especially on faster nhl level.

Calgary should like to draft Russians. Because they are okay to sign and play for them. They traded Zadoriv not because he didn't want to play there, he just wanted more money than they were ready to give.

absolutely. smartest D and imo most impressive down the stretch as well. question on levshunov, though. his upside (particularly offensively) is certainly big and i should mention that i still have him ranked quite highly, but im a touch cooler on him because of how much he struggles with unforced errors. i see a bit too much issue with unpressured giveaways, straight misfires, and some pretty lackadaisical defensive positioning at times. i know the NCAA is quite high level for a teenager, and the BLR -> USHL -> NCAA jump in such a short amount of time is significant as well, but i still feel like enough of the questionable decisions can be pinned on him individually. are you seeing this as an issue as well, and are you more confident that it will clean up in time?

Levshunov is fun and not so very ... consistent in his decision making. Much higher skilled and more dynamic Severson. Or Phaneuf. He is my number 3/4 in this D top caliber tier. Visually I like Frej even more than guys like Levshunov and Silayev and may be even Dickinson, but I understand that all of them are so good skaters for their size and all of them have different advantages in other aspects of the game, for Frej it would be harder to translate his game on NHL level.

Buium is my number 1/2 because of his high IQ and good/very good level of other aspects of the game.

 

[Guadana]

I’ll preface things by saying both would be terrific picks and are outstanding prospects but do you think Dickinson is a better fit for us than Buium? With Luke, Nemec and possibly Casey, we will be loaded with offensive D-men. While a lot can change in the future, we could use a more physicality on the blue line. Curious who you prefer.

Aside: I think it’s a huge plus these two are LD as we are considerably weaker here.

Of course on paper it would be little better from need/play style/fit perspective to draft Dickinson. I just don't see both available. I'm not sure one would be available. If it's Buium - don't mess with this and draft him. He is competent and physical enough. And very smart. Its a great draft scenario for us. We have Nico and Jack, one more left defenseman who can defend and will make a damage in O zone will help. Buium isn't Parekh who is very oriented on offensive game. Overall Steve made great breakdown.

 

[StevenToddIves]

absolutely. smartest D and imo most impressive down the stretch as well. question on levshunov, though. his upside (particularly offensively) is certainly big and i should mention that i still have him ranked quite highly, but im a touch cooler on him because of how much he struggles with unforced errors. i see a bit too much issue with unpressured giveaways, straight misfires, and some pretty lackadaisical defensive positioning at times. i know the NCAA is quite high level for a teenager, and the BLR -> USHL -> NCAA jump in such a short amount of time is significant as well, but i still feel like enough of the questionable decisions can be pinned on him individually. are you seeing this as an issue as well, and are you more confident that it will clean up in time?

I'll write more on Levshunov later because I have to go watch the 3rd period of the Winnipeg game (go Jets go!) but I think he has the greatest all-around upside of any D in the 2024 class. While Parekh has the greatest sheer offensive upside, one only hopes he'll develop into about average on the defensive side of the puck. And while Dickinson or Silayev have the most shut-down potential, they'll likely never be dominant offensively (although Dickinson should be very good in this respect, and Silayev can be adequate if he develops well).

Levshunov can be right there with Buium as the best offensive D in the 2024 class after only Parekh and -- although I'd say Buium is better 2-ways right now -- Levshunov's superior size, strength and skating combined with some pretty impressive smarts and a high compete level give hope that he can also round out his slightly mistake-prone defensive game.

Right now I probably have a very close top 3 on the blueline with Levshunov barely edging ahead of Buium and Dickinson, but as I watch more game-tape we'll see how I finally rank them come June.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Of course on paper it would be little better from need/play style/fit perspective to draft Dickinson. I just don't see both available. I'm not sure one would be available. If it's Buium - don't mess with this and draft him. He is competent and physical enough. And very smart. Its a great draft scenario for us. We have Nico and Jack, one more left defenseman who can defend and will make a damage in O zone will help. Buium isn't Parekh who is very oriented on offensive game. Overall Steve made great breakdown.

I agree that Zeev Buium falling to #10 overall is the most ideal and realistic possibility for the Devils, who would really benefit from a top LD prospect. Dickinson will not fall so far, while Buium is superior to Silayev.

If Buium goes before the Devils pick, I'll probably be pulling for Brantsegg-Nygard, Helenius or Chernyshov, but more on the forwards later.

 

[McDuffz88]

Late the the prospect discussion. Are there any good centers or wingers available at our draft spot? Obviously draft BPA but I would prefer it if we walk out with a center/winger. We have 0 high end center/winger prospects. Defense I'm not worried about because you have Luke/Nemec and Casey. The rest you can fill out with trades/ufa.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Late the the prospect discussion. Are there any good centers or wingers available at our draft spot? Obviously draft BPA but I would prefer it if we walk out with a center/winger. We have 0 high end center/winger prospects. Defense I'm not worried about because you have Luke/Nemec and Casey. The rest you can fill out with trades/ufa.

The Devils will be likely picking at #10 overall.

These are the players who will, with near-certainty, be drafted before the Devils step up to the podium:
C Celebrini
C/LW Lindstrom
LW/RW Demidov
LD Dickinson
RD Levshunov

These are the players who will possibly be available for the Devils and considered by the Devils so high in the draft:

C/RW Helenius
C Hage
LW Catton
LW Eiserman
LW Iginla
RW Brantsegg-Nygard
RW Chernyshov
RW Greentree
LD Buium
LD Silayev
RD Yakemchuk
RD Parekh

So yes, there should be players at every position. I would probably also add that the Devils would likely most benefit from a C or LD, so the hope on this board seems to be that Buium or Helenius fall to NJ at #10.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

The Devils will be likely picking at #10 overall.

These are the players who will, with near-certainty, be drafted before the Devils step up to the podium:
C Celebrini
C/LW Lindstrom
LW/RW Demidov
LD Dickinson
RD Levshunov

These are the players who will possibly be available for the Devils and considered by the Devils so high in the draft:

C/RW Helenius
C Hage
LW Catton
LW Eiserman
LW Iginla
RW Brantsegg-Nygard
RW Chernyshov
RW Greentree
LD Buium
LD Silayev
RD Yakemchuk
RD Parekh

So yes, there should be players at every position. I would probably also add that the Devils would likely most benefit from a C or LD, so the hope on this board seems to be that Buium or Helenius fall to NJ at #10.

They just need to go BPA. In my opinion we need a center the most but I really just want a top tier talent with this pick if possible. Things will change in a few seasons but you can never have too many centers as we have learned the somewhat frustrating way this season with the whole injuries/McLeod fiasco. I'd also say a pure goal scoring winger would be a nice addition as well to the prospect pool. Gritsyuk , Filmon & Squires are some good ones that we already have but Tig Iginla would be a giant addition.

 

[Smitty426]

They just need to go BPA. In my opinion we need a center the most but I really just want a top tier talent with this pick if possible. Things will change in a few seasons but you can never have too many centers as we have learned the somewhat frustrating way this season with the whole injuries/McLeod fiasco. I'd also say a pure goal scoring winger would be a nice addition as well to the prospect pool. Gritsyuk , Filmon & Squires are some good ones that we already have but Tig Iginla would be a giant addition.

I don't see how Calgary doesn't take him right before us.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I don't see how Calgary doesn't take him right before us.

The same organization who took Trevor Kidd over Martin Brodeur??? lol

 

[Xirik]

The same organization who took Trevor Kidd over Martin Brodeur??? lol

I'd think they'd have changed at bit since 34 years ago.

 

[My3Sons]

I'd think they'd have changed at bit since 34 years ago.

I haven't. Not one bit.

 

[Xirik]

I haven't. Not one bit.

Not even your underwear?

 

[My3Sons]

Not even your underwear?

You mean my depends?

 

[longislanddevil]

I was thinking- 10OA may be higher than consensus for Brandsegg-Nygard. However, Fitz has demonstrated that it won’t stop him from going after his draft target (see Muk).

I’ve always been a proponent of drafting best available player. However, if all things are considered equal, is C or LD our biggest organizational need? I tend to think C but would it be crazy for Fitz to select MBN or Helenius if Dickinson or Buium were still on the board?

I should also add that I would not be disappointed at all if we select Iginla. I have this sneaky suspicion the kid is going to be a stud.