Prospect Info: Best Available 25 For Day 2 of 2019 Draft

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StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,335
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
It was an interesting first round, to say the least. My foremost impression was that several teams were putting emphasis on positional need over "best available player", primarily at RD. More on that later, since I'm pressed for time and want to help out Devils fans with this list...

1 RW Rafael Lavoie power winger with size, skill and sick shot; first line, high-scoring upside
2 LD Matthew Robertson physical shut-down D with high-end skating is also extremely heady with the puck
3 RW Bobby Brink high-skilled but undersized RW features tremendous shooting accuracy and elite vision
4 C Jamieson Rees lightning-fast, slick-passing C with almost rabid compete level and excellent two-way acumen
5 LW Pavel Dorofeyev big, skilled W compares nicely to Flip Forsberg
6 W Arthur Kaliyev highest scoring upside of any W in draft combines ridiculous shot with high-end vision, but polarizing attitude and lack of 200-foot game has clearly landed him on many teams' "do not draft" lists
7 LW Nicholas Robertson undersized W wing huge heart and magical hands can also shoot a needle out of a haystack
8 LW Nils Hoglander undersized W with jersey-flapping speed and elite vision
9 LD Vladislav Kolyachonok big, fast D with intriguing offensive upside and the defensive acumen to make him a low-risk selection
10 RD Kaeden Korczak punishing, physical defensive D has far better puck skills and offense than he's been given credit for
11 RW Nathan Legare big power F plays like bull in china shop and can blast the biscuit
12 RW Brett Leason may not offer the most offensive upside, but this 6'5 bear on skates is a physical beast and has a very high floor as a third-line crasher; close to NHL ready
13 RD Case McCarthy physical, defensive D is impossible to beat one-on-one; clears creases and flattens forwards with seeming ease
14 C Yegor Spiridonov big, rangy two-way C does everything well; can shut down opposing Cs, score and is the very best face-off specialist in the entire draft class
15 RD Drew Helleson big D plays with extreme intelligence, not a scorer but a future shut-down guy in the vein of Slavin or Vlasic
16 C Trevor Janicke heart and soul two-way hustler can also wire the puck
17 LW Yegor Afanaseyev huge Russian with a ridiculously dangerous shot can be a top line all-star if he can improve his skating
18 W Albin Grewe wrecking ball of a winger gets under the skin of everyone and can skate and score his way into a top-6 NHL role
19 LW Robert Mastrosimone pure scorer with 30+ goal upside
20 LD Jake Lee punishing physical defender with shut down skill also is very capable offensively
21 C John Farinacci incredibly competitive pivot with a shot like a heat-seeking missile
22 LW Patrik Puistola pure sniper is dangerous every time he touches the puck in the offensive zone
23 RW Maxim Cajkovic great hands, shot and skates -- would be higher if not for playing on woeful CHL squad
24 RD Antti Tuomisto huge RD could be a home run pick with the right development
25 LW Adam Beckman lots of reasons to believe he can be a 30+ goal scorer in the NHL



 

Nico the Draft Riser

Devils, Rams, Hawks, Twins fan
Nov 18, 2017
3,351
1,364
MATTHEW ROBERTSON, COME ON DOWN

doo-doo-dodoooooo doo-doo-dodoooooo
Doooododododododododododododoooooo
 

Nico the Draft Riser

Devils, Rams, Hawks, Twins fan
Nov 18, 2017
3,351
1,364
But for real, even with Lavoie ranked ahead if I were Ray and I had them 1-2 like this... I would take the defenseman. With our current and future outlook, defense clearly has the least middle to high end prospects. Both would be looking at similar timetables and Id bet on the position with about 3-4 spots open for 1-3 years away vs 1-2 spots at forward for 1-3 years away.

Not to mention the kids a PERFECT fit skillset wise (albeit so is Lavoie).
 

GeNeXt

Registered User
Jul 5, 2012
1,368
709
I’d probably lean Matthew Robertson with the crazy run on defense.

Lavoie would be nice, but strikes me as a player similar to the likes of Popugaev and Bastian. Rangy, skilled, project players. Lavoie probably has better potential, but think I’d take our chances with who we currently have and take Robertson with a pressing need for D and can fit BPA narrative.

You can hope Dorofeyev, Leason or Caulfield as power forward project picks later in the round, maybe even in the third round.
 

beekay414

#FireLindy
Jul 1, 2016
3,107
3,663
Milwaukee, WI
oh man.. i'm watching robertson highlights and i'm like "psh, it's an unspectacular pass, or a whatever shot, typical of a forward....."

then i remember he's a d-man

what's an NHL comparable for him?
I've seen Jay Bouwmeester tossed out there but I'm not sure how accurate that is.
 

VaxjoDevil

No kids - Still a person
Nov 11, 2009
8,955
471
Princeton, NJ
I watched Arthur Kaliyev as a kid practicing at my rink every day. He was so talented but who knew he would actually play in the NHL some years later.
 

Mike27Devils

Registered User
Apr 24, 2015
422
179
I really really like brink. His hockey sense is elite, his skills are incredible, and his compete is great. Only concerns for him are his size and that he needs to work on his skating. He would be an excellent choice. My top 6 left for the devils would be
1.Brink
2. M. Robertson
3. Hoglander
4. Kolyachonok
5. N.Robertson
6. Rees

Kaliyev I believe is on the Devils do not draft list
 

NJDevs26

Once upon a time...
Mar 21, 2007
67,120
31,157
Don't bring up positional need here lol

I do think maybe some teams are perhaps bumping the top d-men a few spots up on the board precisely because of the insane markup over acquiring one in trade, the commodity (D) itself is the most positionally valuable on balance.
 

Mike27Devils

Registered User
Apr 24, 2015
422
179
I think my top three for #34 would be Lavoie (can't believe he's still there), Kaliyev (also can't believe he's still there) and Robertson. I'd definitely be happy with any of those guys, or even a few others just those guys stick out to me.
The devils will not take Kaliyev or Lavoie. They both have compete and character issues. They are not devils
 
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MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,127
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lavoie and robertson are probably gone by 34...so i think we take a forward, and i think that forward will be dorofeyev
 

Mike27Devils

Registered User
Apr 24, 2015
422
179
lavoie and robertson are probably gone by 34...so i think we take a forward, and i think that forward will be dorofeyev
We are more likely to pick Hoglander. He’s just as skilled but has a higher compete and plays with an edge. I like Dorofeyev a lot but he’s boom bust and I see a lot of players being higher for the devils. He’s either a top6 forward or bust while Hoglander could play anywhere throughout the lineup.
 

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,127
17,827
We are more likely to pick Hoglander. He’s just as skilled but has a higher compete and plays with an edge. I like Dorofeyev a lot but he’s boom bust and I see a lot of players being higher for the devils. He’s either a top6 forward or bust while Hoglander could play anywhere throughout the lineup.

either one would be fine for me. hard to screw this up, really
 

Cheddabombs

Status Quo
Mar 13, 2012
24,653
31,227
The devils will not take Kaliyev or Lavoie. They both have compete and character issues. They are not devils

I mean I guess, at a certain point their talent has to be too much of a factor though where you roll those dice. Maybe they don't make that gamble, like I said there are quite a few other good players still available but those guys are really talented. They're still kids, having the right development may help alleviate those problems down the line, and if they do well then you can get yourself a hell of a talent way later than they should've gone.
 
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