Prospect Info: Devil-Centric Mock 3.0 for May

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NickyLongLegz

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Apr 30, 2019
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I think the last thing the Devils want is to pass on Hughes and have to deal with an angry Jack Hughes with something to prove on their rival team for the next decade or so
 
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Setec Astronomy

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Jun 15, 2012
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Only reason i brought up barkov is that some people here say Kakko is as good as he will become, and I just pointed out barkov was a manchild and still he has developed up till today. 6 years in the nhl and still he has developed. Kakko is much more dominant then barkov was hes draft season.

Everything about Barkov and Kakko (production and size at the same age) is virtually identical, except that Kakko played in the Worlds where he has played well in three games but Barkov plays center.
 

Monsieur Verdoux

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Dec 6, 2016
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I think the last thing the Devils want is to pass on Hughes and have to deal with an angry Jack Hughes with something to prove on their rival team for the next decade or so
What about an angry Kaapo Kakko? You can use the same argument for both players.

If Kakko becomes as good player as Barkov is right now, I'd draft him. There are only few centers I'd choose to the playoffs before Barkov. He's a monster. However, Kakko isn't Barkov, he isn't even center, and we don't know how impactful he is going to be as a player. Of course one can say the same thing about Hughes.

For myself the selection between Hughes and Kakko is pretty even at the moment.
 

NickyLongLegz

Registered User
Apr 30, 2019
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What about an angry Kaapo Kakko? You can use the same argument for both players.
Because Jack Hughes has been projected to go #1 for several years, got invited to the draft lottery, etc. Kakko was never given that treatment so I don't think he would be as hurt if he didn't get chosen first overall. This is a big deal for someone who has been expecting to be a first overall pick. And this is not the same as the Nolan Patrick draft, he is and never was anywhere near as good as these guys.
 

Monsieur Verdoux

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Dec 6, 2016
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Because Jack Hughes has been projected to go #1 for several years, got invited to the draft lottery, etc. Kakko was never given that treatment so I don't think he would be as hurt if he didn't get chosen first overall. This is a big deal for someone who has been expecting to be a first overall pick. And this is not the same as the Nolan Patrick draft, he is and never was anywhere near as good as these guys.
Okay, fair enough.
 

devilsblood

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Mar 10, 2010
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I think the last thing the Devils want is to pass on Hughes and have to deal with an angry Jack Hughes with something to prove on their rival team for the next decade or so
If you think Kakko is going to be the better player I wouldn't be worried about angry Jack Hughes.
 
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TBF1972

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May 19, 2018
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You might be right who knows, I just hope that the fans of njd will accept kakko if they pick him, I guess its verry verry little chanse of that happening. But the worst scenario for a young player would be to have to play for fans that just dont accept him. The preassure on kakko if he got drafted #1 would be to heavy with this years of building up hughes at #1. I really dont think njd will pick him and everything will be fine.. But what if? Would you guys accept it? Just saying, these two prospects are amazing players in their own way and if I cheered for njd I would be happy with eighter one of them. Luckily I dont even cheer for a specific nhl team xD

Oh to answer the Peter forsberg being a tier below ovi is rubish. Forsberg in hes prime was better, in my opinion
No. I would leave planet earth.
 

Unknown Caller

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Apr 30, 2009
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If you think Kakko is going to be the better player I wouldn't be worried about angry Jack Hughes.

I would 100% be worried about a player of Jack Hughes' caliber having a chip on his shoulder across the river for 15 years. Kid has been the consensus #1 player for years now, it would unquestionably be a more significant personal indictment if he went #2 than if Kakko went #2. This wouldn't be Nolan Patrick playing pissed off. Hughes has a skill set that we've only seen in a handful of players over the last decade or so.

With that being said, you definitely don't draft a player because you're scared of pissing him off. But there's no doubt that Hughes would make us pay for that decision for a long time. The tables have almost completely turned perception wise based on the world championships. People are quickly forgetting how unreal this kid is.
 
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NJDevs26

Once upon a time...
Mar 21, 2007
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Because Jack Hughes has been projected to go #1 for several years, got invited to the draft lottery, etc. Kakko was never given that treatment so I don't think he would be as hurt if he didn't get chosen first overall. This is a big deal for someone who has been expecting to be a first overall pick. And this is not the same as the Nolan Patrick draft, he is and never was anywhere near as good as these guys.

Plus you're forgetting the biggest thing...this wouldn't just be any team passing on him, this would be us - with Hall having a relationship with him, Shero having a relationship with the family, Hynes coaching him during this tournament. All that PLUS the whole #1 thing for eighteen months, it would really be a **** you moment if knowing him better than any team we passed him over.
 

Cheddabombs

Status Quo
Mar 13, 2012
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I don't really care who we pick between Hughes and Kakko. I've stated how much I love Kakko and how I think he's neck and neck with Hughes. Not that this tournament should be a deciding factor at all but it's just another level of play where Kakko has shown up and played exceptionally.

It's crazy that if the Blackhawks won #2 instead I wouldn't be nearly as concerned. But now its, well the Rangers are getting the other guy so pressures on to really make the "right" choice. I think both are fantastic though so whatever.
 

My3Sons

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I don't really care who we pick between Hughes and Kakko. I've stated how much I love Kakko and how I think he's neck and neck with Hughes. Not that this tournament should be a deciding factor at all but it's just another level of play where Kakko has shown up and played exceptionally.

It's crazy that if the Blackhawks won #2 instead I wouldn't be nearly as concerned. But now its, well the Rangers are getting the other guy so pressures on to really make the "right" choice. I think both are fantastic though so whatever.

And last time it was the Flyers and Castron and company made a seemingly great decision. Not to discredit PATRICK who can still make strides and become the player envisioned when he was drafted. But Nico fits NJ perfectly.
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,335
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Brooklyn, NY
Just a bit of amending to my top 10:

1 NJ Hughes
2 NYR Kakko
3 CHI Byram (his Memorial Cup just really solidified him as the #3 pick, regardless of positional need)
4 COL Turcotte
5 LAK Cozens
6 DET Zegras
7 BUF Boldy
8 EDM Krebs
9 ANH Dach
10 VAN Podkolzin
 

StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
10,335
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Brooklyn, NY
Where is Cole Caufield

Not in my mock top 10, still. He's not going top 4. I think the first place you consider Caufield is to LA at #5, but the Kings are one of the remaining NHL franchises which still really value size. The Wings will not take Caufield if either Turcotte or Zegras are on the board, in my mind. Buffalo is a possibility, but I went with Boldy there. Edmonton and Anaheim are two other organizations which value size. With Vancouver, I opted for Podkolzin, since they have a very similar player to Caufield in Brock Boeser.

I would say that Caufield is a very strong possibility to Philadelphia at #11 or Minnesota at #12. It would be fun to see him in Philly, going head-to-head with Hughes in a very hotly contested rivalry, but there is also a strong chance they use this pick to address an organizational need at RD with Seider or Soderstrom. It would be very unlikely that Caufield fell past Minnesota, but you never know because their GM (Paul Fenton) is a bit of a dolt.
 
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StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
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Brooklyn, NY
I've had a couple people ask me if the WHC has changed my mock draft at all. I would say that it has not at the top -- Jack Hughes has solidified his standing as the #1 pick and Kappo Kakko has solidified his standing as the #2 pick. My one major change is that Moritz Seider is moving up, with a bullet. He looked very, very good for Team Germany at the worlds and his mix of skating/size/skills hint that he could even project to a top-pairing, two-way stud in the NHL. I think he has blown past Victor Soderstrom as the top RD in the 2019 draft, and could be considered as early as picks #10/#11 (Vancouver & Philadelphia, both of whom have organizational needs at RD).
 
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Brodeur

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Feb 27, 2002
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I was lurking around the Vancouver board looking for info on draft tickets. I saw one poster who was passing along info he heard that the Canucks apparently like Philip Broberg if he's there at #10. Not the pick I'd make in their shoes, but I wouldn't have taken Olli Juolevi either.

No matter what happens, when it gets to Philadelphia at #11 I'll mutter to myself "that guy shouldn't be available." If that Broberg rumor ends up being true, then that tier of forwards probably extends to #12.
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,335
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Brooklyn, NY
I was lurking around the Vancouver board looking for info on draft tickets. I saw one poster who was passing along info he heard that the Canucks apparently like Philip Broberg if he's there at #10. Not the pick I'd make in their shoes, but I wouldn't have taken Olli Juolevi either.

No matter what happens, when it gets to Philadelphia at #11 I'll mutter to myself "that guy shouldn't be available." If that Broberg rumor ends up being true, then that tier of forwards probably extends to #12.

Vancouver has drafted way too well in recent years for me to see them taking Broberg at #10. That guy has more red flags than a China military parade. Sure, his size/speed combo are absolutely elite; but his hockey IQ is problematic. His singular dimension of "skate through or past everyone without noticing that you have four teammates on the ice" is not likely to fly on the NHL level. His defensive positioning and awareness need a great deal of work, and his hands and vision are not high-end enough for him ever to become an elite scoring defenseman in the NHL. He certainly has the potential of a very athletic second-pairing D if he puts it all together, but with Broberg I think the argument is if he is a first-round pick, not a top 10 pick, and certainly not in a draft year like 2019 with so much forward talent in the top 10.
 
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BurntToast

Registered User
May 27, 2007
3,357
2,630
Saratoga, New York
Is there any chance Rangers take Byram. It’s crazy but that can be their Brian Leetch. Plus, It would be fun to see Stephen Valiquette eat crow. I know there will be some suprises but where and when..
 
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StevenToddIves

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May 18, 2013
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Brooklyn, NY
Is there any chance Rangers take Byram. It’s crazy but that can be their Brian Leetch. Plus, It would be fun to see Stephen Valiquette eat crow. I know there will be some suprises but where and when..

No, I'd say the chances of Kappo Kakko falling to #3 overall are about the same as the chances of him going #1 overall, which are both next to nothing.

While I have been as big an advocate of Byram as any draft pundit, there's just more projection involved with defense prospects than forwards, and this scares teams.
 

Stephen Gionta

Boston College > Boston University
Jun 15, 2015
6,231
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East Rutherford, NJ
Byram is going to be a superstar defenseman. I was more happy to see Bill Daly turn over the LA Kings card at #5 overall than I was when he turned over the Devils card for #1 overall. Because turning over the Kings card meant the Devils landed Hughes, Kakko, or Byram and I was ecstatic about that. I honestly didn't even care if we were 1, 2, or 3 I was just so happy we got one of those 3. Jack Hughes was just icing on the cake.
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,335
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
Byram is going to be a superstar defenseman. I was more happy to see Bill Daly turn over the LA Kings card at #5 overall than I was when he turned over the Devils card for #1 overall. Because turning over the Kings card meant the Devils landed Hughes, Kakko, or Byram and I was ecstatic about that. I honestly didn't even care if we were 1, 2, or 3 I was just so happy we got one of those 3. Jack Hughes was just icing on the cake.

Agreed. Outside of Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram might be my favorite defense draft-eligible since Seth Jones in 2013 (whom I had ranked #1 overall). Byram's development curve over the span of 2018-19 was larger than any other prospect in the entire draft. He began the season as a terrific, speedy, physical and two-way D and ended the season as perhaps the best player in the entire CHL. His Memorial Cup playoffs were as good as any CHL defenseman I have ever seen, draft-eligible or otherwise.

Byram simply has it all. His skating is absolutely elite. He checks off every box in the tool kit: hockey IQ, compete level, shot, vision, defensive play, physicality, you name it. If his development trajectory continues with such a steep incline, we could be talking about a perennial Norris candidate. I can't wait to see him in the NHL with Chicago or Colorado.
 
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