It's been rather quiet lately in terms of New Jersey Devils news and there's no guarantee that there will be NHL hockey this year, so I've decided rather than preview a season that may not even happen, I will profile some of the Devils 2012 draft picks.

First up: Devils 2012 1st round pick Stefan Matteau.

* courtesy of HockeyDB.com

Stefan Matteau
Age - 18
Height - 6' 1" *
Weight - 207lbs *
Position - Center / Left Wing
NHL Comparable - Bigger version of a young Steve Downie

Strengths - Matteau is a big, strong power forward who plays a solid two-way game. He uses his big frame to punish opponents and drive the net to get himself in good scoring position. He's mean, physical and he'll never back down from anyone on the ice. He's an above average skater for a power forward and he never takes a shift off. Matteau can really shoot the puck and his skill set in general is underrated.

Weaknesses - Matteau won't back down from anyone, and at times it works against him. Sometimes he's overly physical and when physically engaged he loses his discipline at times. He'll need to learn to be a more disciplined player if he wants to have success at the next level. There have been some questions as to what Matteau's true offensive potential is, too, but I don't see a lack of talent being an issue for him.

Career projection - Second line (#2) Left Wing - While Matteau is a solid two-way player, I don't see enough offensive upside to project him as a top line player. I expect Matteau to develop into a second line winger who can contribute at both ends of the rink and bring a physical presence to the team. If all else fails, he should become nothing less than a checking line winger who can chip in offensively here and there.

Note: Matteau will play with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL this season.

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