The NHL Entry Draft is in the books, and in my opinion the New Jersey Devils did quite well. Today I'll provide a few notes on their draft picks, as well as an update on Zach Parise and more. I will do a more in-depth draft review for the Devils hopefully some time this week.

- As I said yesterday, I'm starting to like the Stefan Matteau selection more and more. He doesn't appear to have first line upside, but he is a talented player and he's very physical. Check out this scouting report from TheHockeyGuys top-60 rankings (I did contribute to the rankings but did not do Matteau's writeup):

"Matteau is a very well rounded player and plays a strong two-way game. He's an above-average skater for a power forward and owns a very powerful & underrated stride. He could use some work on his acceleration, but he's improved over the past year immensely in this area. Matteau is a very physical player who loves to throw his weight around. At 6-foot-1, he has no issues going up against players much bigger and stronger than him. His compete level is very high. This has gotten him into trouble on the ice, as he has been known to take bad penalties crossing the line at times."

I look forward to seeing what he can do in the QMJHL this year.

- Overall I like what Lou Lamoriello and the Devils scouting staff did at the draft this year. They were very thin at the forward position in terms of legitimate prospects and the drafted six forwards in this year's draft. Most of which have pretty good upside and from what I understand all but one of them, Alexander Kerfoot, will be playing in the CHL this year.

- The only defenseman the Devils drafted this year was Damon Severson of the Kelowna Rockets who in many scouts opinion was the best player available at the time of the pick. I don't know too much about him as I haven't really seen him much but he says he models his game after Shea Weber. From the highlights of him I've seen, I wouldn't say it's a bad comparison. I hope to talk to some WHL scouts this week and provide more info on him then.

- Quick note: every Devils draft pick, aside from Artur Garvus, is on twitter. Search them up and give them a follow, folks.

- According to credentialed Philadelphia Flyers, and colleague at TheHockeyGuys.net, Dustin Leed there is a "good chance" the Flyers take a run at Zach Parise July 1st if he is available. I still expect him to re-sign but should he test free agency he'll have his options wide open. The Carolina Hurricanes are getting better and better and are expected to take a run at him. The Flyers are a damn good team and will take a run. Same goes for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. Then there's his home town team, the Minnesota Wild, sitting pretty with a ton of money to offer his way.

- I exchanged a few messages with Zach Parise's agent, Wade Arnott, today and though he expects talks to begin with the Devils soon he told me "there is no meeting schedule with Lou (Lamoriello) for tomorrow."

From what I gather Parise and his agent will meet tomorrow to discuss what they want to do. Negotiations and so forth take place after that. That's not confirmed, by the way. Just putting the pieces together based on what I've heard.

I'll hopefully have more on this later.

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