Prospect Info: Ives Best 30 Players Available For Day 2 Of 2020 Draft

[StevenToddIves]

1) C Tristen Robins
2) C Marat Khusnutdinov
3) LW Jan Mysak
4) RW Luke Evangelista
5) RW Dmitry Rashevsky
6) LD Ryan O'Rourke
7) RD Brock Faber
8) C Evan Vierling
9) W JJ Peterka
10) RW Sam Colangelo
11) LW Carter Savoie
12) LW Daniel Torgersson
13) C/LW Thomas Bordeleau
14) RW Veeti Miettinen
15) RD Topi Niemela
16) LD Tyler Kleven
17) RW Jean-Luc Foudy
18) LD Yan Kuznetsov
19) LD Donovan Sebrango
20) RW Brandon Coe
21) RW Tyler Tullio
22) RW Martin Chromiak
23) C Vasily Ponomarev
24) RD Viktor Persson
25) LD Jeremie Poirier
26) C Ty Smilanic
27) C Roni Hirvonen
28) LW Evgeni Oksentyuk
29) RW/C Zayde Wisdom
30) C Jack Finley

Best Offensive Upside: Khusnutdinov or Mysak
Best Defensive Defenseman: Faber
Best Offensive Defenseman: Poirier
Best Physical Defenseman: Kleven
Best Physical Forward: Wisdom
Best Shot (Forward): Savoie
Best Shot (Defenseman): Poirier
Best Passer: Khusnutdinov
Highest Hockey IQ: Evangelista
Highest Compete Level: Robins
Best Hands: Rashevsky
Best Skater: Foudy
Best Open-Ice Hitter: Nikishin
Best Two-Way Center: Finley
Best Middle Round Sleepers: Faber, Rashevsky, Vierling
Best Late Round Steals: Miettinen, Oksentyuk, Wisdom

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[Forge]

A number of those guys could be available at our pick in the 80s.

Also, your unadulterated hatred of Guschin is noted

 

[beekay414]

Best Two-Way Center: Finley

If the Devils want to make me feel better about today, they'll take my boy tomorrow (well, later today technically).

 

[StevenToddIves]

A number of those guys could be available at our pick in the 80s.

Also, your unadulterated hatred of Guschin is noted

From my top 100 rankings:

80) LW/RW Danil Gushchin, Muskegon USHL unbelievable puck skills, hands of a magician, but undersized and needs to improve skating explosiveness

I like Gushchin and would be thrilled with his upside in the middle to late rounds. The kid can really dangle.

 

[StevenToddIves]

If the Devils want to make me feel better about today, they'll take my boy tomorrow (well, later today technically).

Finley will not fall to #83.

Sorry.

 

[Forge]

From my top 100 rankings:

80) LW/RW Danil Gushchin, Muskegon USHL unbelievable puck skills, hands of a magician, but undersized and needs to improve skating explosiveness

I like Gushchin and would be thrilled with his upside in the middle to late rounds. The kid can really dangle.

Oh, I know, but I believe that was the player you and I had the biggest difference of opinion on, so I was just giving you crap and saying you hate him

 

[beekay414]

Finley will not fall to #83.

Sorry.

I know, let me have this hope for a few more hours!

 

[Hischier and Hughes]

I don't even know how we'd get into the 2nd round

Could something like Wood with retention and a late pick get us a 2nd from a team like Toronto?

 

[StevenToddIves]

I know, let me have this hope for a few more hours!

The Devils have done tremendously well with mid and late round picks in the last few years, so I'm feeling optimistic. Maybe we'll get Rashevsky as our annual 6th round steal!

 

[Forge]

I don't even know how we'd get into the 2nd round

Could something like Wood with retention and a late pick get us a 2nd from a team like Toronto?

In a normal season, yes...this year, I don't know. It really seems like teams are almost scared to trade. I honestly can't believe that Ottawa didn't put all those seconds to use and try to get up in the first, for example. I just don't think many teams had interest in it

 

[StevenToddIves]

I don't even know how we'd get into the 2nd round

Could something like Wood with retention and a late pick get us a 2nd from a team like Toronto?

I don't know. I can say that somehow trading up to get Khusnutdinov or Mysak or Robins would make the entire 2020 draft a real winner for me.

 

[beekay414]

The Devils have done tremendously well with mid and late round picks in the last few years, so I'm feeling optimistic. Maybe we'll get Rashevsky as our annual 6th round steal!

I can't wait to add our day 2 guys to my top 25-30 list. The depth in this system is ridiculous at this point, even if we don't have a super high end top prospect (which is disingenuous to say considering Jack and Nico are already on the big club).

 

[StevenToddIves]

I can't wait to add our day 2 guys to my top 25-30 list. The depth in this system is ridiculous at this point, even if we don't have a super high end top prospect (which is disingenuous to say considering Jack and Nico are already on the big club).

If I was to rank the Devils top 20 prospects, the guys fighting for #20 would be fighting for the top 5 in like a dozen NHL organizations. The Devils prospects are just that deep right now.

Devils prospects who almost seem like afterthoughts right now -- players like Maltsev and Misyul and Gritsyuk and Clarke -- would all be top 5 prospects in systems like Boston, San Jose and Calgary.

There's a lot to be excited about.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I just realized I forgot Gunler. Put him somewhere near the top, ha.

 

[TBF1972]

I don't even know how we'd get into the 2nd round

Could something like Wood with retention and a late pick get us a 2nd from a team like Toronto?

you might have more success offering to take a cap dump for picks. like detroit did with staal.

 

[Guadana]

1) C Tristen Robins
2) C Marat Khusnutdinov
3) LW Jan Mysak
4) RW Luke Evangelista
5) RW Dmitry Rashevsky
6) LD Ryan O'Rourke
7) RD Brock Faber
8) C Evan Vierling
9) W JJ Peterka
10) RW Sam Colangelo
11) LW Carter Savoie
12) LW Daniel Torgersson
13) C/LW Thomas Bordeleau
14) RW Veeti Miettinen
15) RD Topi Niemela
16) LD Tyler Kleven
17) RW Jean-Luc Foudy
18) LD Yan Kuznetsov
19) LD Donovan Sebrango
20) RW Brandon Coe
21) RW Tyler Tullio
22) RW Martin Chromiak
23) C Vasily Ponomarev
24) RD Viktor Persson
25) LD Jeremie Poirier
26) C Ty Smilanic
27) C Roni Hirvonen
28) LW Evgeni Oksentyuk
29) RW/C Zayde Wisdom
30) C Jack Finley

Best Offensive Upside: Khusnutdinov or Mysak
Best Defensive Defenseman: Faber
Best Offensive Defenseman: Poirier
Best Physical Defenseman: Kleven
Best Physical Forward: Wisdom
Best Shot (Forward): Savoie
Best Shot (Defenseman): Poirier
Best Passer: Khusnutdinov
Highest Hockey IQ: Evangelista
Highest Compete Level: Robins
Best Hands: Rashevsky
Best Skater: Foudy
Best Open-Ice Hitter: Nikishin
Best Two-Way Center: Finley
Best Middle Round Sleepers: Faber, Rashevsky, Vierling
Best Late Round Steals: Miettinen, Oksentyuk, Wisdom

Thank you, i will use on our devils board it if you are not against

 

[Billdo]

Hopefully today we use some of cap space to acquire a second or something.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Thank you, i will use on our devils board it if you are not against

Definitely, make sure you get Gunler in there, though.

 

[StevenToddIves]

This is for you, @Forge -- I think we're talking about a player with serious upside due to an absolutely elite set of soft mitts and an impressive set of skills surrounding them. There is certainly risk here, but if you're drafting for upside in the middle rounds, Gushchin is certainly worth a pick there.

LW/RW Danil Gushchin, Muskegon USHL
I need to start this profile by saying that just because I include a player as a draft sleeper, it does NOT mean I'm necessarily advocating drafting him. With Gushchin, there is no denying the high-end talent, but there are several concerns which will drive you crazy.

Let's start with the good things. His combination of stickhandling, skating and shooting was quite simply the best in the entire USHL last season. This kid's hands are absolute magic, he can dangle with the best of them. He has almost a freakish ability in terms of puck acquisition -- you can pass it two steps behind him and he can reach over, gather the puck, flip it forwards, never lose stride and already be making a move around the onrushing defenseman. This is a rare ability which cannot be understated. He pulls this crazy stuff multiple times per game and it's just jaw-dropping. Combined with excellent skating and shooting (though not as elite as his hands), Gushchin's offensive tool-kit is certainly NHL caliber.

But the high-scoring upside is tempered by his passing. It's not that he has bad vision -- though not a plus skill like the others I just mentioned, he is certainly capable. It's just that he never wants to pass the puck. He's a bit of a one-man show who does not properly utilize his teammates. It's often as if he is in love with his own stickhandling and shooting abilities, and would rather just dangle around the offensive zone waiting for a seam where he can dart in for a highlight-reel goal. This often works for him in the USHL, but it's certainly not going to fly in the pros.

It also needs to be mentioned that we're talking about a 5'8-160 pound winger who is not especially adept defensively. Though his compete level is good and he's certainly got edge to him -- his need to always possess the puck finds him often out of position, almost as if unaware of what's going on in the game around him.

My conclusion would be that Gushchin is a high-upside prospect if he falls into the later rounds, but I'm not so sure I'd consider him until the 4th. With coaching and development, his upside is undeniable as a top-6 scoring winger who will blow your mind with some of his slick moves. But his floor is scary low, as this is not a player who will ever make it in a bottom 6 role.

 

[Forge]

This is for you, @Forge -- I think we're talking about a player with serious upside due to an absolutely elite set of soft mitts and an impressive set of skills surrounding them. There is certainly risk here, but if you're drafting for upside in the middle rounds, Gushchin is certainly worth a pick there.

LW/RW Danil Gushchin, Muskegon USHL
I need to start this profile by saying that just because I include a player as a draft sleeper, it does NOT mean I'm necessarily advocating drafting him. With Gushchin, there is no denying the high-end talent, but there are several concerns which will drive you crazy.

Let's start with the good things. His combination of stickhandling, skating and shooting was quite simply the best in the entire USHL last season. This kid's hands are absolute magic, he can dangle with the best of them. He has almost a freakish ability in terms of puck acquisition -- you can pass it two steps behind him and he can reach over, gather the puck, flip it forwards, never lose stride and already be making a move around the onrushing defenseman. This is a rare ability which cannot be understated. He pulls this crazy stuff multiple times per game and it's just jaw-dropping. Combined with excellent skating and shooting (though not as elite as his hands), Gushchin's offensive tool-kit is certainly NHL caliber.

But the high-scoring upside is tempered by his passing. It's not that he has bad vision -- though not a plus skill like the others I just mentioned, he is certainly capable. It's just that he never wants to pass the puck. He's a bit of a one-man show who does not properly utilize his teammates. It's often as if he is in love with his own stickhandling and shooting abilities, and would rather just dangle around the offensive zone waiting for a seam where he can dart in for a highlight-reel goal. This often works for him in the USHL, but it's certainly not going to fly in the pros.

It also needs to be mentioned that we're talking about a 5'8-160 pound winger who is not especially adept defensively. Though his compete level is good and he's certainly got edge to him -- his need to always possess the puck finds him often out of position, almost as if unaware of what's going on in the game around him.

My conclusion would be that Gushchin is a high-upside prospect if he falls into the later rounds, but I'm not so sure I'd consider him until the 4th. With coaching and development, his upside is undeniable as a top-6 scoring winger who will blow your mind with some of his slick moves. But his floor is scary low, as this is not a player who will ever make it in a bottom 6 role.

That's what I'm talking about