StevenToddIves
Registered User
Round 5 (127th overall) G Cole Brady, Janesville-NAHL I often state that I am terrible at scouting goaltenders, so I do not like to analyze the picks to any degree. That being said, I think it's important to try to draft one every year. It also makes me happy that Brady put up a nice stat line in the NAHL and is huge at 6'5. Grade: B
Round 5 (129th overall) LW Arseni Gritsyuk, Omksie, MHL I had this kid ranked 77th overall in my rankings, and may have had him ranked higher if I had more viewings of him. It was a typical, Paul Castron late round pick -- a very high-upside, under-the-radar forward with top-6 NHL potential. Gritsyuk is slightly undersized at 5'10-170, but makes up for it with plus-skating ability -- he's very quick and extremely elusive. His puck skills are also excellent, and he has a terrific shot. He's more of a shoot-first guy than a playmaker, but also sees the ice quite well and can deliver laser passes to the tape of his line mates' sticks. If there's one knock on his game it's that he really needs to get stronger -- in tight, he is easily knocked off the puck by physical defensemen and operates far better in space. Ultimately however, he is a high upside winger with speed and high-end scoring skill -- a great pick. Grade: A
Round 6 (158th overall) RW Patrick Moynihan, US-NTDP I think the Devils have become the only team in hockey history who has ever had pressure on them to draft a top-6 caliber stud in the 6th round. After home run picks of Jesper Bratt and Aarne Talvitie, the pressure was on at 158 -- and the Devils hit yet another grand slam. Moynihan joins US-NTDP teammates Jack Hughes and Case McCarthy in the Devils system, and like his pals it is impossible to read a capsule on him without the words "smart", "leader" and "high compete level". He's a heart-and-soul RW in the tradition of Ryan Callahan and Joey Anderson, known for two-way acumen and relentless hustle. Moynihan also likes to hit everything in sight -- he's a physical disruption every time he hits the ice. If this sounds like a bottom 6 NHL staple, it's because it is one. Where Moynihan truly shines as a late round steal is that he has excellent hands around the net and a nasty shot which can beat a goaltender from outside the circles. This is a kid with the heart to work his way up into an NHL top-6 role, but has the complete game to develop at the beginning of his career in a bottom 6 role -- simply put, he's a coaches' and teammates' dream. Grade: A+
Round 7 (189th overall) LW Nikola Pasic, Linkoping, Swedish J20 another forward with tremendous heart, energy and hustle, but Pasic adds to the mix elite skating ability and a very good shot. His vision is not high-end, perhaps setting his ceiling as a middle-six forward. If he sees you, he will get you the puck, but he does not anticipate openings -- he's more north/south, a kid to inject energy and speed into every shift, and a kid who can wire the puck past a goaltender if he has an opening. Without a doubt, this is a tremendous kid to take a chance on in the 7th round. Grade: A+
Round 5 (129th overall) LW Arseni Gritsyuk, Omksie, MHL I had this kid ranked 77th overall in my rankings, and may have had him ranked higher if I had more viewings of him. It was a typical, Paul Castron late round pick -- a very high-upside, under-the-radar forward with top-6 NHL potential. Gritsyuk is slightly undersized at 5'10-170, but makes up for it with plus-skating ability -- he's very quick and extremely elusive. His puck skills are also excellent, and he has a terrific shot. He's more of a shoot-first guy than a playmaker, but also sees the ice quite well and can deliver laser passes to the tape of his line mates' sticks. If there's one knock on his game it's that he really needs to get stronger -- in tight, he is easily knocked off the puck by physical defensemen and operates far better in space. Ultimately however, he is a high upside winger with speed and high-end scoring skill -- a great pick. Grade: A
Round 6 (158th overall) RW Patrick Moynihan, US-NTDP I think the Devils have become the only team in hockey history who has ever had pressure on them to draft a top-6 caliber stud in the 6th round. After home run picks of Jesper Bratt and Aarne Talvitie, the pressure was on at 158 -- and the Devils hit yet another grand slam. Moynihan joins US-NTDP teammates Jack Hughes and Case McCarthy in the Devils system, and like his pals it is impossible to read a capsule on him without the words "smart", "leader" and "high compete level". He's a heart-and-soul RW in the tradition of Ryan Callahan and Joey Anderson, known for two-way acumen and relentless hustle. Moynihan also likes to hit everything in sight -- he's a physical disruption every time he hits the ice. If this sounds like a bottom 6 NHL staple, it's because it is one. Where Moynihan truly shines as a late round steal is that he has excellent hands around the net and a nasty shot which can beat a goaltender from outside the circles. This is a kid with the heart to work his way up into an NHL top-6 role, but has the complete game to develop at the beginning of his career in a bottom 6 role -- simply put, he's a coaches' and teammates' dream. Grade: A+
Round 7 (189th overall) LW Nikola Pasic, Linkoping, Swedish J20 another forward with tremendous heart, energy and hustle, but Pasic adds to the mix elite skating ability and a very good shot. His vision is not high-end, perhaps setting his ceiling as a middle-six forward. If he sees you, he will get you the puck, but he does not anticipate openings -- he's more north/south, a kid to inject energy and speed into every shift, and a kid who can wire the puck past a goaltender if he has an opening. Without a doubt, this is a tremendous kid to take a chance on in the 7th round. Grade: A+
