Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell
A few notes on the draft, free agency and more:
1) The NHL draft lottery is just a few days away, and anything can happen, but chances are the New Jersey Devils will end up picking 11th overall.
I'll go much more in-depth on potential targets once their daft position is certain but one guy I'd love to see the Devils grab if they remain in that spot is forward Clayton Keller.
He is ranked 10th overall
in Bob McKenzie's latest rankings so it's not a stretch to say he could still be on the board when the Devils pick. If he is I feel confident he'd be the top ranked player on my list at that point.
This past season Keller put up more than 100 points in just 62 games while playing for the U.S. National Development Program. Keller's season was impressive as it sounds.
Keller is listed at 5'10' 170lbs so he has some bulking up to do but he's an elite talent and has potential to be the game breaking offensive player the Devils desperately need.
2) Free agency is still a while away but
word is Devils GM Ray Shero has the green light to make some moves if he sees fit..
The common line of thought is that the Devils will look to add a top-6 forward and offensive defenseman this summer.
There are a few pending UFAs that fit the Devils' needs such as Kyle Okposo and Keith Yandle but I think they'd be better off staying away from the big name guys.
The Devils aren't contenders right now so paying top dollar for a player or two like that just doesn't make sense. By the time the Devils are legit contenders Okposo, for example, would be at least 30 or 31 and on the downslope of his career. Having big money committed to guys trending downwards is a good way to get yourself in trouble.
As I mentioned last week I think the Devils would be better off targeting second-tier free agents like Jason Demers, for example. He's a solid puck-moving defenseman with good underlying numbers and he won't command outrageous term or money.
3) Damon Severson has picked four assists in three AHL playoff games against the Utica Comets. Obviously he's not playing against stiff competition but it's encouraging that he's being given offensive minutes and is taking advantage of that. I'd like to see him put in some more offensive situations next season because I believe he has some untapped potential.
Recent Posts
The Devils should stay away from Mikkel Boedker
The Devils should re-sign David Schlemko
Western Conference playoff predictions
Eastern Conference playoff predictions
John Hynes named USA's head coach at Worlds
New Jersey Devils Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»