Byram would be amazing but seeing young lines like the Canucks have, just make me want to find another dynamic forward to pair with Nico or at least spread the wealth on the forward lines.
I mean yeah another forward would be great, but we really do have a very good first line and a decent second line.
It just hasn’t clicked yet. Whether due to chemistry or coaching.
D on the other hand needs help.
I mean yeah another forward would be great, but we really do have a very good first line and a decent second line.
It just hasn’t clicked yet. Whether due to chemistry or coaching.
D on the other hand needs help.
Can Hughes play the wing here ? Not sure I want two undersized centers.
I seem to remember you comparing him to Drew Doughty. I believe Byram himself said he tries to pattern his game after him.
I love these write ups every year.
I enjoy doing it and I like the idea of Devils fans knowing a bit more about the players available come draft day. Thanks for the kind words.
Byram would be amazing but seeing young lines like the Canucks have, just make me want to find another dynamic forward to pair with Nico or at least spread the wealth on the forward lines.
I enjoy doing it and I like the idea of Devils fans knowing a bit more about the players available come draft day. Thanks for the kind words.
Been looking forward to the Ives reports as soon as the season looked lost. I trust your opinion when it comes to these young kids. You were sky high on Miller last year and proven right.
If I’ve overlooked it at this point, I apologize, but do you have any favorites for the Devils’ 2nd that should be at or near the top of the round?
A very legitimate point, but keep in mind that if the Canucks had a competent blueline, they would probably be a playoff team.
An interesting thing I have heard whispered from my Vancouver contacts is that, come draft day, the Canucks will be willing to give a bunch to move up into the top 4 where they would have a shot at Byram.
I was also high on Ty Smith, ha.
My second round pipe dream would to get C John Beecher or D Thomas Harley if they somehow slipped. Beecher is the perfect #2C; though he might top out as a 25-30-55 guy, he does everything well, big and mobile, two-way, can be extremely physical, stands up for teammates. Harley is a 6'3 left-shot who skates extremely well and has NHL top-4 written all over him.
Another interesting possibility is if Spencer Knight drops to the second round due to NHL GM fear of taking a netminder in the first round. Knight is universally considered the best goaltending prospect in perhaps a decade -- as high as we all are on Blackwood's potential, this would be difficult to pass up in the 32-37 range.
There are a few intriguing Russian prospects who could go under the radar because, well... they're Russian. LW Pavel Dorofeyev and C Yegor Spirodonov both have top-line-type upside and phenomenal skill-sets.
I'll give a final mention to Staten Island native Arthur Kaliyev, who is very polarizing among scouts. He has the best snipe in this entire draft class, legit 40-goal NHL upside. But the fact that he can float and be inconsistent drops him down on many rankings. When he puts it all together, though? Just wow. He was dominant at the CHL prospects game. Perhaps with the good coaching in the Devils organization he could reach his extraordinary potential. But again, there are a few potential red flags which could drop him come draft day.
I highly doubt Vancouver will be able to move up. You know teams will ask for Pettersson or Hughes.
I highly doubt Vancouver will be able to move up. You know teams will ask for Pettersson or Hughes.
Boeser
I was also high on Ty Smith, ha.
My second round pipe dream would to get C John Beecher or D Thomas Harley if they somehow slipped. Beecher is the perfect #2C; though he might top out as a 25-30-55 guy, he does everything well, big and mobile, two-way, can be extremely physical, stands up for teammates. Harley is a 6'3 left-shot who skates extremely well and has NHL top-4 written all over him.
Another interesting possibility is if Spencer Knight drops to the second round due to NHL GM fear of taking a netminder in the first round. Knight is universally considered the best goaltending prospect in perhaps a decade -- as high as we all are on Blackwood's potential, this would be difficult to pass up in the 32-37 range.
There are a few intriguing Russian prospects who could go under the radar because, well... they're Russian. LW Pavel Dorofeyev and C Yegor Spirodonov both have top-line-type upside and phenomenal skill-sets.
I'll give a final mention to Staten Island native Arthur Kaliyev, who is very polarizing among scouts. He has the best snipe in this entire draft class, legit 40-goal NHL upside. But the fact that he can float and be inconsistent drops him down on many rankings. When he puts it all together, though? Just wow. He was dominant at the CHL prospects game. Perhaps with the good coaching in the Devils organization he could reach his extraordinary potential. But again, there are a few potential red flags which could drop him come draft day.
I highly doubt Vancouver will be able to move up. You know teams will ask for Pettersson or Hughes.
Hughes was, in fact, injured at the WJC and still played well, though not to the best of his ability. I would not call him a "jitterbug" unless I was also using that term to describe Patrick Kane and Johnny Gaudreau and Nikita Kucherov. Hughes' skating, vision and puck skills are absolutely dynamic. He's an outstanding scorer in his own right, but he's also the kind of guy who can turn your 25-goal wing into a 40 goal scorer. He projects to be a perennial 100+ point scorer in the NHL.
Yes, Hughes is really that good.
Was nico projected to be a 100pt player?
Who is better
At this point in their development Hughes is significantly higher regarded by the scouting community than Nico was in 2017. I would say that, in this draft, Nico would go #3 after Hughes and Kakko.
This is not an affront to Nico. Rasmus Dahlin also would likely be the #2 pick after Hughes in this draft, although that would be a far different debate due to the differences in their positions.
How close is Byram to the NHL?
At this point in their development Hughes is significantly higher regarded by the scouting community than Nico was in 2017. I would say that, in this draft, Nico would go #3 after Hughes and Kakko.
This is not an affront to Nico. Rasmus Dahlin also would likely be the #2 pick after Hughes in this draft, although that would be a far different debate due to the differences in their positions.