Prospect Info: Devils 2022 Draft Day Two Primer

[OmNomNom]

If we pass on Ryan Chesley because we reached for Nemec I'll be inconsolable.

get ready lol

 

[Blackjack]

get ready lol

Oh it’s happening. It’s cool though because Fitz will get “his guy” and we won’t be allowed to be mad about it.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I would be interested in that too. Take a Center and then either another RD such as Chesley or a high-upside winger. Or a goalie if there’s one we really want but I think we can leave that to the 3rd round or one of our 4ths.

I’d be fine trading Zacha for a 2nd round pick at this point unless there’s something bigger such as a hockey trade in the works.
Maybe Smith too but would probably need more than just a 2nd.


If we could get Chesley and a solid C prospect with middle-6 potential that would be great.

Owen Beck is a ridiculous steal right now. So is Chesley. Also, look out for W Adam Sykora, who is apparently close friends with Nemec and would be a great pick at #37.

 

[OmNomNom]

Oh it’s happening. It’s cool though because Fitz will get “his guy” and we won’t be allowed to be mad about it.

all i hope for is not off the board

 

[TBF1972]

Zacha to Montreal or Arizona for one of their seconds.

zacha is a top 6 pick from one of the best drafts in recent history and this is one of the worst. also montreal has to get better asap. this is not enough.

zacha for slaf and a 2nd

edit: if someone puts the proposal on the mainboard i promise a like.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Oh it’s happening. It’s cool though because Fitz will get “his guy” and we won’t be allowed to be mad about it.

Well, I'm ready to watch Day Two all the way through with you guys.

But then again, if the Devils reach for Salomonsson at #37 because "he's a RD and our scout in Sweden liked him", I might just turn off the draft haha.

 

[LeedsMonster]

Really hope we end up with Kaplan and Leinonen today

 

[Rhodes 81]

@StevenToddIves What are your thoughts on Ryan Greene? Probably a reach at 37, but he seems like the kind of player I would take a chance on. My ability to talk prospects with any kind of authority falls off pretty fast after the top 15 or so most years so I may just not appreciate some of the better options.

Edit: Should clarify, I would take a chance on him in the mid rounds, not at 37.

 

[StevenToddIves]

@StevenToddIves What are your thoughts on Ryan Greene? Probably a reach at 37, but he seems like the kind of player I would take a chance on. My ability to talk prospects with any kind of authority falls off pretty fast after the top 15 or so most years so I may just not appreciate some of the better options.

Greene is too early at #37, especially with Owen Beck and Logan Morrison and The Other Jack Hughes still on the board. He's actually not the best young forward on his own USHL team in Green Bay, I'd say that goes to Cameron Lund. Greene is certainly possessing significant upside, but he's also got no shortage of risk.

Here's my write up from a few months back:

C Ryan Greene, Green Bay USHL (STI Ranking #107, McKenzie #59)
Ryan Greene has been getting a good deal of second-round attention for the 2022 draft, but it's important to note that a lot of this is based on the obvious three reasons of size (6'2-175), speed (Greene can fly) and stats (51 points in 59 games). Most of the aspects of Greene's game which make it dicey to project him to a top 9 NHL future come with the more subtle nuances of the game which are often ignored by the people who get caught up in the size/speed/stats combo which can function as sort of a color-by-numbers evaluation tool for people who lack the wherewithal to dig deeper.

Greene's sheer athleticism is head and shoulders above his competition, and it is not unusual to see him get a head of steam with the puck, make a flashy move to turn a defender inside out, and hit the highlight reel with a beautiful goal. The problem here is consistency, consistency of work ethic and consistency of awareness. While he is capable of a slick, high-vision pass, Greene can also be a sloppy passer -- missing open teammates or not seeing a defender who is baiting him to pass where they can easily intercept. There's no deception in Greene's game. When he puck handles, it's Plan A, and Plan A is to beat you and then figure it out. High vision offensive players usually have a Plan B. Ryan Greene is a very good checkers player, but he is not a chess player, as it were.

Defensively and in transition Greene can be good or troublesome depending on the particular play. He can beat a couple guys, or he can skate into a corner and turn the puck over. In his own zone he can float a bit and lose his focus, he can be beat by high skill opponents and he can forget to support his defensemen. But it is important to note that this is a young man with NHL-caliber athleticism and he'll be going to a terrific NCAA program at Boston University, where there is the potential for great improvements in the trouble areas over the next four years.

Right now, this is not a player I would take in the 2nd or 3rd rounds where he will probably be snatched up in the 2022 draft. But I will say that Ryan Greene is the type of player with the natural ability to prove a lot of skeptics wrong if he can grab his lunch-pail and go to work. He's a center with size and speed, so he's certain to have appeal to many NHL scouts.

 

[RememberTheName]

all i hope for is not off the board

Not even that. Just someone with high upside. Chase Stillman and Samu Salminen and even Topias Vilen were somewhat "on the board" according to consensus (less so Stillman but I guess it could be argued) but both were extremely low upside players. They were all limited by having almost no offensive upside, Stillman just because his offense and puck skills aren't really that good and Salminen because he might have been the worst skater in the entire draft last year. Topias Vilen is just a nothingburger in every single facet of hockey and the definition of just wasting a pick on someone whose just going to be a Finnish pro his entire career and never good enough for the NHL. I just want someone with reasonable offensive potential.

 

[StevenToddIves]

@StevenToddIves What are your thoughts on Ryan Greene? Probably a reach at 37, but he seems like the kind of player I would take a chance on. My ability to talk prospects with any kind of authority falls off pretty fast after the top 15 or so most years so I may just not appreciate some of the better options.

Edit: Should clarify, I would take a chance on him in the mid rounds, not at 37.

Here's my write-up of Greene's Green Bay teammate Cameron Lund, who I like better and would be happy with in the 3rd round:

RW Cameron Lund, Green Bay USHL (STI Ranking #89, McKenzie #43)
When researching likely second round pick Ryan Greene on the Green Bay Gamblers, I actually came across a player I have even higher hopes for. This is sort of a rare thing for me. Although Cameron Lund is very raw, he shows some very intriguing skills and his combination of size (6'2-180), great skating and some interesting skills make me believe he can be the prototypical extremely raw prospect who could look like a steal after 4 years in the NCAA. Lund is committed to a strong Northeastern program for the fall.

The Massachusetts native has a nice compete level and pretty good awareness, but his inconsistency lies in the need to strengthen his fundamental hockey skills. He is capable of completing a nice, high-vision pass through skates on one shift, then passing a blatant "how did he not see him" turnover on the next play. He can stickhandle around a defender in highlight reel fashion, then fumble the puck for no reason before he gets a shot on net. His shot is excellent but the mechanics can be cleaned up. His defensive awareness seems good, but he can get lost in coverage and puck-chase.

Lund plays on the Green Bay top line with Ryan Greene and one of my past draft sleepers, Jackson Hallum (DET). When this trio is on their game, they are impossible to stop for USHL defenses -- it's just three kids with terrific combinations of size and skating who are all pretty skilled to boot. Greene will be a likely 2nd round pick in 2022, while Hallum was a 3rd round pick by Vegas in 2020. I'm a bit surprised I have yet to see Lund ranked by anyone as even a second round pick, as the athleticism is clearly there and it's just a matter of growing and refining his abilities.

I definitely take a hard look at Lund from the third round on and I think he's something a steal if he's there in the 4th. Combinations of this type of size, skating, athleticism and natural instinct are tough to find in the later rounds, and Lund is the type of player who could have a ceiling as a second line scorer at the NHL level if you're patient and precise in his development.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Greene is too early at #37, especially with Owen Beck and Logan Morrison and The Other Jack Hughes still on the board. He's actually not the best young forward on his own USHL team in Green Bay, I'd say that goes to Cameron Lund. Greene is certainly possessing significant upside, but he's also got no shortage of risk.

Here's my write up from a few months back:

C Ryan Greene, Green Bay USHL (STI Ranking #107, McKenzie #59)
Ryan Greene has been getting a good deal of second-round attention for the 2022 draft, but it's important to note that a lot of this is based on the obvious three reasons of size (6'2-175), speed (Greene can fly) and stats (51 points in 59 games). Most of the aspects of Greene's game which make it dicey to project him to a top 9 NHL future come with the more subtle nuances of the game which are often ignored by the people who get caught up in the size/speed/stats combo which can function as sort of a color-by-numbers evaluation tool for people who lack the wherewithal to dig deeper.

Greene's sheer athleticism is head and shoulders above his competition, and it is not unusual to see him get a head of steam with the puck, make a flashy move to turn a defender inside out, and hit the highlight reel with a beautiful goal. The problem here is consistency, consistency of work ethic and consistency of awareness. While he is capable of a slick, high-vision pass, Greene can also be a sloppy passer -- missing open teammates or not seeing a defender who is baiting him to pass where they can easily intercept. There's no deception in Greene's game. When he puck handles, it's Plan A, and Plan A is to beat you and then figure it out. High vision offensive players usually have a Plan B. Ryan Greene is a very good checkers player, but he is not a chess player, as it were.

Defensively and in transition Greene can be good or troublesome depending on the particular play. He can beat a couple guys, or he can skate into a corner and turn the puck over. In his own zone he can float a bit and lose his focus, he can be beat by high skill opponents and he can forget to support his defensemen. But it is important to note that this is a young man with NHL-caliber athleticism and he'll be going to a terrific NCAA program at Boston University, where there is the potential for great improvements in the trouble areas over the next four years.

Right now, this is not a player I would take in the 2nd or 3rd rounds where he will probably be snatched up in the 2022 draft. But I will say that Ryan Greene is the type of player with the natural ability to prove a lot of skeptics wrong if he can grab his lunch-pail and go to work. He's a center with size and speed, so he's certain to have appeal to many NHL scouts.

Yeah, just remembered that you already did all of this at length, thanks for the reply anyway!
I certainly don't watch enough prospects to get a sense of work ethic, but thought he was an interesting player if he can improve on defense. sounds like he needs to develop his vision a bit more as well.

 

[FooteBahl]

Here's my write-up of Greene's Green Bay teammate Cameron Lund, who I like better and would be happy with in the 3rd round:

RW Cameron Lund, Green Bay USHL (STI Ranking #89, McKenzie #43)
When researching likely second round pick Ryan Greene on the Green Bay Gamblers, I actually came across a player I have even higher hopes for. This is sort of a rare thing for me. Although Cameron Lund is very raw, he shows some very intriguing skills and his combination of size (6'2-180), great skating and some interesting skills make me believe he can be the prototypical extremely raw prospect who could look like a steal after 4 years in the NCAA. Lund is committed to a strong Northeastern program for the fall.

The Massachusetts native has a nice compete level and pretty good awareness, but his inconsistency lies in the need to strengthen his fundamental hockey skills. He is capable of completing a nice, high-vision pass through skates on one shift, then passing a blatant "how did he not see him" turnover on the next play. He can stickhandle around a defender in highlight reel fashion, then fumble the puck for no reason before he gets a shot on net. His shot is excellent but the mechanics can be cleaned up. His defensive awareness seems good, but he can get lost in coverage and puck-chase.

Lund plays on the Green Bay top line with Ryan Greene and one of my past draft sleepers, Jackson Hallum (DET). When this trio is on their game, they are impossible to stop for USHL defenses -- it's just three kids with terrific combinations of size and skating who are all pretty skilled to boot. Greene will be a likely 2nd round pick in 2022, while Hallum was a 3rd round pick by Vegas in 2020. I'm a bit surprised I have yet to see Lund ranked by anyone as even a second round pick, as the athleticism is clearly there and it's just a matter of growing and refining his abilities.

I definitely take a hard look at Lund from the third round on and I think he's something a steal if he's there in the 4th. Combinations of this type of size, skating, athleticism and natural instinct are tough to find in the later rounds, and Lund is the type of player who could have a ceiling as a second line scorer at the NHL level if you're patient and precise in his development.

Miles Wood?

 

[StevenToddIves]

Not even that. Just someone with high upside. Chase Stillman and Samu Salminen and even Topias Vilen were somewhat "on the board" according to consensus (less so Stillman but I guess it could be argued) but both were extremely low upside players. They were all limited by having almost no offensive upside, Stillman just because his offense and puck skills aren't really that good and Salminen because he might have been the worst skater in the entire draft last year. Topias Vilen is just a nothingburger in every single facet of hockey and the definition of just wasting a pick on someone whose just going to be a Finnish pro his entire career and never good enough for the NHL. I just want someone with reasonable offensive potential.

Stillman now looks like a pro-level 4th liner after a tough draft + 1 campaign, but we'll see if he bounces back next year. Vilen is solid defensively and certainly has a shot to catch on as a 6/7 NHL LD, just probably not with NJ. Salminen I can't see having any shot to make the NHL, which makes him the worst pick of the three, especially considering he was taken between two guys who go first round in a 2021 re-draft in LD Stanislav Svozil and W Sasha Pastujov. I'd say in a re-draft Salminen maybe goes in the 6th or 7th.

Either way, Fitzgerald can make up for a lot with a great Day Two today, so I think it best to stay optimistic until the smoke clears.

Miles Wood?

No, Lund lacks the elite straight-line speed + physicality, while possessing greater all-around skill with the puck, plus he's a center by trade.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Guys, if anyone has any questions about 2022 Draft Day Two ask me on this thread because the regular draft thread will be scrolling too fast to keep up with. I'll answer all questions about all picks for all teams as soon as I possibly can.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Guys, if anyone has any questions about 2022 Draft Day Two ask me on this thread because the regular draft thread will be scrolling too fast to keep up with. I'll answer all questions about all picks for all teams as soon as I possibly can.

Can't thank you enough for the work you put into this every year

 

[My3Sons]

Oh it’s happening. It’s cool though because Fitz will get “his guy” and we won’t be allowed to be mad about it.

Who is stopping anyone from being angry or disappointed with a pick? Will there be disagreement, sure. Just recall that these are opinions and saying player A was the BPA when NJ picks player B is just an opinion and others , including the NJ scouting staff, can differ. While I agree with those that don't want to give the Fitz draft approach the benefit of the doubt, it's not like we have much choice in the matter, and drafting teenagers is an inexact science.

 

[forceten]

Draft experts - any change to thinking now that we're at 46 and don't have a third rounder?

 

[DerekDevils30]

If we pass on Ryan Chesley because we reached for Nemec I'll be inconsolable.

Thats an awful way to go about things. Limit yourself to one guy and if we don’t pick him you’re upset.

 

[Xirik]

Guys, if anyone has any questions about 2022 Draft Day Two ask me on this thread because the regular draft thread will be scrolling too fast to keep up with. I'll answer all questions about all picks for all teams as soon as I possibly can.

Who do you think we'll pick at 102+? I'm guessing LW or C could fit the need.

Also are any of the Centers available able to play in the AHL? Peaked into the Untica thread and seems like they are begging for a Center.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Who do you think we'll pick at 102+? I'm guessing LW or C could fit the need.

Also are any of the Centers available able to play in the AHL? Peaked into the Untica thread and seems like they are begging for a Center.

Logan Morrison fits the biggest need as a nearly NHL ready C with high-end skill. LW Kirill Dolzhenkov would make a great grab for a power F project -- he's 6'8 240, skates well and has some intriguing puck skills.

 

[Xirik]

Logan Morrison fits the biggest need as a nearly NHL ready C with high-end skill. LW Kirill Dolzhenkov would make a great grab for a power F project -- he's 6'8 240, skates well and has some intriguing puck skills.

Ty for the Quick reply.

Noticed you were doing Day 1 recaps by division in the live thread, Any chance you could post them here? so many pages to shift through.

From the Same though, Can we expect an entire draft recap thread?

Edit- Oh my Uncle was also pretty perplexed about the Canucks picking Leker instead of Kemell

 

[glenwo2]

I'm guessing the likelihood of NJ taking a RD in Round 2 has shrunk dramatically.

This statement did not age well.