Reichel would be a very good pick at #20. He has a very high floor as a middle-six Swiss army knife, do it all winger. And his offensive upside I have recently come around on as much better than initially advertised. His combination of elite compete level and hockey IQ really maximizes his physical tools, which are pretty impressive in their own right. He's a dual threat winger who is a very good shooter and very creative passer, without being elite in either respect. But again, his IQ really maximizes these tools. He is a also a very good skater with a nice set of hands. I'd rank him as "very good" at everything across the board, to be honest, and you're also talking about a 200-foot player who plays with an edge. Lukas Reichel is a coaches' and teammates' dream, certain to be a fan favorite wherever he is drafted.
Prospect Info: Ives Final 2020 Draft Rankings -- Top 100
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Reichel would be a very good pick at #20. He has a very high floor as a middle-six Swiss army knife, do it all winger. And his offensive upside I have recently come around on as much better than initially advertised. His combination of elite compete level and hockey IQ really maximizes his physical tools, which are pretty impressive in their own right. He's a dual threat winger who is a very good shooter and very creative passer, without being elite in either respect. But again, his IQ really maximizes these tools. He is a also a very good skater with a nice set of hands. I'd rank him as "very good" at everything across the board, to be honest, and you're also talking about a 200-foot player who plays with an edge. Lukas Reichel is a coaches' and teammates' dream, certain to be a fan favorite wherever he is drafted.
I agree with you. I have been very vocal recently in my desire for Perreault for the very reasons you just stated. But I'd also love to get a kid like Reichel or Holloway at #20 -- a safer pick who also has the requisite talent to compliment a top 6. These kids also play a "grittier" brand of hockey, which I believe the Devils would benefit from getting more of in their top 6.
I also love Ridly Greig, and I think he would be a good pick at #20. I would have a tough time arguing that any player in the entire 2020 draft could top him in terms of sheer compete level, and we're also talking about a kid who has greater vision and creativity than he gets credit for. He's also a better shooter than the consensus seems to have noticed, making him a true dual threat forward. Most rankings would have Greig at #20 being a reach, but I would have to say his high floor and sneaky skill set would make him a very good pick in that range.
1. Alexis Lafreniere
2. Quinton Byfield
3. Tim Stutzle
Truthfully, I'm not going to say a whole lot here. I think that these are the main three for a lot of people. I will say that it's really not much of a question regarding 2/3 for me here. Stutzle is closer to 4 than he is to 2. I think it's slightly unlikely that he's a center at the next level, and Byfield's potential is just crazy high.
4. Lucas Raymond
I've made my love for this little firecracker well known. I'm obviously higher on him than a lot in here, and I think that may be because I am slightly higher on his game without the puck, as I think he's an electric fireball who will forecheck people with a degree of annoyance that we don't see too often. He's also one of the very few players in this draft whom I believe can drive a line from the wing, which is sort of rare. He's a puck possession monster in the end, and I love that. There's not a skill that he truly lacks or grades out worse than acceptable for me. He does it all. He needs to shoot more, and he needs to get stronger...a lot stronger, admittedly. He also tries to make "special" plays a little more than he should rather than take what is given to him.
5. Marco Rossi
Yes, the size is worrisome. I think any time you have to point at the one guy who has made it work at the next level (Brayden Point) to show that it can be done, there is some concern. That being said, I love the way his body is at least structured because he's got a very this and powerful base, and that is so important. Its like watching Russel Wilson in the NFL. Yeah, he's short, but he's structured so thick and strong in the base and core that he doesn't have any issues. He's a talented playmaker and was obviously well above the majority of his peers in the OHL last year. It's a bit of an offensive league, but Rossi has been doing this for years now and I love how much of a hard worker he is and his attitude. I think he can stick at center.
6. Jake Sanderson
Ugh, okay, fine. I'm going to drink the kool aid. He's the first real riser I've had since I posted previous rankings, and there are a couple of reasons. One, I'm writing these up with an additional bent toward what I would prefer to see the Devils do. I love Alexander Holtz, and in truth, I can understand the idea that he's a superior prospect, but as I said earlier, I do believe that what he brings to the table is more realistically replicable by guys that we can get at 18/20, so that dings him just a bit for my preference here. Secondarily, I think that the concern a lot of people have is his offense, and I think that he's going to one of the better schools (provided he gets to play) to really allow for him to cut loose. I think UND is going to let him play offensively, and when he does, I think the offense is going to show off. I think he's going to have one of the more impressive +1 seasons (and if he's there, a particularly impressive D+2 and in a year, people are going to think that he should have been ranked higher. Like the euro pros, he played slightly above his peer level going against college kids in the first half of the season. Putting him with his own peers in things such as the five nations really showed what he could do. Given his skating, I think he's a guy that plays all situations and could easily hit 23-24 minutes per night at his apex.
7. Jamie Drysdale
Great skater, obviously, and offensively he's fantastic, though I Don't know that he'll ever be a defensive shut down type, and that's why I moved him just below Sanderson. I think in the end, at their absolute best, Sanderson's peak could be just slightly better than Drysdale's because he could pot 50 points, be a shut down defender, and play all facets of the game. I don't know if that is quite Drysdsale.
8. Alexander Holtz
Could put him above the defensemen, and I wouldn't complain, and truthfully, if I were a fan of another team, that may actually be the case. But as I said in one of these threads, I think it's easier to replicate his skillset at 18 and 20 with guys like Perreault or Foerster. His production simply can't be denied, and he's not just his shot.
9. Seth Jarvis
As most know, a favorite of mine for a while. Like Raymond, I think that he's a guy that can drive a line from the wing. Some may be scared off by the fact that so much of his production came on the back half, but I don't think that really changed anything up. I think he continued to create high danger chances and simply got bad results to start and better results to finish. I think he skates well, and he's just a guy that mixes **** up and creates havoc and scoring chances.
10. Cole Perfetti
I'm not going to lie, I'm not a huge fan. The skating terrifies me, and I don't think it's overblown. He's small and he can't skate. I really worry about him carrying the puck when defenders don't have to respect the skating and can basically blanket him. That being said...skating can get better, and he's one of the smartest kids in the class and I feel like he justs sees the ice as though everything were happening just a tick slower than it is which gives him a leg up. He can shoot, he can be a playmaker, he can be an offensive dynamo. But if that skating is as bad as I fear it is, he can also be a bust. While I'm not his biggest supporter, this is really the lowest I can put him because I do believe that he is 100% in that second tier group (if you consider 4-10 one tier)
11. Yaroslav Askarov
I'm not going to pretend that I'm some great evaluator of goalies. He's a world class goalie prospect, we all know that. My ranking is based on solely at what point of the draft will I look at the forwards / D-men available and give Askarov a look ? This is it. So he's nubmer 11. The russian factor worries me somewhat, especially since he plays for SKA and they have money and I think will have a really good shot at getting at least one extension (even if it's a single year) after his current contract is up (which I think is 2 more years). I'm banking on not seeing him for 4 years if selected.
12. Anton Lundell
He's socks at christmas. You don't always love them, but they are beneficial to have and sometimes you need them. He's one of the few guys in this first round I Have no doubt is a center at the NHL level. I actually don't love the shot as much as others as I think he needs to do a better job of lifting the puck more consistently, and his skating is just okay, but I think he's going to be a solid middle 6 center pretty easily.
13. Rodion Amirov
This is really speculative because black and white production wise, he hasn't been as impressive as some (well, the start of the season has been pretty good for his D+1 year, I'll admit). But watching him on the ice...he's always moving, always processing and I think he has a really high hockey IQ. He almost always seems to know what's going on and what the best course of action is. Honestly, I don't know why the production hasn't always been there, but it's possible that he's just that third guy on a top 6 line who doesn't put up the points, but is more critical to it's success than you know. He's so good in transitions, passes well. I'm banking on that production fully breaking through at some point though; he's too skilled and has too much upstairs for it not to. I love his game, though I admit there's a possibility that he's the type that feasts on secondary assists.
14. Jacob Perreault
This guy has been talked about a lot, and I'm not going to add anything more. Sky high talent, doesn't always have the greatest compete level. If he wants it he's going to be fantastic. This is a boom / bust selection and not for the faint of heart at this point.
15. Jack Quinn
I mentioned it in another post, but I have some concerns about what he is at the next level. Do I think he's a pure sniper or putting up 35-40 goals? No, I don't. People give Holtz crap for his outside shows, but over half of Quinn's shot attempts came from low danger areas as well, and he should a completely unsustainable 21%. Not to compare them as players, but if you told me that at the next level he was going to be Blake Coleman, I could kind of see it. 22-25 fiesty goals, 35-40 points while giving a good two way presence. I don't think he's a top line winger. I don't know that he's a traditional top 6 winger. As a prospect, thinking of how he's going to progress at the NHL level, I think he's closer to Lukas Reichel and Dawson Mercer (who I gave real consideration to moving here with Quinn moving down) than he is Alexander Holtz, though ultimately I put those guys below Quinn because I think he's more likely to impact the power play.
16. Hendrix Lapierre
So, here's the thing. I don't have access to medial records or doctors, interviews with people or anything like that. This makes a ranking on Lapierre tricky. His injuries are well known. So is his talent. I understand that he will be on a few Do Not Draft lists (maybe our own), and he could easily fall out of the first round altogether. I also know that he could be a top 5 player in this draft and potentially the best playmaker out of the bunch. It seems like a good place for him given those two outcomes (I also tend to be slightly more forgiving on injury riddled draft campaigns ). High IQ, meh shot, questionable away from the puck
17. Marat Khusnutdinov
The russian factor is a little concerning again, and maybe I'm overbuying this kid and what he does considering the league. But given how much I like someone like Raymond, I don't think that it's all that surprising that I am possibly much higher on Khusnutdinov than the consensus. But the dude is everywhere lol. He's chaos. He is small, and the skill is still a work in progress, particularly finishing. This needs work and may never come, but he's also one of the youngest in this draft class. He's a further project than most of the guys in the first round, that's for sure, but he's got some magical hands and he really just looks like he's out there loving hockey.
18. Dawson Mercer
I'm not quite as high on him as some, but I Think the difference in overall feeling is negligible. I Don't think that his skills are elite. I don't see a great shot, I Don't think he's a great passer. Checks a lot of eh, okay boxes.
19. Dylan Holloway
I love the size and skating, as I think the two aren't easily found together, and he'd be a great partner for Jack on the wing. He's not explosive in his skating, but once he gets going, its very smooth and his hands allow him a high degree of mobility on the ice. Some guys like Jarvis I think are good fits for Nico...Holloway is 100% a Jack linemate.
Wisconsin was not good this year for some reason. Not sure what happened there, and it's not typical for draft eligibles to be playing in the NCAA. He knows how to play physical, and depsite playing older competitors, he didn't back down. His skill / production will have to come more with time, I think. My biggest concern is that I don't think his hockey sense and IQ is super duper high? He's not going to be super creative or anything like that. He'd be a puck retrieval expert on Jack's line, I think, and he's got really good hands and enough skill to play a very a - b - c game and finish feeds from Jack. I feel like he's could be a monster by his junior season.
20. Ryan O'Rourke
Surprise?....I guess? So yeah. The new ROR. It's all about one thing. Passing and the mental game. Schneider and Guhle both have a significant issues in the offensive game, but are defensive stalwarts. Schneider's mental game can lapse defensively at time, and Guhle I honestly just think is a bad passer and is going to be a chip off the glass zone exit guy. That's not what I want. ROR is a quality defender, even if not as shut down as those guys may project to be, but he also has a very nice first pass / outlet pass in my opinion, which gives me hope for something greater. He's one of the younger players in this draft (Schneider one of the oldest). I think he's got some alpha dog to him offensively if he can find it consistently. He's not afraid to attack the net when it presents itself. I just think that there is a much better shot that he's going to be a quality, all around balance d-man in the NHL. I think he needs more time.
21. Brendan Brisson
He's not going to be a center at the next level until he decides he wants to play defense. He would have been a good fit for Nas' system last year lol. His lack of desire to play defense is kind of putting it nicely. But he's got a really nice shot, size is okay, and was really productive. Completely destroyed the world juniors last year. I don't think that he has great skating or speed, and that worries me just a bit, but his offensive game outside of that is top notch.
22. Mavrik Bourque
I'm kind of meh on him? I just don't like the shot. I don't know, maybe STI can convince me otherwise, but I swear it seems like every time this kid takes a shot, he kind of whiffs on it. They are ugly. The real strength of his game is that he's constantly pushing high danger opportunities because he's really smart and controls the puck and he navigates traffic like nobody's business. Not much of a defender though, so like Brisson, if he's going to stick at center, that's probably going to have to change.
23. Connor Zary
If I had to vote on a guy who is most likely to be overdrafted, this is the dude. I gave him the nod over Reichel because I do think that Zary has it in him to stick at center in this class, which is kind of a rarity in this first round, but I'm not high on him at all. I think he's a bottom six penalty killing center. There isn't an elite tool in the kit to me.
24. Tyson Foerster
I think his feet are a little clunky, but he 100% has one of the best shots in this class. If you were to grade everything in the shot? Accuracy, power, release, etc? I could certainly make the case he has the best or second best. He's that good. I think he could project to someone like Palms. I'm probably higher on him than most.
25. Ozzy Wiesblatt
He's far more productive than people realize and he attacks with a fierceness that as most probably know by now, is one of my favorite traits. I don't know that he's a center...I think he has a better chance to stick than some others, and but i don't think the odds are as good as someone like Zary. He's got a good baseline of skills and more importantly, he knows how to use them. He knows when and where to attack to get the most out of his offensive game. The rest of it needs to round into shape, and obviously the size thing can absolutely matter and may prevent him from maximizing his potential, but he's a guy that I'd be okay with if we took at 20. I think he's a point producer at the NHL level.
26. Helge Grans
Once again, a speculative inclusion on the list. I watch him, and there's some things that really turn me off. One, right now, he's just looks lanky and two, his skating seems awkward as hell. He seems to be lumbering. I really like that he's cognizant of his surroundings and that he's not a chip and go defender...he wants to keep the puck. At the same time, he seems like a guy that greatly benefits from the bigger ice surface, and I'd love to see him on a smaller rink to get a better idea on where his skill set is atin the passing game because sometimes, he's still a grab bag of "what the hell did you just do?"
There's a ton to like about him in a projection sense, but the play is not anywhere close to to that at this point. Still, I'll gamble on him and hope for the best. I worry that his skating in a booth will never let him get there though.
27. Noel Gunler
I don't like it. I don't know what to do with Gunler. He's really starting to scream "guy who never makes it to the NHL". But the gifts are so tantalizing, even if the compete level kind of sucks. I really wonder if he would benefit away from Sweden. I'm not taking him off my board yet in the top 31, despite the inauspicious start to the season.
28. Lukas Reichel
I am a little concerned that he was playing above his head at the start of the season, and its a feeling that I can't quite shake...especially given how hard it is for a 17 year old to be playing in a men's league (Reichel is a younger draft eligible with a May birthday). He's got a lot of the common flaws for youngsters in older leagues...he's lean, not strong enough, consistency waxes and wanes and he's sometimes a passenger. But I love the skating, and the skill set it good, but not great. I wonder how high the upside is. Is he the third guy on a second line? I Feel like that may be the best case scenario and given that he's not yet good around the boards (because of course not at 17 in a men's league), I don't know how likely that is. He's got a good offensive IQ, knows where to get offensively to put himself in good spots to score, but he doesn't have a great shot or anything like that. Watching him offensively, there's nothing that stands out to me.
29. Ridly Greig
30. Daniil Gushchin
You can kind of tell where we are at in this draft as I think my #29 & #30 guys share a similar kind of game. Greig is a 200 foot player who will hurt somebody despite not being a super big dude. He's the type of guy every team needs in the nitty gritty. I don't think that he has high level offensive skill set, but I don't think it's bad. He has some growing and developing to do which and I think he can get better offensively, especially given that I think he has pretty good offensive instincts as it is. . I think he has more room to grow than Gushchin, which is why he's one spot higher.
Yes, Gushchin is super tiny. Yes, he plays like a bee on a sugar high. Are we surprised that I like him? For those who like your aggressively angry forecheckers, this is the guy for you. But he's just kind of fun to watch, I won't lie lol.
31. Braden Schneider
He's probably the guy that lost the most for me with as long as this has taken. At one point, I thought he was currently the best defender in this class...the type who, given his age, could maybe come in right away as a third pairing stay at home phone booth defender and not embarrass himself. I don't think that is the case any more. Forget the offensive game, which will likely never really be a factor, but sometimes, like Mukhamadullin, you're lefting trying to figure out just what the hell he's doing. I like that he's a righty, but the defensive game in certain situations needs work where he's not spacing out. I really gave considerable though to sticking him in the second round with most of my d-men, but behind the likes of Daemon Hunt, just on the basis of overall upside.
2. Quinton Byfield
3. Tim Stutzle
Truthfully, I'm not going to say a whole lot here. I think that these are the main three for a lot of people. I will say that it's really not much of a question regarding 2/3 for me here. Stutzle is closer to 4 than he is to 2. I think it's slightly unlikely that he's a center at the next level, and Byfield's potential is just crazy high.
4. Lucas Raymond
I've made my love for this little firecracker well known. I'm obviously higher on him than a lot in here, and I think that may be because I am slightly higher on his game without the puck, as I think he's an electric fireball who will forecheck people with a degree of annoyance that we don't see too often. He's also one of the very few players in this draft whom I believe can drive a line from the wing, which is sort of rare. He's a puck possession monster in the end, and I love that. There's not a skill that he truly lacks or grades out worse than acceptable for me. He does it all. He needs to shoot more, and he needs to get stronger...a lot stronger, admittedly. He also tries to make "special" plays a little more than he should rather than take what is given to him.
5. Marco Rossi
Yes, the size is worrisome. I think any time you have to point at the one guy who has made it work at the next level (Brayden Point) to show that it can be done, there is some concern. That being said, I love the way his body is at least structured because he's got a very this and powerful base, and that is so important. Its like watching Russel Wilson in the NFL. Yeah, he's short, but he's structured so thick and strong in the base and core that he doesn't have any issues. He's a talented playmaker and was obviously well above the majority of his peers in the OHL last year. It's a bit of an offensive league, but Rossi has been doing this for years now and I love how much of a hard worker he is and his attitude. I think he can stick at center.
6. Jake Sanderson
Ugh, okay, fine. I'm going to drink the kool aid. He's the first real riser I've had since I posted previous rankings, and there are a couple of reasons. One, I'm writing these up with an additional bent toward what I would prefer to see the Devils do. I love Alexander Holtz, and in truth, I can understand the idea that he's a superior prospect, but as I said earlier, I do believe that what he brings to the table is more realistically replicable by guys that we can get at 18/20, so that dings him just a bit for my preference here. Secondarily, I think that the concern a lot of people have is his offense, and I think that he's going to one of the better schools (provided he gets to play) to really allow for him to cut loose. I think UND is going to let him play offensively, and when he does, I think the offense is going to show off. I think he's going to have one of the more impressive +1 seasons (and if he's there, a particularly impressive D+2 and in a year, people are going to think that he should have been ranked higher. Like the euro pros, he played slightly above his peer level going against college kids in the first half of the season. Putting him with his own peers in things such as the five nations really showed what he could do. Given his skating, I think he's a guy that plays all situations and could easily hit 23-24 minutes per night at his apex.
7. Jamie Drysdale
Great skater, obviously, and offensively he's fantastic, though I Don't know that he'll ever be a defensive shut down type, and that's why I moved him just below Sanderson. I think in the end, at their absolute best, Sanderson's peak could be just slightly better than Drysdale's because he could pot 50 points, be a shut down defender, and play all facets of the game. I don't know if that is quite Drysdsale.
8. Alexander Holtz
Could put him above the defensemen, and I wouldn't complain, and truthfully, if I were a fan of another team, that may actually be the case. But as I said in one of these threads, I think it's easier to replicate his skillset at 18 and 20 with guys like Perreault or Foerster. His production simply can't be denied, and he's not just his shot.
9. Seth Jarvis
As most know, a favorite of mine for a while. Like Raymond, I think that he's a guy that can drive a line from the wing. Some may be scared off by the fact that so much of his production came on the back half, but I don't think that really changed anything up. I think he continued to create high danger chances and simply got bad results to start and better results to finish. I think he skates well, and he's just a guy that mixes **** up and creates havoc and scoring chances.
10. Cole Perfetti
I'm not going to lie, I'm not a huge fan. The skating terrifies me, and I don't think it's overblown. He's small and he can't skate. I really worry about him carrying the puck when defenders don't have to respect the skating and can basically blanket him. That being said...skating can get better, and he's one of the smartest kids in the class and I feel like he justs sees the ice as though everything were happening just a tick slower than it is which gives him a leg up. He can shoot, he can be a playmaker, he can be an offensive dynamo. But if that skating is as bad as I fear it is, he can also be a bust. While I'm not his biggest supporter, this is really the lowest I can put him because I do believe that he is 100% in that second tier group (if you consider 4-10 one tier)
11. Yaroslav Askarov
I'm not going to pretend that I'm some great evaluator of goalies. He's a world class goalie prospect, we all know that. My ranking is based on solely at what point of the draft will I look at the forwards / D-men available and give Askarov a look ? This is it. So he's nubmer 11. The russian factor worries me somewhat, especially since he plays for SKA and they have money and I think will have a really good shot at getting at least one extension (even if it's a single year) after his current contract is up (which I think is 2 more years). I'm banking on not seeing him for 4 years if selected.
12. Anton Lundell
He's socks at christmas. You don't always love them, but they are beneficial to have and sometimes you need them. He's one of the few guys in this first round I Have no doubt is a center at the NHL level. I actually don't love the shot as much as others as I think he needs to do a better job of lifting the puck more consistently, and his skating is just okay, but I think he's going to be a solid middle 6 center pretty easily.
13. Rodion Amirov
This is really speculative because black and white production wise, he hasn't been as impressive as some (well, the start of the season has been pretty good for his D+1 year, I'll admit). But watching him on the ice...he's always moving, always processing and I think he has a really high hockey IQ. He almost always seems to know what's going on and what the best course of action is. Honestly, I don't know why the production hasn't always been there, but it's possible that he's just that third guy on a top 6 line who doesn't put up the points, but is more critical to it's success than you know. He's so good in transitions, passes well. I'm banking on that production fully breaking through at some point though; he's too skilled and has too much upstairs for it not to. I love his game, though I admit there's a possibility that he's the type that feasts on secondary assists.
14. Jacob Perreault
This guy has been talked about a lot, and I'm not going to add anything more. Sky high talent, doesn't always have the greatest compete level. If he wants it he's going to be fantastic. This is a boom / bust selection and not for the faint of heart at this point.
15. Jack Quinn
I mentioned it in another post, but I have some concerns about what he is at the next level. Do I think he's a pure sniper or putting up 35-40 goals? No, I don't. People give Holtz crap for his outside shows, but over half of Quinn's shot attempts came from low danger areas as well, and he should a completely unsustainable 21%. Not to compare them as players, but if you told me that at the next level he was going to be Blake Coleman, I could kind of see it. 22-25 fiesty goals, 35-40 points while giving a good two way presence. I don't think he's a top line winger. I don't know that he's a traditional top 6 winger. As a prospect, thinking of how he's going to progress at the NHL level, I think he's closer to Lukas Reichel and Dawson Mercer (who I gave real consideration to moving here with Quinn moving down) than he is Alexander Holtz, though ultimately I put those guys below Quinn because I think he's more likely to impact the power play.
16. Hendrix Lapierre
So, here's the thing. I don't have access to medial records or doctors, interviews with people or anything like that. This makes a ranking on Lapierre tricky. His injuries are well known. So is his talent. I understand that he will be on a few Do Not Draft lists (maybe our own), and he could easily fall out of the first round altogether. I also know that he could be a top 5 player in this draft and potentially the best playmaker out of the bunch. It seems like a good place for him given those two outcomes (I also tend to be slightly more forgiving on injury riddled draft campaigns ). High IQ, meh shot, questionable away from the puck
17. Marat Khusnutdinov
The russian factor is a little concerning again, and maybe I'm overbuying this kid and what he does considering the league. But given how much I like someone like Raymond, I don't think that it's all that surprising that I am possibly much higher on Khusnutdinov than the consensus. But the dude is everywhere lol. He's chaos. He is small, and the skill is still a work in progress, particularly finishing. This needs work and may never come, but he's also one of the youngest in this draft class. He's a further project than most of the guys in the first round, that's for sure, but he's got some magical hands and he really just looks like he's out there loving hockey.
18. Dawson Mercer
I'm not quite as high on him as some, but I Think the difference in overall feeling is negligible. I Don't think that his skills are elite. I don't see a great shot, I Don't think he's a great passer. Checks a lot of eh, okay boxes.
19. Dylan Holloway
I love the size and skating, as I think the two aren't easily found together, and he'd be a great partner for Jack on the wing. He's not explosive in his skating, but once he gets going, its very smooth and his hands allow him a high degree of mobility on the ice. Some guys like Jarvis I think are good fits for Nico...Holloway is 100% a Jack linemate.
Wisconsin was not good this year for some reason. Not sure what happened there, and it's not typical for draft eligibles to be playing in the NCAA. He knows how to play physical, and depsite playing older competitors, he didn't back down. His skill / production will have to come more with time, I think. My biggest concern is that I don't think his hockey sense and IQ is super duper high? He's not going to be super creative or anything like that. He'd be a puck retrieval expert on Jack's line, I think, and he's got really good hands and enough skill to play a very a - b - c game and finish feeds from Jack. I feel like he's could be a monster by his junior season.
20. Ryan O'Rourke
Surprise?....I guess? So yeah. The new ROR. It's all about one thing. Passing and the mental game. Schneider and Guhle both have a significant issues in the offensive game, but are defensive stalwarts. Schneider's mental game can lapse defensively at time, and Guhle I honestly just think is a bad passer and is going to be a chip off the glass zone exit guy. That's not what I want. ROR is a quality defender, even if not as shut down as those guys may project to be, but he also has a very nice first pass / outlet pass in my opinion, which gives me hope for something greater. He's one of the younger players in this draft (Schneider one of the oldest). I think he's got some alpha dog to him offensively if he can find it consistently. He's not afraid to attack the net when it presents itself. I just think that there is a much better shot that he's going to be a quality, all around balance d-man in the NHL. I think he needs more time.
21. Brendan Brisson
He's not going to be a center at the next level until he decides he wants to play defense. He would have been a good fit for Nas' system last year lol. His lack of desire to play defense is kind of putting it nicely. But he's got a really nice shot, size is okay, and was really productive. Completely destroyed the world juniors last year. I don't think that he has great skating or speed, and that worries me just a bit, but his offensive game outside of that is top notch.
22. Mavrik Bourque
I'm kind of meh on him? I just don't like the shot. I don't know, maybe STI can convince me otherwise, but I swear it seems like every time this kid takes a shot, he kind of whiffs on it. They are ugly. The real strength of his game is that he's constantly pushing high danger opportunities because he's really smart and controls the puck and he navigates traffic like nobody's business. Not much of a defender though, so like Brisson, if he's going to stick at center, that's probably going to have to change.
23. Connor Zary
If I had to vote on a guy who is most likely to be overdrafted, this is the dude. I gave him the nod over Reichel because I do think that Zary has it in him to stick at center in this class, which is kind of a rarity in this first round, but I'm not high on him at all. I think he's a bottom six penalty killing center. There isn't an elite tool in the kit to me.
24. Tyson Foerster
I think his feet are a little clunky, but he 100% has one of the best shots in this class. If you were to grade everything in the shot? Accuracy, power, release, etc? I could certainly make the case he has the best or second best. He's that good. I think he could project to someone like Palms. I'm probably higher on him than most.
25. Ozzy Wiesblatt
He's far more productive than people realize and he attacks with a fierceness that as most probably know by now, is one of my favorite traits. I don't know that he's a center...I think he has a better chance to stick than some others, and but i don't think the odds are as good as someone like Zary. He's got a good baseline of skills and more importantly, he knows how to use them. He knows when and where to attack to get the most out of his offensive game. The rest of it needs to round into shape, and obviously the size thing can absolutely matter and may prevent him from maximizing his potential, but he's a guy that I'd be okay with if we took at 20. I think he's a point producer at the NHL level.
26. Helge Grans
Once again, a speculative inclusion on the list. I watch him, and there's some things that really turn me off. One, right now, he's just looks lanky and two, his skating seems awkward as hell. He seems to be lumbering. I really like that he's cognizant of his surroundings and that he's not a chip and go defender...he wants to keep the puck. At the same time, he seems like a guy that greatly benefits from the bigger ice surface, and I'd love to see him on a smaller rink to get a better idea on where his skill set is atin the passing game because sometimes, he's still a grab bag of "what the hell did you just do?"
There's a ton to like about him in a projection sense, but the play is not anywhere close to to that at this point. Still, I'll gamble on him and hope for the best. I worry that his skating in a booth will never let him get there though.
27. Noel Gunler
I don't like it. I don't know what to do with Gunler. He's really starting to scream "guy who never makes it to the NHL". But the gifts are so tantalizing, even if the compete level kind of sucks. I really wonder if he would benefit away from Sweden. I'm not taking him off my board yet in the top 31, despite the inauspicious start to the season.
28. Lukas Reichel
I am a little concerned that he was playing above his head at the start of the season, and its a feeling that I can't quite shake...especially given how hard it is for a 17 year old to be playing in a men's league (Reichel is a younger draft eligible with a May birthday). He's got a lot of the common flaws for youngsters in older leagues...he's lean, not strong enough, consistency waxes and wanes and he's sometimes a passenger. But I love the skating, and the skill set it good, but not great. I wonder how high the upside is. Is he the third guy on a second line? I Feel like that may be the best case scenario and given that he's not yet good around the boards (because of course not at 17 in a men's league), I don't know how likely that is. He's got a good offensive IQ, knows where to get offensively to put himself in good spots to score, but he doesn't have a great shot or anything like that. Watching him offensively, there's nothing that stands out to me.
29. Ridly Greig
30. Daniil Gushchin
You can kind of tell where we are at in this draft as I think my #29 & #30 guys share a similar kind of game. Greig is a 200 foot player who will hurt somebody despite not being a super big dude. He's the type of guy every team needs in the nitty gritty. I don't think that he has high level offensive skill set, but I don't think it's bad. He has some growing and developing to do which and I think he can get better offensively, especially given that I think he has pretty good offensive instincts as it is. . I think he has more room to grow than Gushchin, which is why he's one spot higher.
Yes, Gushchin is super tiny. Yes, he plays like a bee on a sugar high. Are we surprised that I like him? For those who like your aggressively angry forecheckers, this is the guy for you. But he's just kind of fun to watch, I won't lie lol.
31. Braden Schneider
He's probably the guy that lost the most for me with as long as this has taken. At one point, I thought he was currently the best defender in this class...the type who, given his age, could maybe come in right away as a third pairing stay at home phone booth defender and not embarrass himself. I don't think that is the case any more. Forget the offensive game, which will likely never really be a factor, but sometimes, like Mukhamadullin, you're lefting trying to figure out just what the hell he's doing. I like that he's a righty, but the defensive game in certain situations needs work where he's not spacing out. I really gave considerable though to sticking him in the second round with most of my d-men, but behind the likes of Daemon Hunt, just on the basis of overall upside.
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Well-done and unconventional list, thank you for this. I also don't know how I'm ever going to top your description of Anton Lundell as "socks for Christmas".
Just to clarify on the ROR thing - I didn't express myself well when I said "it's all about one thing" and then named two LOL. I was speaking with regards to one thing compared to Guhle and Schneider. That one thing compared to Guhle is the passing, the one thing compared to Schneider is the mental lapses
I'm a big fan of Ryan O'Rourke -- I love the character/compete level kids, especially on defense. But I'm forced to temper this with the fact that he's a pretty good skater who lacks any standout abilities. Though I would say he has an even higher floor than Guhle, he lacks a wow factor which Guhle gives you with his outstanding skating, size and shot from the point.
Though I have O'Rourke ranked in my first round at #29 overall, he's actually more of the ideal second-round pick. He's never going to be a player the other team game-plans against, but he's simply going to be a kid who eats minutes, is tough to beat and gives you little smart plays all game long. There's nothing wrong with this type of player, especially when you factor in all the accolades he has received as being a leader in the locker room and an extremely respected young man both on and off the ice.
Though many Devils fans are going to be screaming for a defenseman at #20 overall -- even if Schneider and Guhle are off the board -- I could not promote O'Rourke over a forward like Perreault or Reichel or Holloway or whomever. I will say that, outside of the "Big 2" defensemen of Sanderson and Drysdale and the "Other 2" defensemen of Schneider and Guhle, O'Rourke is clearly the best option, especially at LD. I don't understand why a player who has a 5/6 floor and 3/4 upside would be routinely ranked below LD like Cormier and Villeneuve, who have 3/4 upside but floors of guys who struggle in the AHL.
Ryan O'Rourke is not a sexy pick, but he's a very good bet to play a ton of solid minutes in the NHL. However, I think he would enter the Devils depth chart as the #3 LD behind Smith and Bahl. That's not what you want out of your first round pick, and it's why -- although I think O'Rourke will be a terrific player -- I'm not promoting him for the Devils. Still, I agree with your high assessment of this young player and he's certainly a kid I'm going to root for in the NHL no matter who drafts him.
Yeah, I'm very much a guy who is not interested in D in the first round unless it happens at 7 with Drysdale / Sanderson. At 18 and 20 I'd prefer to punt D and go with a forward (or, if he's there, Askarov). I think he has a better chance at being a well rounded #3 or #4 than either Schneider / Guhle. If I'm targeting guys like Guhle and Schneider, there are just so many other guys who are similar that I'd like to target much later. I'm bullish on Hunt despite the mostly lost year, and I suppose in theory, he could be there in the third for us. I'd rather draft Hunt in the third than Guhle / Schneider in the first all day, personally. Especially given the lack of offensive upside.
Daemon Hunt in the 3rd round is a very realistic possibility, and yes I like him a lot too. Just a terrific skater. He made #72 on my final rankings, but is one of the players I highlighted as guys who could make me look stupid for underrating him five years down the line. I think he would've gotten some late first-round love if injuries had not derailed his draft-eligible campaign. As far as hyped LDs go, I would say Hunt has far more upside than names like Villeneuve and Wallinder while being a far safer pick than names like Cormier and Jurmo.
If you're going to swing for the fences at LD in the 3rd or 4th round, you could argue that Hunt will be as good as it gets. Mukhamadullin likely has more upside than any LD in the draft not named Sanderson, but there's a good chance he's off the board far earlier than Hunt. Kaiser, Viro and Seeley are also guys I would put in the category with Hunt for "LD with nice upside likely to be available in the middle rounds". Of course, there's also Mitch Miller who has more upside than any of these kids, but unfortunately I'd have to say that Miller is the biggest character question in the entire draft and it might see him drop as far as the 7th round.
Meh. He's more like fish paste for brunch if you ask me. But maybe with some lingonberries.
C Bear Hughes, Spokane WHL
I got to know all the Spokane players a lot, as I like to follow Ty Smith. Hughes is a nice lunchpail player, a center who plays with great compete and attention to two-way play, and also features some intriguing offensive tools like a very good shot. It's important to note that Hughes is an overager, and that his skating is average at best. But a mix of good size (6'1-175 or thereabouts), above-average offensive skill and a very good, complete game would certainly make him an intriguing selection in the 6th/7th rounds.
beekay414
#FireEveryone
1. Alexis Lafreniere | LW | Rimouski (QMJHL)
The consensus #1. No real reason to go into detail here.
2. Quinton Byfield | C | Sudbury (OHL)
From a H/W/S scenario, you won't find a more ideal mold than Byfield. The issues are whether or not he'll truly use that size. Ceiling is immense once he starts using his physical abilities to his advantage. Right now, he relies on speed/quickness more than size and that's a little disappointing, to say the least. The question then becomes whether you believe he'll do that or if he'll continue to shy away from the physical side of the game instead of embracing it.
3. Marco Rossi | C | Ottawa (OHL)
The little fire hydrant that could. You try telling this kid no. The work ethic, the hockey sense, the bulldog mentality, the individual skills, you name it, Rossi has it. He's every GMs dream in a top pick everywhere but H/W/S. Thing is, he's not your typical small forward. His base is unreal and he'll win far more board battles than he'll lose. This kid wants it all and I'm not sure I'm willing to be the GM that questions it.
4. Tim Stutzle | LW | Mannheim (DEL)
I don't think he's a center in the long run so that's why I dropped him below Rossi, who I have no doubt will man the dot. Stutzle is always moving, he's hectic on the ice and everywhere. He could be a superstar if it all clicks.
5. Jake Sanderson | LHD | USNTDP (USHL)
I'm higher on Sanderson than almost anyone. I think he's a true shutdown, give you 25 minutes a night #1 dman. I also believe his offense will take off once he gets comfortable implementing it more, as we saw during the last few months before the shutdown. You can't question the speed, as that's something his daddy gave him in spades. He gets the bump, for me, over Drysdale due to being a left hand shot.
6. Jamie Drysdale | RHD | Erie (OHL)
I have no doubt he'll be a #1 despite his size. He's not afraid of contact in his own zone and he's a gamebreaker when the puck is on his stick. True two way defenseman that'll score 50-60 a season. He's not a shutdown type though. If he was, he'd push for a top 3 spot in the class. Has everything you can't teach except size but he's not ever going to let that hinder him on the next level. He's a star.
7. Seth Jarvis | RW | Portland (WHL)
This kid's skating makes defenders shake in their skates. He forces action in dirty areas despite his size because he knows he has the defenders (and goalie's) heads spinning. He's also a two way, 200 foot player. He'll fall further than this due to the perceived size issue but don't let that be the reason you lose out on a dynamic player that's a potential all-star, top line play driver.
8. Jacob Perreault | RW | Sarnia (OHL)
I don't think I really need to explain myself here. I'm far higher on him than most. He has the ability to be the best player from this class if he wants it. He's got elite tools everywhere from his shot to his hands to his playmaking to his skating. This kid will go as high as he wants in the NHL. We're talking a potential superstar in the mold of David Pastrnak. I've even heard his skills be compared to Jack Eichel. He had the highest primary point percentage of this entire class at 90%. His compete level is the only thing holding him back.
9. Lucas Raymond | RW | Frolunda (SHL)
The only thing missing is the production and consistency. All the tools are there to be a franchise talent, it's just whether he wants it. People will probably question me for having Jarvis and Perreault over him but I don't question whether or not Jarvis wants it like I do Raymond and I have no reason to question Perreault's production. Talent alone, he's a top 5 player.
10. Cole Perfetti | LW | Saginaw (OHL)
If he could skate, he's easily in the top 3. The hockey mind on this kid is out of this world. People have gone as far as to compare him to Nikita Kucherov in that regard. I do not think he's a center at the next level though. He has all the tools except skating and size so you just hope he can fix the skating enough to unleash his offensive upside.
11. Alexander Holtz | RW | Djurgardens (SHL)
I'm admittedly lower on Holtz than most. In the right situation, he's going to score 40 goals. No doubt, he's produced in a men's league already but there's more to scouting than just production. He never wows me and, outside of his shot, I question where his tools are anything more than decent. He'll probably make me look like an idiot but I don't care. I like several other wingers more, as made obvious by the rankings.
12. Yaroslav Askarov | G | SKA-Neva (VHL)
I don't know anything about goalies so I'm going with the consensus here and placing him just outside the top 10. There's no question he's been ultra-impressive as a teenager on the world circuit and in men's leagues. All the tools are there, it's just how long until he's on North American ice, as is the question with almost all Russians.
13. Rodion Amirov | LW | Ufa (KHL)
Speaking of Russians, Amirov is dazzling. He's an all-around 200 foot player. You can place him on PP1 and PK1 and not worry for a second. You question the production (unlike Holtz) but you don't question the skill. I don't see him getting outside of the top half of the first round.
14. Marat Khusnutdinov | C | SKA-1946 (MHL)
Oh look, another Russian! Dino is a favorite of mine (and many others for that matter) and just wows you when you watch him. The kid just does not quit. He's a dynamo, or as some have put it, high octane. Far from a finished product but unquestionable upside. Now, I don't see anyone gambling on him this high because that's the type of pick that gets ya fired if he doesn't click. However, it's also the type of pick that makes you look like a genius if it works, so.......
15. Jack Quinn | RW | Ottawa (OHL)
This placement is less about souring on Quinn than it is about falling more for other guys. Quinn is an all out, offensive threat. He's always looking to put pucks in front of the net when setting up teammates. As others have pointed out, he's not going to shoot as well as he did and he did it as more of an outside shooter, so it's not sustainable. Still, he grew exponentially in 2019-2020 and did a lot of the damage himself. He's also a 200 foot, highly effective defensive winger. There's value there even if he never reproduces his draft year numbers.
16. Lukas Reichel | LW | Berlin (DEL)
Reichel is a coach's dream. He does everything well. He's a 200 foot player that, once again, plays in a men's league, where he produced solid numbers. The question comes from the upside. Is he a top 6 winger? Some think he is in the end with a few more years growth in his game. That's the beauty of scouting...projection. He's young for the class and already has great hockey sense.
17. Ridly Greig | C/LW | Brandon (WHL)
This little pest has my heart completely. The compete level is off the charts and, despite his current size, he is not afraid to throw his body around. Guaranteed fan favorite once he gets to the NHL. People question his skill but I don't. I see a 60 point, 2 way winger that you flat out win with and a player teammates would die for. I think he wears a letter someday.
18. Anton Lundell | C | HIFK (Liiga)
I don't think I've ever heard a better description of Lundell than the Christmas socks analogy lol. He'll definitely get drafted higher than this but the upside just isn't there. He's a good, two way #2 center in the mold of a Travis Zajac at his peak. Not thrilling in this draft but a pick that's necessary and has NHL value.
19. Hendrix Lapierre | C | Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
The injury questions scare me. His 2019-2020 tape scares me. His vision, playmaking and hockey sense absolutely do not scare me. Lapierre is the biggest wildcard in this entire draft and almost all of that is beyond his control, so you feel bad for the kid. The on-ice issue I have is that his shot is absolutely not good and he's borderline afraid to shoot so he's predictable. You work on his shot and he stays healthy, you hit an absolute home run at this stage of the draft.
20. Noel Gunler | RW | Lulea (SHL)
What is it with this kid? Is it the league he plays in and how they approach things? Is he a primadonna? Does he just need to get out of Sweden? His shot is ridiculous and he's an easy 40 goal scorer alongside someone like McDavid, Point, Crosby or even Jack Hughes. He's not a line driver nor is he really a playmaker but he's going to absolutely bury goals for a living.
21. Tristen Robins | C/RW | Saskatoon (WHL)
Robins is a wizard with the puck on his stick and nobody has risen higher, faster than Robins in this class. You watch the Blades, you're watching Robins. His hockey sense and ferocity rival anyone in the class and he skates like a man on fire. He's small but unafraid and he has clear top 6 upside. He can play on the dot, where he exploded the 2nd half of the season or he can drive a line from the wing. I have a feeling he's going to go much, much higher than projected come possibly as early as Tuesday.
22. Dawson Mercer | RW | Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
23. Jan Mysak | LW | Hamilton (OHL)
This might be a controversial spot for Mercer considering how much we've talked about him as a potential Devils target at 18 or 20. The upside just isn't really there but he's extremely safe and a perfect partner next to Jack Hughes. I just chose to go with more upside at the winger spot in my rankings. I'd absolutely adore Mercer if he was on the Devils.
There's really nothing that Jan Mysak can't do on the ice. He may not have an elite tool but everything he does is at a high level. He can play any role and not be out of place. He came over mid-season to get used to North American ice and all he did was produce. He's safe because I don't see any way this kid doesn't make an NHL roster. He's really interchangeable with Mercer in my rankings, being quite honest.
24. Mavrik Bourque | RW | Shawinigan (QMJHL)
25. Ozzy Wiesblatt | RW | Prince Albert (WHL)
26. Luke Evangelista | RW | London (OHL)
Considering I put emphasis on upside prior to Mercer, there's an argument to be made that I should've also put these three above him and Mysak. Bourque, while ranked ahead of Ozzy and Luke, is probably my least favorite of the group, though they are extremely interchangeable. I just question his desire when playing off the puck. Saying that, when the puck is on his stick, he's magnificient as he's an excellent playmaker and always finds a way to produce. I do not, however, think he's a center in the NHL so he'll have to be more in that playmaking role as a winger.
Wiesblatt should honestly be higher and right around where I have Ridly Greig placed. Wiesblatt has reckless abandon for his own body and is immensely skilled. Kid's compete level is ridiculous and his hockey sense is stupid. He was thrown into a top line role this year and all he did was impress. He forechecks, skates extremely well and plays a complete 200 foot game. If it all clicks, you get a top 6 steal in the late 1st or early 2nd. If not, you're getting a dynamic middle 6 winger who drives opponents nuts.
Evangelista is going to be a force once he grows into his body. He's already a bulldog on the puck and his hockey sense is extremely impressive. Almost all of his production came 5v5 and he's not afraid of doing the dirty work as he thrives in the high danger areas despite being 165 soaken wet. If it all clicks, you're getting a 2 way top 6 winger here.
27. Martin Chromiak | LW | Kingston (OHL)
He's a right handed shot but he'll play the left side, for sure. Chromiak is an offensive dynamo with top tier offensive hockey sense. The things holding him back are his skating and defensive play. I think, in the end, he's going to be a highly reliable middle 6 scoring winger that you play on a line with someone that can mask him on defense.
28. Kaiden Guhle | LHD | Prince Albert (WHL)
29. Dylan Holloway | C/W | Wisconsin (Big-10)
30. Connor Zary | C | Kamloops (WHL)
31. Braden Schneider | RHD | Brandon (WHL)
Finally, another defenseman! Guhle is big, skates well, has a good shot from the point and has great hockey sense on the defensive end of the ice. He's never going to put up a ton of points but he's capable of being a #3 who gives you 20+ minutes a night. No wow factor here, just a steady presence that won't completely hinder you on offense.
Holloway has the H/W/S profile that a lot of people would kill for on the wing and he has the ability to play any forward spot, so there's value there. I just question the hockey sense. Yes, I know it's rare for a first-time draft eligible player to play in the NCAA but he was underwhelming when I watched Wisconsin this year. The entire team was. He's very likely to be a middle 6 winger in the end, so there's value to taking him day one but he's not a sexy pick whatsoever. Safe, which is why he'll go higher than this.
Yes, I'm lower on Zary than almost everyone. No elite skills at all so the production won't translate to the NHL. He's going to be a reliable middle 6 center but there's just no upside play with him. He'll go much higher than this, obviously, but he's not a thrilling pick.
I'm continuing with the "safe" trend to end my top 31. The simple fact is the game is going away from Schneider's type of defenseman more than it ever has. He's very likely to be the first defenseman from the class to make the NHL but he's a 2nd line, shutdown type. There's not much ceiling with Schneider. The Devils could certainly use his type in the system, someone you know will be reliable for you for years but there's more thrilling options that'll be on the board.
The consensus #1. No real reason to go into detail here.
2. Quinton Byfield | C | Sudbury (OHL)
From a H/W/S scenario, you won't find a more ideal mold than Byfield. The issues are whether or not he'll truly use that size. Ceiling is immense once he starts using his physical abilities to his advantage. Right now, he relies on speed/quickness more than size and that's a little disappointing, to say the least. The question then becomes whether you believe he'll do that or if he'll continue to shy away from the physical side of the game instead of embracing it.
3. Marco Rossi | C | Ottawa (OHL)
The little fire hydrant that could. You try telling this kid no. The work ethic, the hockey sense, the bulldog mentality, the individual skills, you name it, Rossi has it. He's every GMs dream in a top pick everywhere but H/W/S. Thing is, he's not your typical small forward. His base is unreal and he'll win far more board battles than he'll lose. This kid wants it all and I'm not sure I'm willing to be the GM that questions it.
4. Tim Stutzle | LW | Mannheim (DEL)
I don't think he's a center in the long run so that's why I dropped him below Rossi, who I have no doubt will man the dot. Stutzle is always moving, he's hectic on the ice and everywhere. He could be a superstar if it all clicks.
5. Jake Sanderson | LHD | USNTDP (USHL)
I'm higher on Sanderson than almost anyone. I think he's a true shutdown, give you 25 minutes a night #1 dman. I also believe his offense will take off once he gets comfortable implementing it more, as we saw during the last few months before the shutdown. You can't question the speed, as that's something his daddy gave him in spades. He gets the bump, for me, over Drysdale due to being a left hand shot.
6. Jamie Drysdale | RHD | Erie (OHL)
I have no doubt he'll be a #1 despite his size. He's not afraid of contact in his own zone and he's a gamebreaker when the puck is on his stick. True two way defenseman that'll score 50-60 a season. He's not a shutdown type though. If he was, he'd push for a top 3 spot in the class. Has everything you can't teach except size but he's not ever going to let that hinder him on the next level. He's a star.
7. Seth Jarvis | RW | Portland (WHL)
This kid's skating makes defenders shake in their skates. He forces action in dirty areas despite his size because he knows he has the defenders (and goalie's) heads spinning. He's also a two way, 200 foot player. He'll fall further than this due to the perceived size issue but don't let that be the reason you lose out on a dynamic player that's a potential all-star, top line play driver.
8. Jacob Perreault | RW | Sarnia (OHL)
I don't think I really need to explain myself here. I'm far higher on him than most. He has the ability to be the best player from this class if he wants it. He's got elite tools everywhere from his shot to his hands to his playmaking to his skating. This kid will go as high as he wants in the NHL. We're talking a potential superstar in the mold of David Pastrnak. I've even heard his skills be compared to Jack Eichel. He had the highest primary point percentage of this entire class at 90%. His compete level is the only thing holding him back.
9. Lucas Raymond | RW | Frolunda (SHL)
The only thing missing is the production and consistency. All the tools are there to be a franchise talent, it's just whether he wants it. People will probably question me for having Jarvis and Perreault over him but I don't question whether or not Jarvis wants it like I do Raymond and I have no reason to question Perreault's production. Talent alone, he's a top 5 player.
10. Cole Perfetti | LW | Saginaw (OHL)
If he could skate, he's easily in the top 3. The hockey mind on this kid is out of this world. People have gone as far as to compare him to Nikita Kucherov in that regard. I do not think he's a center at the next level though. He has all the tools except skating and size so you just hope he can fix the skating enough to unleash his offensive upside.
11. Alexander Holtz | RW | Djurgardens (SHL)
I'm admittedly lower on Holtz than most. In the right situation, he's going to score 40 goals. No doubt, he's produced in a men's league already but there's more to scouting than just production. He never wows me and, outside of his shot, I question where his tools are anything more than decent. He'll probably make me look like an idiot but I don't care. I like several other wingers more, as made obvious by the rankings.
12. Yaroslav Askarov | G | SKA-Neva (VHL)
I don't know anything about goalies so I'm going with the consensus here and placing him just outside the top 10. There's no question he's been ultra-impressive as a teenager on the world circuit and in men's leagues. All the tools are there, it's just how long until he's on North American ice, as is the question with almost all Russians.
13. Rodion Amirov | LW | Ufa (KHL)
Speaking of Russians, Amirov is dazzling. He's an all-around 200 foot player. You can place him on PP1 and PK1 and not worry for a second. You question the production (unlike Holtz) but you don't question the skill. I don't see him getting outside of the top half of the first round.
14. Marat Khusnutdinov | C | SKA-1946 (MHL)
Oh look, another Russian! Dino is a favorite of mine (and many others for that matter) and just wows you when you watch him. The kid just does not quit. He's a dynamo, or as some have put it, high octane. Far from a finished product but unquestionable upside. Now, I don't see anyone gambling on him this high because that's the type of pick that gets ya fired if he doesn't click. However, it's also the type of pick that makes you look like a genius if it works, so.......
15. Jack Quinn | RW | Ottawa (OHL)
This placement is less about souring on Quinn than it is about falling more for other guys. Quinn is an all out, offensive threat. He's always looking to put pucks in front of the net when setting up teammates. As others have pointed out, he's not going to shoot as well as he did and he did it as more of an outside shooter, so it's not sustainable. Still, he grew exponentially in 2019-2020 and did a lot of the damage himself. He's also a 200 foot, highly effective defensive winger. There's value there even if he never reproduces his draft year numbers.
16. Lukas Reichel | LW | Berlin (DEL)
Reichel is a coach's dream. He does everything well. He's a 200 foot player that, once again, plays in a men's league, where he produced solid numbers. The question comes from the upside. Is he a top 6 winger? Some think he is in the end with a few more years growth in his game. That's the beauty of scouting...projection. He's young for the class and already has great hockey sense.
17. Ridly Greig | C/LW | Brandon (WHL)
This little pest has my heart completely. The compete level is off the charts and, despite his current size, he is not afraid to throw his body around. Guaranteed fan favorite once he gets to the NHL. People question his skill but I don't. I see a 60 point, 2 way winger that you flat out win with and a player teammates would die for. I think he wears a letter someday.
18. Anton Lundell | C | HIFK (Liiga)
I don't think I've ever heard a better description of Lundell than the Christmas socks analogy lol. He'll definitely get drafted higher than this but the upside just isn't there. He's a good, two way #2 center in the mold of a Travis Zajac at his peak. Not thrilling in this draft but a pick that's necessary and has NHL value.
19. Hendrix Lapierre | C | Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
The injury questions scare me. His 2019-2020 tape scares me. His vision, playmaking and hockey sense absolutely do not scare me. Lapierre is the biggest wildcard in this entire draft and almost all of that is beyond his control, so you feel bad for the kid. The on-ice issue I have is that his shot is absolutely not good and he's borderline afraid to shoot so he's predictable. You work on his shot and he stays healthy, you hit an absolute home run at this stage of the draft.
20. Noel Gunler | RW | Lulea (SHL)
What is it with this kid? Is it the league he plays in and how they approach things? Is he a primadonna? Does he just need to get out of Sweden? His shot is ridiculous and he's an easy 40 goal scorer alongside someone like McDavid, Point, Crosby or even Jack Hughes. He's not a line driver nor is he really a playmaker but he's going to absolutely bury goals for a living.
21. Tristen Robins | C/RW | Saskatoon (WHL)
Robins is a wizard with the puck on his stick and nobody has risen higher, faster than Robins in this class. You watch the Blades, you're watching Robins. His hockey sense and ferocity rival anyone in the class and he skates like a man on fire. He's small but unafraid and he has clear top 6 upside. He can play on the dot, where he exploded the 2nd half of the season or he can drive a line from the wing. I have a feeling he's going to go much, much higher than projected come possibly as early as Tuesday.
22. Dawson Mercer | RW | Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
23. Jan Mysak | LW | Hamilton (OHL)
This might be a controversial spot for Mercer considering how much we've talked about him as a potential Devils target at 18 or 20. The upside just isn't really there but he's extremely safe and a perfect partner next to Jack Hughes. I just chose to go with more upside at the winger spot in my rankings. I'd absolutely adore Mercer if he was on the Devils.
There's really nothing that Jan Mysak can't do on the ice. He may not have an elite tool but everything he does is at a high level. He can play any role and not be out of place. He came over mid-season to get used to North American ice and all he did was produce. He's safe because I don't see any way this kid doesn't make an NHL roster. He's really interchangeable with Mercer in my rankings, being quite honest.
24. Mavrik Bourque | RW | Shawinigan (QMJHL)
25. Ozzy Wiesblatt | RW | Prince Albert (WHL)
26. Luke Evangelista | RW | London (OHL)
Considering I put emphasis on upside prior to Mercer, there's an argument to be made that I should've also put these three above him and Mysak. Bourque, while ranked ahead of Ozzy and Luke, is probably my least favorite of the group, though they are extremely interchangeable. I just question his desire when playing off the puck. Saying that, when the puck is on his stick, he's magnificient as he's an excellent playmaker and always finds a way to produce. I do not, however, think he's a center in the NHL so he'll have to be more in that playmaking role as a winger.
Wiesblatt should honestly be higher and right around where I have Ridly Greig placed. Wiesblatt has reckless abandon for his own body and is immensely skilled. Kid's compete level is ridiculous and his hockey sense is stupid. He was thrown into a top line role this year and all he did was impress. He forechecks, skates extremely well and plays a complete 200 foot game. If it all clicks, you get a top 6 steal in the late 1st or early 2nd. If not, you're getting a dynamic middle 6 winger who drives opponents nuts.
Evangelista is going to be a force once he grows into his body. He's already a bulldog on the puck and his hockey sense is extremely impressive. Almost all of his production came 5v5 and he's not afraid of doing the dirty work as he thrives in the high danger areas despite being 165 soaken wet. If it all clicks, you're getting a 2 way top 6 winger here.
27. Martin Chromiak | LW | Kingston (OHL)
He's a right handed shot but he'll play the left side, for sure. Chromiak is an offensive dynamo with top tier offensive hockey sense. The things holding him back are his skating and defensive play. I think, in the end, he's going to be a highly reliable middle 6 scoring winger that you play on a line with someone that can mask him on defense.
28. Kaiden Guhle | LHD | Prince Albert (WHL)
29. Dylan Holloway | C/W | Wisconsin (Big-10)
30. Connor Zary | C | Kamloops (WHL)
31. Braden Schneider | RHD | Brandon (WHL)
Finally, another defenseman! Guhle is big, skates well, has a good shot from the point and has great hockey sense on the defensive end of the ice. He's never going to put up a ton of points but he's capable of being a #3 who gives you 20+ minutes a night. No wow factor here, just a steady presence that won't completely hinder you on offense.
Holloway has the H/W/S profile that a lot of people would kill for on the wing and he has the ability to play any forward spot, so there's value there. I just question the hockey sense. Yes, I know it's rare for a first-time draft eligible player to play in the NCAA but he was underwhelming when I watched Wisconsin this year. The entire team was. He's very likely to be a middle 6 winger in the end, so there's value to taking him day one but he's not a sexy pick whatsoever. Safe, which is why he'll go higher than this.
Yes, I'm lower on Zary than almost everyone. No elite skills at all so the production won't translate to the NHL. He's going to be a reliable middle 6 center but there's just no upside play with him. He'll go much higher than this, obviously, but he's not a thrilling pick.
I'm continuing with the "safe" trend to end my top 31. The simple fact is the game is going away from Schneider's type of defenseman more than it ever has. He's very likely to be the first defenseman from the class to make the NHL but he's a 2nd line, shutdown type. There's not much ceiling with Schneider. The Devils could certainly use his type in the system, someone you know will be reliable for you for years but there's more thrilling options that'll be on the board.
Great list, great write up! Oh, and f**k you because I can no longer say I have Perreault and Jarvis ranked higher than anyone else ranked them.
RememberTheName
Conductor of the Schmid Bandwagon
This can't be right, because holy shit, that is an absolutely ridiculous stat. 90%!!! I'm not sure what an average primary point percentage is though, but to me, that just seems crazy, especially for a kid in the CHL. I need to know where you found the stat.
beekay414
#FireEveryone
lol you just knew I'd have Perreault higher than you. You had to have known at least that!
beekay414
#FireEveryone
It's referenced in that Draft Dynasty video I posted on Perreault.
There's a reason I've been talking up Perreault, and I'm far from what would be considered a "stats guy". We're not talking a first-round talent, we're talking a Top 5 Overall-type talent. It's always been tough for me to overlook any issues with compete level, but the chasm between Perreault's consensus draft ranking and his talent level is just jarring to me. How do you stop a kid who can blow past you, stickhandle around you, score from anywhere in the offensive zone and, if you double team him, also has elite passing ability and vision? The answer is, you cannot stop such a player. The only player who can prevent Jacob Perreault from becoming a star is apparently Jacob Perreault.
beekay414
#FireEveryone
I can't help but watch him and be wowed almost every time. His ability to score goals from damn near any angle is untouched in this class.
Something that stood out to me, in regards to his compete level, was the fact that Sarnia was terrible around him and had a stretch where they lost almost every game in a 20 game span. It's hard to expect a teenager to compete the entire time when the other team is potting 10 goals on you in a game. Teenagers are fragile mentally these days. I know it's not ideal that you have to question that but there are valid reasons to why he wasn't all go, no quit. It's also not like he showed nothing on the defensive side. When he was locked in, he was good. So, with the situation in mind, I'm willing to look past the compete level issue. As you said before, it's not like his teammates hated him or coaches hated him. So, are there really questions that can't be answered with his compete level?
RememberTheName
Conductor of the Schmid Bandwagon
I've been trying to watch him more and more, and I think I have to agree with this. He is just such a good player. And it's funny, but I think he's one of the best sharp angle goalscoring prospects I've ever seen. Its something so weird and so specific, but my god, the angles this guy can get on his shot are unbelievable!
Like I said, unless a miracle happens and a Jarvis or Amirov fall to #18, I take Perreault and just run with it. And I only say that because the Devils still have a great shot at getting Perreault at #20.
Guadana
Registered User
Great list, man. I like your hockey sence pretty well.
I wouldn't be ashamed to eat dumplings or borsch with such a person.
Guadana
Registered User
I`m in worry that everyone will take forwards until pick 18, and then we may be left without Perreault, and without Reichel, (and without Amirov, without Jarvis, and without Mercer). I like Greig, but he isn`t first or even second on my 18/20 list.
I wouldn't be surprised if Schneider and Guhle are gone by the time the Devils pick at #18.
Eggtimer
Registered User
At what point do the Devils start worrying about the size of their forwards and alter their draft needs? I always believed drafting BPA , but could size become an issue where our top 9 may be too soft ?
I know the “new NHL” is all about speed , puck possession , skill vs size and toughness , however , at some point you will run into an issue in playoffs.
When the whistles get tucked away and a much heavier game is played , it would be nice to have some players that can play a heavy game.
With Bratt Gusev Hughes and potentially Rossi Raymond other prospects projected to go in the 15-25 range that are skilled but small , do the Devils look at the size of their forward rosters and maybe alter their draft board ?
I know the Devils are lacking g in high end finishers on the wings , but we could potentially end up with Zacha and Nico being our “biggest” players and everyone else being sub-6 foot .
Maybe I’m making too much about it , but looking at all the prospects we could are , most are “tiny” compared to other nhl rosters or am I being too critical ?
I know the “new NHL” is all about speed , puck possession , skill vs size and toughness , however , at some point you will run into an issue in playoffs.
When the whistles get tucked away and a much heavier game is played , it would be nice to have some players that can play a heavy game.
With Bratt Gusev Hughes and potentially Rossi Raymond other prospects projected to go in the 15-25 range that are skilled but small , do the Devils look at the size of their forward rosters and maybe alter their draft board ?
I know the Devils are lacking g in high end finishers on the wings , but we could potentially end up with Zacha and Nico being our “biggest” players and everyone else being sub-6 foot .
Maybe I’m making too much about it , but looking at all the prospects we could are , most are “tiny” compared to other nhl rosters or am I being too critical ?
Eggtimer
Registered User
I’m worried too where we luck out and get Drysdale or Sanderson but all the forwards in the tier in the 10-20 range are gone and BAP is yet another D. We need a shoot first winger somehow with one of our 3 picks . That or trade one or two picks for a top 6 winger
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