Prospect Info: Chase Stillman (#29 overall)

[Devils731]

I wouldn’t disagree if the guy was ranked high but he was rated a late second and early third everywhere

Even that isn’t true.

Chase Stillman at eliteprospects.com

Of the 9 listed, 3 had him listed 41 or 42. That’s not late second round.

I also don’t consider consensus a big deal at 29 for a player who barely played this year. It’s a big crapshoot on a player and we won’t know if the Devils were right or wrong for awhile.

 

[Emperoreddy]

I wanted to trade the pick as well, but obviously we can't force it. I'd have been more upset with Fitz if he did that and got crap value

He admitted he shopped it after the fact. No one bit

 

[Forge]

He admitted he shopped it after the fact. No one bit

And that's perfectly fine. Keep the pick and take your dude

 

[NJDevs26]

Even that isn’t true.

Chase Stillman at eliteprospects.com

Of the 9 listed, 3 had him listed 41 or 42. That’s not late second round.

I also don’t consider consensus a big deal at 29 for a player who barely played this year. It’s a big crapshoot on a player and we won’t know if the Devils were right or wrong for awhile.

Also look at the NFL draft, plenty of guys dropped there too simply by virtue of not playing/opting out, not playing enough, different schedules. There's too much volatility this year (of all years) to go nuts over so-called expert rankings.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Also look at the NFL draft, plenty of guys dropped there too simply by virtue of not playing/opting out, not playing enough, different schedules. There's too much volatility this year (of all years) to go nuts over so-called expert rankings.

And the experts have to rank them. They can't just say "we don't know" and just throw 20 guys into a bubble.

A lot of them copy cat the more well known folks too.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

They pretty much did that with Muk last year and still got ripped because it was off the so-called board.

Last years draft will be more judged on Holtz and Mercer imo, I was fine with Mukamadullin considering it was the last of the 3 first rounders but they did get ripped on for it. Doing it two years in a row is still a bad precedent to set.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

I wonder what his best player comparison for skill ceiling wise would be. Based off the scouting reports posted I instantly think of Zach parise a bit but...

His scouting reports reads Nate Bastian to me.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Feeling pretty meh about this one though I havent watched him play. I feel like I would've rather traded the pick for help now or swung for the fences with a more dynamic offensive talent.

What "more dynamic offensive talent"? This is the question I ask. Of the 4 Fs drafted ahead of Stillman, two were Johnston and Olausson, neither of whom I would consider to have as much offensive upside as Stillman. This is not the 2019 draft with guys like Hoglander, Rees and Robertson getting drafted in the late second round. It's a thinner class.

Sure there were some more "true offensive" Fs available, maybe Pinelli or Stankoven or Martino or Petrov. But none of them offered something which the Devils organization lacks on the whole -- Stillman is an absolutely intimidating hitter, forechecker and net front presence. The kid is a beast.

As the first round wore into the 20s, I was very much hoping -- even praying -- for Lambos or L'Heureux. But they were both drafted, and there's nothing you can do about that. So, the Devils saw a need and alleviated it with one of the highest-compete and most physical forwards in the draft with Stillman -- a kid who also has a great shot and can chip in with some decent offense.

It's a great pick, and I stand behind it fully.

 

[PKs Broken Stick]

Reminds me of Killorn from the few things I've heard. Don't love the pick when there are quite a few high upside guys there but this is what happens when you have no 2nds to take these guys with

That's who I thought of as well.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I've just worked a 14 hour shift and drank 26 hours worth of whiskey, so I'll make this brief. But I just want to say that people wanted to trade the #29 pick for Conor Garland -- an undersized maybe 60 point winger who maybe breaks even as an all-around, 200-foot player. I feel -- very strongly -- that the Devils picked a far more impactful player with Chase Stillman, who has the potential of a 50-point player who impacts the game defensively, physically and in all the intangible areas. I feel in three to four years, Stillman will be far superior to Garland, and probably still on his ELC.

It was a terrific pick, and I'm very excited about it.

 

[Emperoreddy]

What "more dynamic offensive talent"? This is the question I ask. Of the 4 Fs drafted ahead of Stillman, two were Johnston and Olausson, neither of whom I would consider to have as much offensive upside as Stillman. This is not the 2019 draft with guys like Hoglander, Rees and Robertson getting drafted in the late second round. It's a thinner class.

Sure there were some more "true offensive" Fs available, maybe Pinelli or Stankoven or Martino or Petrov. But none of them offered something which the Devils organization lacks on the whole -- Stillman is an absolutely intimidating hitter, forechecker and net front presence. The kid is a beast.

As the first round wore into the 20s, I was very much hoping -- even praying -- for Lambos or L'Heureux. But they were both drafted, and there's nothing you can do about that. So, the Devils saw a need and alleviated it with one of the highest-compete and most physical forwards in the draft with Stillman -- a kid who also has a great shot and can chip in with some decent offense.

It's a great pick, and I stand behind it fully.

Devils apparently did inquire about trading up from 29, but the person they supposedly wanted got picked and they sat tight.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Devils apparently did inquire about trading up from 29, but the person they supposedly wanted got picked and they sat tight.

I'd guess Lambos.

 

[britdevil]

Good pick, Stillman is the sort of warrior you need. Let's hope he pans out.

 

[nugg]

I've just worked a 14 hour shift and drank 26 hours worth of whiskey, so I'll make this brief. But I just want to say that people wanted to trade the #29 pick for Conor Garland -- an undersized maybe 60 point winger who maybe breaks even as an all-around, 200-foot player. I feel -- very strongly -- that the Devils picked a far more impactful player with Chase Stillman, who has the potential of a 50-point player who impacts the game defensively, physically and in all the intangible areas. I feel in three to four years, Stillman will be far superior to Garland, and probably still on his ELC.

It was a terrific pick, and I'm very excited about it.

After going back to read your write-up of him in your ranking of him at 44, and what you've said tonight, I am greatly relieved, and happy with this choice. Thank you sir.

On that note, we need some RDs tomorrow, stat! Think Hamo, Bar, Iorio or Martin could fall to #67?

 

[Hisch13r]

Still not a fan and wish that we would’ve traded down and if we couldn’t then swung for a higher upside pick. I am more ok with this than I am with the Mukhamadullin one especially considering it would’ve been very easy to trade down last year

 

[My3Sons]

Stillman is the guy who gets the puck in the corners and behind the net and gets it to Jack so he can pass to Shara for the shot. Easy peasy

 

[Devil made me do it]

Fitzgerald said in the press briefing that they had done a lot of video scouting on Stillman and he impressed them in the interview. Clearly this was a player they had done homework on and not some rushed panicky move.

 

[StevenToddIves]

After going back to read your write-up of him in your ranking of him at 44, and what you've said tonight, I am greatly relieved, and happy with this choice. Thank you sir.

On that note, we need some RDs tomorrow, stat! Think Hamo, Bar, Iorio or Martin could fall to #67?

Heimosalmi will not fall that far. I'm guessing Iorio is a long-shot too. Bar I would give a very slim possibility, and I'd say Martin is 50/50.

Keep an eye on Jack Matier. I feel he will be a Devils pick, maybe in the 4th/5th round region, and I really am high on that kid.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Still not a fan and wish that we would’ve traded down and if we couldn’t then swung for a higher upside pick. I am more ok with this than I am with the Mukhamadullin one especially considering it would’ve been very easy to trade down last year

I'd like to know who the mystery high upside pick is. Rosen was not available. L'Heureux was not available. Lower-upside Fs like Johnston and Olausson were taken before Stillman. I'm a huge Pinelli fan and Stankoven fan, but neither player offered a dimension the Devils completely lacked, while Stillman did.

It's a very good pick.

 

[Hisch13r]

I'd like to know who the mystery high upside pick is. Rosen was not available. L'Heureux was not available. Lower-upside Fs like Johnston and Olausson were taken before Stillman. I'm a huge Pinelli fan and Stankoven fan, but neither player offered a dimension the Devils completely lacked, while Stillman did.

It's a very good pick.

I don't care about the different dimensions, I'd rather have Pinelli or Stankoven up front. On the back end I like Morrow or Zelleweger

 

[Satans Hockey]

drank 26 hours worth of whiskey

Damn, does this mean they are using their next pick on a new liver for you?

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don't care about the different dimensions, I'd rather have Pinelli or Stankoven up front. On the back end I like Morrow or Zelleweger

Can't win without different dimensions, my friend. Toronto loses in the first round every year because they play with no teeth. Tampa lost every year until Gourde emerged as a third-line beast and they surrounded him with Coleman and Goodrow, while getting more physicality on the back end.

Playoff hockey is not won by the teams with the most skill, it's won by the teams with the best balance of skill, two-way play, compete level and physicality. Stillman immediately becomes the most physical forward in the entire Devils organization, while adding 20+ goal upside.

I'm a huge fan of Pinelli and Stankoven, but neither player is a 90+ point potential player. Maybe they'll be 60-70 range. This is terrific, and I've hailed the merits of Pinelli and Stankoven from he rooftops for months now. But Stillman still offers offensive ability to potentially play a middle-6 role and also crushes the crap out of the opposition and creates havoc in the crease and on the forecheck. So, I think it's a very good pick.

 

[Devil made me do it]

What made prime Lou great was identifying team weaknesses and drafting players that fit the system. Fitz has a similar philosophy. He is the opposite of Shero who cared more about speed and drafting flashy players.
We need the right type of players and they don't necessarily have to be the best player available. That's why I was so against drafting Rossi last year and was against picking a guy like Beniers had Hughes and Clarke left the board.
Our most urgent need now is RD. That needs to be addressed in the 3rd and should be a priority in next year's draft when we pick in the 1st round.
Wallstedt would've been amazing to have though.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Damn, does this mean they are using their next pick on a new liver for you?

My liver should be wearing a cape. Ask @OmNomNom what my life is like.

 

[OmNomNom]

My liver should be wearing a cape. Ask @OmNomNom what my life is like.

I miss that bar