Post-Lottery 2018 Mock Draft, Devils-centric

Status
Not open for further replies.

PKs Broken Stick

Registered User
Oct 9, 2008
8,890
4,409
With prospects, we have to look at development curve in order to perform the (admittedly imprecise) task of projecting both future development and talent ceiling.

For instance, two seasons ago Adam Boqvist was an outstanding offensive defenseman who was atrocious in his own zone. Though now no one would confuse him with Scott Stevens defensively, he has become an extremely adequate defensive blueliner. Thus, even though no one is drafting Boqvist strictly based on his defensive abilities, he has developed to a point where he is no longer a liability there. So we can say that Boqvist is an extremely talented prospect who is developing along a normal curve, which increases his chances of reaching his potential.

Now, take my personal fave K'Andre Miller. Two years ago he was virtually a non-prospect. He had recently moved from forward to defense, and thus lacked knowledge and positioning skills on the backline. However, he is an extremely smart and athletic kid and his development curve has been like a skyrocket upwards. Though he is not as far along in his development as a similar athletic specimen like Noah Dobson, his extremely steep development curve makes me feel that Miller has the capability of catching and passing a kid like Dobson at the NHL level.

Now back to Merkley. What concerns scouts is not simply that he is a liability defensively. It is that he has shown little to no improvement in that aspect of his game over the past two seasons. Surely, everyone at the coaching and scouting level has told him time and time again that in order to make it in the NHL, he will have to up his play in his own zone and without the puck. The fact that he has shown little regard or desire in this respect is... well, alarming.

At the end of the 2016-2017 season, most prognosticators had Merkley as a top five pick offensive D and Boqvist as a top ten pick offensive D. But Boqvist's improved defensive play has moved him up into a possible top-5 selection. Merkley has dropped down into a possible second-round pick, solely because his development curve is only pointing upwards when the puck is on his stick.

Is it possible that Merkely, still just a kid, can flick a switch and start working his tail off and become an absolute superstar in the NHL? Yes. Is it possible that he continues to only play with discernible desire in the offensive end and becomes an AHL tweener? Also, yes. It's up to him. But that's the chance a team is taking when they draft him.

I hope I answered your question satisfactorily.

Another question for you. Have you watched Merkley in guelph vs at the world juniors?
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,334
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
I've watched a ton of film on Merkley. I find him fascinating. Just incredible talent, but on the very same shift he can make you gasp in awe of his amazing offensive abilities and then cover your eyes seconds later after an atrocious play in his own zone. In my mind, Merkley is without a doubt the wild card of the 2018 draft, with Rasmus Kupari in distant second.
 

PKs Broken Stick

Registered User
Oct 9, 2008
8,890
4,409
I've watched a ton of film on Merkley. I find him fascinating. Just incredible talent, but on the very same shift he can make you gasp in awe of his amazing offensive abilities and then cover your eyes seconds later after an atrocious play in his own zone. In my mind, Merkley is without a doubt the wild card of the 2018 draft, with Rasmus Kupari in distant second.

That doesn't answer the question. I was just wondering if his play was any different at the world juniors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: StevenToddIves

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,334
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
That doesn't answer the question. I was just wondering if his play was any different at the world juniors.

Merkley played very well recently in the IIHF. He tallied three assists in five games and actually was pretty effective in his own zone. Here's some highlights for you:



Again, I think the possibility of Merkley to the Devils with the 17th pick should not be understated. Apart from the oft-stated risk, the kid has top-5 talent. I would rank his skill set a touch above Adam Boqvist, a RD similar in style and size. However, Boqvist is a hard worker who has shown a strong development curve defensively, and Merkley has left a trail of red flags. Thus, Boqvist will certainly be gone in the top 8 while Merkley could conceivably fall into the second round.

I have been asked several times: Would I take Merkley if I were Ray Shero? The answer is probably no, not with no 2nd/3rd round picks. The risk of not hitting at all in a draft is too great for a still-rebuilding franchise like NJ. What I would do is trade down to a team with multiple first rounders and second rounders (#17 to DET for #31 & #33? to NYR for #26 & #39?) and then grab Merkley with one of those two picks, while also drafting a more certain commodity at D like Alexeyev or Woo or Sandin.
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,334
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
he’s got some nerve, not answering your question. don’t worry, i reported his slapdash answer to the mods with a recommendation of a full banning

Haha, I think I will just do 20 push-ups. Of course, they will be spaced out over the duration of the next 40 years.

Seriously though, I apologize for not answering the question as it was asked initially. I gave it another shot (like three or four posts up) and think I got it right.
 

PKs Broken Stick

Registered User
Oct 9, 2008
8,890
4,409
Haha, I think I will just do 20 push-ups. Of course, they will be spaced out over the duration of the next 40 years.

Seriously though, I apologize for not answering the question as it was asked initially. I gave it another shot (like three or four posts up) and think I got it right.

haha no worries. I'm not trying to pick a fight or anything. Just getting a discussion going with someone knowledgeable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Comparison Ford

New Jersey Devils

Doc & Chico Forever
Jun 20, 2007
13,248
3,067
NJ-NYC
I just read that Merkley has some character concerns? Sounds like Ho-Sang 2.0 (from the prospects board):

He's been kicked off the bench by both coaches of Guelph over the last 2 years for talking back and being disrespectful. Those are actually documented. This year it led to a suspension. Guelph is trying to dump him right now.

Behind the scenes which isn't documented? He's temperamental who throws tantrums and throws teammates under the bus. Early in the season, he thought a teammate missed him on a play, so he went to the bench, broke a stick, then went to the hallway and broke a couple more. His agency fired him because they were tired of dealing with him and his family. I've seen him pinch for a breakaway but his teammate didn't see it, so he was held up on the blue-line. Once he got the pass, he just shot the puck at the goalie and circled around the net and cross-checked the first player he saw completely out of the play because he was unhappy about not being seen for the pass.

The kid flat out doesn't care about the game as long as he gets his points and looks good. If he got a hat-trick in a 7 goal loss, he'd leave the ice happy.
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,334
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
I just read that Merkley has some character concerns? Sounds like Ho-Sang 2.0 (from the prospects board):

This is the type of criticism towards Merkley I have been discussing. If he did not have these concerns, Merkley would be discussed as a possibility for Ottawa with the #4 overall pick. As it stands, he could fall into the second round.

The Devils could clearly use a player with Merkley's enormous skills from the blueline at #17. That being said, I think the chances of the Devils drafting him are slim to none.
 

Ripshot 43

Registered User
Jul 21, 2010
13,725
10,405
I just read that Merkley has some character concerns? Sounds like Ho-Sang 2.0 (from the prospects board):

that's pretty concerning. if i'm a GM and I confirm the off-ice allegations are true, there's no way i use a 1st round pick to select him

Well damn yeah I dont want him even more now.

maybe in the 4th lol

That was a pretty damning report about the kid. Yikes.

This is the type of criticism towards Merkley I have been discussing. If he did not have these concerns, Merkley would be discussed as a possibility for Ottawa with the #4 overall pick. As it stands, he could fall into the second round.

The Devils could clearly use a player with Merkley's enormous skills from the blueline at #17. That being said, I think the chances of the Devils drafting him are slim to none.

If true, this is the type of thing that gets a player wiped from a teams draft board. Again, if true, I wouldn’t touch the kid... I don’t care how young he is, I don’t need that type of additude around my team.
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,334
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
If true, this is the type of thing that gets a player wiped from a teams draft board. Again, if true, I wouldn’t touch the kid... I don’t care how young he is, I don’t need that type of additude around my team.

Every team has a "No Draft List". I would not be surprised if Merkley were on over half of them. Despite being the most talented D in the OHL, he was a healthy scratch down the stretch, and rumors persist that Guelph is trying to trade him. That being said, some team could have him in their top 5, he's just that talented. This is why he is the wild card of the 2018 draft, which I have repeated several times over. He could go as high as the top 15, or he could fall into the late second round.

I would like to add that I'm not attacking Merkely. I have consistently crowed about his enormous potential. And I have known several people who were jerks in high school and then grew up and became really good people. So I hold out a great deal of hope for him.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nugg and Ripshot 43

MartyOwns

thank you shero
Apr 1, 2007
24,126
17,820
if he's still on the board in the mid-2nd round, i'd hope shero would trade for a spot to select him. kids mature, he's worth a 2nd rounder. he has potential
 

StevenToddIves

Registered User
May 18, 2013
10,334
24,420
Brooklyn, NY
Caught up on Kupari today.
Skill wise he's phenomenal​

Very real possibility of Kupari to the Devils -- I would say higher than most have been discussing.

We don't know how enamored Shero and Castron are of the D who will be available at #17. What if Smith and Wilde are off the board and the Devils brass are not as enamored of Miller and McIsaac as I am? The options would be to either trade down or draft the best available forward. If there isn't a solid trade-down offer, the best Fs available would likely include a group of Kupari, Kravtsov, Bokk, Denisenko, Thomas, Noel. Out of that group, Kupari's upside is only matched by Kravtsov. His speed is only rivaled by Kravtsov and Thomas. The only other players who can play both center and wing are Thomas and Denisenko. And his hands are only matched by Kravtsov. It's worth noting to Bokk fans that Bokk is the best pure scorer of the group, rivaled only by Kravtsov.

What I'm saying is that Kupari fits into the Devils organizational philosophy -- he's extremely fast and incredibly skilled. He needs a ton of work on reducing turnovers and 200-foot play, but he is not without effort in the defensive zone. He's not physical, but he's not soft. And he projects to be 6'1-190, nice size for an NHL forward. If he even scratches his potential, the Devils could one day have an amazing top-2 center combo of Nico/Kupari.

Kupari is no sure thing, but he's a big swing for the fences. I'd say he has as much 1C upside as anyone in this draft aside from Veleno, and probably about even with Kotkaniemi.
 

Devils Dominion

Now we Plummet
Feb 16, 2007
48,509
3,716
NJ
Very real possibility of Kupari to the Devils -- I would say higher than most have been discussing.

We don't know how enamored Shero and Castron are of the D who will be available at #17. What if Smith and Wilde are off the board and the Devils brass are not as enamored of Miller and McIsaac as I am? The options would be to either trade down or draft the best available forward. If there isn't a solid trade-down offer, the best Fs available would likely include a group of Kupari, Kravtsov, Bokk, Denisenko, Thomas, Noel. Out of that group, Kupari's upside is only matched by Kravtsov. His speed is only rivaled by Kravtsov and Thomas. The only other players who can play both center and wing are Thomas and Denisenko. And his hands are only matched by Kravtsov. It's worth noting to Bokk fans that Bokk is the best pure scorer of the group, rivaled only by Kravtsov.

What I'm saying is that Kupari fits into the Devils organizational philosophy -- he's extremely fast and incredibly skilled. He needs a ton of work on reducing turnovers and 200-foot play, but he is not without effort in the defensive zone. He's not physical, but he's not soft. And he projects to be 6'1-190, nice size for an NHL forward. If he even scratches his potential, the Devils could one day have an amazing top-2 center combo of Nico/Kupari.

Kupari is no sure thing, but he's a big swing for the fences. I'd say he has as much 1C upside as anyone in this draft aside from Veleno, and probably about even with Kotkaniemi.

He may end up being the best Finn in the draft, but the other one seems to play a heavier game.
 

NJ DevLolz

The Many Saints of Newark
Sep 30, 2017
4,565
5,398
Very real possibility of Kupari to the Devils -- I would say higher than most have been discussing.

We don't know how enamored Shero and Castron are of the D who will be available at #17. What if Smith and Wilde are off the board and the Devils brass are not as enamored of Miller and McIsaac as I am? The options would be to either trade down or draft the best available forward. If there isn't a solid trade-down offer, the best Fs available would likely include a group of Kupari, Kravtsov, Bokk, Denisenko, Thomas, Noel. Out of that group, Kupari's upside is only matched by Kravtsov. His speed is only rivaled by Kravtsov and Thomas. The only other players who can play both center and wing are Thomas and Denisenko. And his hands are only matched by Kravtsov. It's worth noting to Bokk fans that Bokk is the best pure scorer of the group, rivaled only by Kravtsov.

What I'm saying is that Kupari fits into the Devils organizational philosophy -- he's extremely fast and incredibly skilled. He needs a ton of work on reducing turnovers and 200-foot play, but he is not without effort in the defensive zone. He's not physical, but he's not soft. And he projects to be 6'1-190, nice size for an NHL forward. If he even scratches his potential, the Devils could one day have an amazing top-2 center combo of Nico/Kupari.

Kupari is no sure thing, but he's a big swing for the fences. I'd say he has as much 1C upside as anyone in this draft aside from Veleno, and probably about even with Kotkaniemi.
Yeah, I seem to have overlooked him too. His production seems pretty good for a draft elible player.

Fwds I want at #17 (assuming no big fallers)- Bokk, Kupari, Kravstov, Denisenko, Thomas, Kaut

Dmen I want at #17 (assuming no big fallers)- Wilde, Miller, Sandin, Merkley
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->