now that i am seeing it in one place, really like the look of that list. a lot of potentially good players - exciting for sure. hopefully a fair amount can make the jump to the big league.
Prospect Info: Devils Prospect Rankings, 2019
- Thread starter StevenToddIves
- Start date
Yes. But let's give Lafreniere another year.
The thing which people should be talking about is this: how many points would Hughes score if he were in the CHL this year? I mean, put him on the Halifax Mooseheads and he's the top-line center, likely putting up a 40-95-135 line in 60-something games. He's just that good offensively. And it's also important to factor in that Hughes was one of the younger kids in his draft class. He's special.
Still, I can't wait to see what Lafreniere accomplishes next season. The kid is just outstanding.
I think next year several of these kids graduate.
Hughes will start the season as the Devils #2C. I think Smith makes the line-up as the #3 LD behind Butcher and Greene, and ends the season as the #1 LD. Anderson should start the year as the 4th line RW. Maltsev has a shot to be the 4th line LW. McLeod could open the season as the #4C, though I'm hoping the Devils re-sign Boyle for one more year.
Boqvist is the wild card. I'm guessing he starts the season in the AHL, but any injury to a top-6 F on the Devils could vault him into a major role with the team -- his talent and skill and speed are undeniable.
What do you think Hughes will do this season with the Devils? Do you think 20-40-60 is possible?
None Shall Pass
Dano moisturizes
I'm just glad I'm not the only one hyped for Joey Anderson. I really think that, at his peak, he could be what Langenbrunner was to us (Minus Lang's big ol' slapper)
Ryan Callahan is really the best comparable to Anderson. Heart and soul, middle-six, two-way Res with huge leadership qualities and the ability to chip in 20-25 goals per season, many of them of the clutch variety.
None Shall Pass
Dano moisturizes
I'll happily sign up for that as well!
In the little I've seen of him, yeah, he has the upside of being a mediocre to below average 2nd liner, but an absolutely exceptional 3rd liner. I'd rather have players overqualified for their positions if salary cap allows it.
To say our prospect pool nowadays is stronger and more stockpiled than the days of Conte and company drafting is an understatement. I am eternally grateful and appreciative for Lou as he helped construct three Stanley Cup Championship teams. With that said, somewhere along the way in the 2000s, our scouting and drafting became atrocious if I’m being completely honest (one of the very few lone anomalies being Parise). It is quite impressive how the current regime has unearthed so much mid to late round talent (Anderson in the third, Studenic in the fifth, Bratt and Talvitie in the 6th, Davies in the 7th, and on and on). Of course the sky could be the limit for Ty Smith and Jesper Boqvist, as well.
I am so glad that there has been such a strong emphasis on draft and development and that the “bandaid approach” that Lou employed after losing Parise and Kovakchuk is long gone. The best way to build a contender, now more than ever, is by adding talent organically. It is refreshing to look at our prospect pool and see a pipeline that is so deep. There are many potential future NHLers in our system. I do not have enough superlatives to express how impressed I am with Castron and our scouts. It’s such a fun time to be a Devils fan. Things are finally turning around...trust in the process, my friends!!
I am so glad that there has been such a strong emphasis on draft and development and that the “bandaid approach” that Lou employed after losing Parise and Kovakchuk is long gone. The best way to build a contender, now more than ever, is by adding talent organically. It is refreshing to look at our prospect pool and see a pipeline that is so deep. There are many potential future NHLers in our system. I do not have enough superlatives to express how impressed I am with Castron and our scouts. It’s such a fun time to be a Devils fan. Things are finally turning around...trust in the process, my friends!!
No complaints on guys like Boqvist & Smith, but to me the magic of this front office is the talent they have pulled from the later rounds. Add Zetterlund in the 3rd, Maltsev in the 4th, and Rykov in the 5th to your already impressive list. This drafting has allowed us to fill out our bottom six with ELCs and promising youngsters and make trades for guys like Maroon, Grabner, and now Subban without giving up roster players or depleting the pipeline.
I really think we're a playoff team this year, and it will be bittersweet to say goodbye to some of them when the trade deadline comes around and we load up for bear.
Classic Devil
Spirit of 1988
I think you could convincingly argue that Conte’s last really good draft was in 1998. Granted we didn’t have picks for a lot of the 2000s, but given how poorly we drafted that probably wasn’t much of a loss.
nugg
NJ Hammerhead Bats!
@StevenToddIves, What about Xavier Bernard, does he still look to have some potential? And would there be any other previous prospects, pre-2019 draft that might make contributions of note? Thanks for your excellent info and well thought out evaluations.
MartyOwns
thank you shero
- Apr 1, 2007
- 24,201
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oh shit, really? somebody get anderson one of those back pillows with lumbar support, stat
I'm still pretty excited to see what McLeod can do. Also with how it seemed everyone on the Panthers wanted his head that last game of the season makes me believe he can be a real pest to the opposition too.
Jason MacIsaac
Registered User
McLeod and Anderson are two guys with zero pressure on them who could have a monster offseason and force the Devils hand. Both are self-starters with an already good skillset.
It's possible that Bernard's draft+one season was not quite what anyone hoped for. While it's too soon to judge Bernard completely, he certainly has a great deal to prove in 2019-20. Is he capable of taking such a step? Certainly. It's rare that you see a player at 6'3-205 who can shoot and skate as well as Bernard. He's a very humble kid who plays a simple game, but his tools stand out enough that he can certainly develop into an NHL-er if he asserts himself. I'm curious to see how this season goes, he is absolutely capable of making this list at the same time next year.
I've said this a bunch -- Zacha is the perfect pairing with Hughes for LW on the second line. His acuity defensively and in the face-off circle can take a ton of pressure off the rookie. Hughes can play like a winger and Zacha a center in the defensive zone, then they can flip responsibilities on the attack. In the offensive zone, Zacha's terrific shot and ability to bull the crease will certainly be utilized by Hughes -- the kid's got simply elite vision. In my mind, there's no reason why Zacha cannot score 25-30 goals playing on the left flank with Hughes.
I would not be surprised if you just described two-thirds of the Devils fourth line to open the 2019-20 campaign, so I certainly agree with you.
Is MBW not prospect eligible anymore? If anyone discussed this already it escaped my aged eyes. Very glad NJ is amassing a good prospect pool with some depth and potential high end.
Maybe he is technically, but I did not include him. Blackwood was the Devils #1 goaltender by the end of 2019.
DatDude44
Hmmmm?
- Feb 23, 2012
- 6,146
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Do yourself a favor and move Pasic up that list
Hopefully I will soon. It's a pretty good list.
Oneiro
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2013
- 9,439
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I'm happy with the general approach but it's too early to judge this scouting staff, as much as I love the value of their picks (Bratt, Davies, Smith, Boqvist, Talvitie, Misyul, etc). It's easy to be happy in relation to the previous staff but I think we've moved past that discussion. Now is the time to see how deep this pool really is.
Almost all of these picks are still unproven, even if many are obviously making good on their potential thus far. So I'd like to see some of these young guys start to take some people's jobs. Like the middle six forward we sign in free agency this summer? He should be pissed with his playing time by the end of the year if our depth is what it should be.
Almost all of these picks are still unproven, even if many are obviously making good on their potential thus far. So I'd like to see some of these young guys start to take some people's jobs. Like the middle six forward we sign in free agency this summer? He should be pissed with his playing time by the end of the year if our depth is what it should be.
