New Jersey Devils to draft #17

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StevenToddIves

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Your thoughts on Mikey McLeod, MBW and Bastian?

I think McLeod makes the team as a C/RW next year. His skating is absolutely tremendous, and although he will never contend for the Art Ross he is a terrific two-way player with significant scoring upside. I would not be shocked to see him play RW next season on the top line alongside Hall and Nico.

Bastian I see as a solid, two-way, physical bottom-six RW with some offensive punch. Although I wanted our 2016 2nd rounder to be used on a high-upside D like Adam Fox, I did not mind the Bastian pick much. I think our organization needs more physical forwards with some offensive punch -- look what Miles Wood and Blake Coleman did in improving our bottom 6 over the past two seasons.

I'm assuming that 'MBW' is Mackenzie Blackwood? I am admittedly terrible at forecasting goaltenders. I have predicted stardom for Jonathan Bernier and Jack Campbell, and was not particularly high on Bobrovsky. That being said, I disliked the pick of Gilles Seen in the 5th round last year, though we made up for it with an outstanding steal of Aarne Talvitte in the 6th.
 
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StevenToddIves

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Thoughts on Mattias Samuelsson? Surprised to see him fall out of the first. I like Miller at 17 though.

This is an easy one, since Samuelsson plays on the same US-NTDP team at the same position (LD) as Miller. Miller is simply far better. Though I would say that Samuelsson's defensive game, size and physical game are comparable, Miller blows him out in every other category -- skates, vision, puck skills, shot, smarts. I would take Samuelsson in the second (Devils have no picks there, however) in that he is a safe, physical, stay-at-home guy for your bottom pairing.

The reason I have Miller rated so much higher is his upside. Is it conceivable that a guy like McIsaac or Samuelsson wind up being the second best D in this draft after Dahlin? I really would have to say no -- the class of 2018 is heavy with big upside guys like Hughes, Boqvist, Bouchard, Dobson, Smith, Wilde, Alexeyev. Is it possible that Miller becomes the second best D in this draft? I would say yes. If he hones his edge-work skating (his straight ahead speed is outstanding, though) and refines his positional game he could just skyrocket. He reminds me a bit of Shea Weber in his draft year -- ultra-smart/strong/competitive/skilled but knocked down in the rankings due to a strong draft year and some easily answerable questions. This is strictly a ranking comparison however -- Miller will never shoot like Weber, though Miller is faster and more athletic.
 

glenwo2

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We'll be a pig in **** if Zacha and Bratt develop into 1st line quality forwards, Nico becomes elite, and Hall stays elite.

I think Nico becomes elite, imo.

As far as Bratt goes....I do believe he has that capability...maybe not being elite but being just a level below that which would be PHENOMENAL for a 6th round pick.

He's got the puck handling skills and passing ability....and he also has an underrated wrist-shot that he doesn't use often.


EDIT : Sorry. I diverged from the topic but I had to point it out. :laugh:
 
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StevenToddIves

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I think Nico becomes elite, imo.

As far as Bratt goes....I do believe he has that capability...maybe not being elite but being just a level below that which would be PHENOMENAL for a 6th round pick.

He's got the puck handling skills and passing ability....and he also has an underrated wrist-shot that he doesn't use often.


EDIT : Sorry. I diverged from the topic but I had to point it out. :laugh:

I love Bratt too, but there's a large gulf between his talent ceiling and Nico. Nico has a chance to be Datsyuk 2.0 -- a PPG+ scorer who offers outstanding defense. That's superstar-type stuff. Bratt I think can be a 50-60 point second liner, which is nothing to scoff at, especially for a 6th rounder. But Nico can challenge for the Hart Trophy someday, whereas Bratt will be a guy you want on your team, but not a franchise-type game breaker.
 
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glenwo2

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I love Bratt too, but there's a large gulf between his talent ceiling and Nico. Nico has a chance to be Datsyuk 2.0 -- a PPG+ scorer who offers outstanding defense. That's superstar-type stuff. Bratt I think can be a 50-60 point second liner, which is nothing to scoff at, especially for a 6th rounder. But Nico can challenge for the Hart Trophy someday, whereas Bratt will be a guy you want on your team, but not a franchise-type game breaker.

That's what I was saying when I said that Bratt would be one level below where Nico would be.
 
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MichaelJ

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Why not? They are loaded with F prospects, and the 2018 draft is D-heavy. To me, Miller/Alexeyev/Woo would all be great picks at 17. McIsaac would be solid too, just not as sexy.

As another poster stated, I hear converted forward and I immediately think of Gelinas. It’s recency bias and unfair to Miller, but that’s what I think of. The Devils have improved by leaps and bounds, but they’re not there yet and I don’t know if a project is the best use of the pick. These boom/bust types offer a huge payoff if they work out but the downside is disaster. How much refining does he need on his game if he’s only been playing the position for two years?

If the FO thinks Miller is the best use of the pick, of course I’ll root for and support him. It just makes me a bit uneasy. There’s nothing wrong with going defense here, in fact that’s what I’m expecting from the pick.
 

mtnet

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Seems the mocks have KM going late to very late 1st or even 2nd round, would he be something of a reach at 17? I would love to see us go LHD of course, though at our position I suppose anything is possible.
 

Nubmer6

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Seems the mocks have KM going late to very late 1st or even 2nd round, would he be something of a reach at 17? I would love to see us go LHD of course, though at our position I suppose anything is possible.
Ya, looking at some mocks, it definitely seems like he might be a reach. Would love to trade down and grab an extra pick if we can get away with it.

BTW, I found this to be a good list of mock drafts:

NHL Mock Draft Database: The Worldwide Leader in NHL hockey mock drafts


Been using it a few years, and it's a nice one-stop listing.

We should find a way to add StevenToodIves' mock to it :)
 

StevenToddIves

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As another poster stated, I hear converted forward and I immediately think of Gelinas. It’s recency bias and unfair to Miller, but that’s what I think of. The Devils have improved by leaps and bounds, but they’re not there yet and I don’t know if a project is the best use of the pick. These boom/bust types offer a huge payoff if they work out but the downside is disaster. How much refining does he need on his game if he’s only been playing the position for two years?

If the FO thinks Miller is the best use of the pick, of course I’ll root for and support him. It just makes me a bit uneasy. There’s nothing wrong with going defense here, in fact that’s what I’m expecting from the pick.

The Gelinas comparison is immaterial. Gelinas had ideal size and an outstanding shot, but everything else in his game was a work in progress. Miller is physical, fast, athletic, and very very smart. He is far more developed as a defenseman in his draft year than Gelinas was.

I would not call Miller a boom/bust, in that his floor is a solid, physical and mobile third pairing D. And his upside is just tremendous.

The classic boom/bust D in this draft is Ryan Merkley. His offensive ability is just north of Boqvist/Smith, but those two are top ten picks because they are also solid on D and showing steady improvement in the defensive zone. Merkley has not -- and thus his "floor" is a guy who never makes it to the NHL.
 

Call Me Al

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but gelinas was never a projected first round pick and I don't know anything about Miller so im not saying they're similar at all but gelinas was more than just a shot and size in theory, he just never put it all together
 

StevenToddIves

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Maybe we could trade down to pick up a 2nd and still get Miller


Miller will be gone by the second.

But don't take my mock as "the Devils must must must take Miller!!!" It's just a possibility, and he would be a good fit. Maybe Ty Smith falls into the early teens and the Devils move up a few picks to grab him. Maybe the Devils take Alex Alexeyev or Jett Woo, even though they are RHD, because Castron & co. like them better. Maybe the Devils break from recent trends and make the "safe" pick with McIsaac. Maybe the Hurricanes, desperate in goal, offer their first rounder to us for Schneider and a prospect. A lot can happen.

But what I can guarantee with my experience, is that Miller moves up draft boards leading up to late June. In recent drafts, high-upside players have done that. Guys like Bokk, Kaut and Miller were not even considered early second round picks when this season started, and now draft pundits are rocketing them up through the teens.

McKeen's (not my favorite scouting service, but they are respectable) recently moved Miller's ranking up to #16. This was their explanation:

As he sometimes betrays his inexperience with a certain rawness, perhaps misreading a play for a split second before recovering to shut it down as if nothing had happened, K’Andre Miller can be overlooked on a blueline also including first round hopefuls Mattias Samuelsson, and Bode Wilde, as well as other likely draft picks Ty Emberson and Adam Samuelsson. That said, it is that very confluence of two opposing factors – rawness and recovery – that make Miller such an exciting prospect. He is already playing at a very high level, on both ends of the rink, but what he might still be once he becomes more accustomed to the position is stratospheric. The road to his optimistic projection will not be as smooth as some of his current teammates, but its end-point is higher up the national hockey discussion than those other players. Heading to Minnesota next year, he may be the best North American blueliner to emerge from this draft class when all is said and done.

Am I this high on Miller? Yes. But I'm also high on several players in this draft. All I am saying is that this seems an excellent fit between player and team, and that is what I consider when I am mocking a draft.
 

Brodeur

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11 Carolina C J. Veleno the Canes have a terrific young blueline they are building around Faulk, Hanifin, Slavin and Pesce but their goaltending has been awful and their forwards play a marshmallow-soft game. Veleno offers a classic NHL game and is the best center in this draft -- he's got size (6'1-195) and outstanding skates, he can pass, score and play a two-way game with jam. He's just what they need.

12 NY Islanders C B. Hayton another pick to shore up the defensive ineptitude in Brooklyn (acquired from Calgary in Hamonic trade). Hayton is the top defensive forward in the 2018 draft class and has been compared most often to two-way stud Patrice Bergeron. He also chipped in at a PPG pace for Sault Set. Marie and is, at worst, a future third-line stalwart.

Great read Steve!

One thing I'd be curious to see is how much sway Ron Francis will have at the Carolina table now that he got kicked upstairs. Francis is a Sault Ste. Marie native who played for the Greyhounds as well. When we drafted Blake Speers from SSM (also a native), Francis went out of his way to congratulate him as Blake was making his way to the Devils table. So I wouldn't be surprised if they might lean towards Barrett Hayton.

Maybe we could trade down to pick up a 2nd and still get Miller

It might be harder to trade down this year since the teams immediately behind us might lack the picks.

17. New Jersey
18. Columbus - probably not moving up just one spot
19. Philadelphia - I suppose if Shero is okay dealing with the Rangers...
20. Los Angeles - After years of trading away picks, I think the Blake regime is trying to hold onto theirs. But LA probably not giving up a 2nd to move up three spots.
21. San Jose - No 2nd/3rd due to previous trades for Polak/Reimer. Which is too bad since the Sharks are usually the aggressive team that (unnecessarily) trades up in the first. Maybe could get a 2019 2nd instead?
22. Ottawa - No 2nd/3rd. Traded down a couple times with Ottawa recently (2015/16). But they don't have the ammo and probably wouldn't want to give up its 2019 2nd since it might be very high and/or they're likely already giving up their 1st in the Duchene deal.
23. Anaheim - They have their picks and we seem to have a good trading relationship. But it can be dicey to move down too far.
 
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mtnet

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gelinas was a good skater too, he had all the physical tools just no brain for the defensive position

il_340x270.1363242367_oadw.jpg
 

Darkauron

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Great read Steve!

One thing I'd be curious to see is how much sway Ron Francis will have at the Carolina table now that he got kicked upstairs. Francis is a Sault Ste. Marie native who played for the Greyhounds as well. When we drafted Blake Speers from SSM (also a native), Francis went out of his way to congratulate him as Blake was making his way to the Devils table. So I wouldn't be surprised if they might lean towards Barrett Hayton.



It might be harder to trade down this year since the teams immediately behind us might lack the picks.

17. New Jersey
18. Columbus - probably not moving up just one spot
19. Philadelphia - I suppose if Shero is okay dealing with the Rangers...
20. Los Angeles - After years of trading away picks, I think the Blake regime is trying to hold onto theirs. But LA probably not giving up a 2nd to move up three spots.
21. San Jose - No 2nd/3rd due to previous trades for Polak/Reimer. Which is too bad since the Sharks are usually the aggressive team that (unnecessarily) trades up in the first. Maybe could get a 2019 2nd instead?
22. Ottawa - No 2nd/3rd. Traded down a couple times with Ottawa recently (2015/16). But they don't have the ammo and probably wouldn't want to give up its 2019 2nd since it might be very high and/or they're likely already giving up their 1st in the Duchene deal.
23. Anaheim - They have their picks and we seem to have a good trading relationship. But it can be dicey to move down too far.

Yeah damn looks a bit sparse to trade down..
 
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devilsblood

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If K Miller is as smart a player as Steve says then I really like that pick. Just a matter of waiting for him to develop, which goes for pretty much anyone we would pick.

And looking at the rankings, 17 seems on the higher end, but I also see a 25, and some 30's, so a good chance he is there.
 
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