StevenToddIves
Registered User
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
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