Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell
The 2016 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone and I have some thoughts:
1) Michael McLeod wasn't my ideal pick at 12, nor the highest player remaining on my board at the time, but he'll be a nice addition to the prospect pool.
McLeod is arguably the best skater in the draft. He accelerates very quickly with the puck and his top speed is incredible. He plays with a ton of pace in his game, is a good playmaker and works as hard in the defensive zone as he does in the offensive zone.
There have been some questions about just how much offense he'll be able to bring to the table at the NHL level but I'm not too concerned. I think he can be a good 2nd line center that can dominate the neutral zone and drive play up ice.
I tracked six games from the 2015-16 season and in those six games McLeod had 36 controlled zone entries (six per game). The sample size isn't large, clearly, but no other OHL player averaged more and I have multiple game samples for the likes of Matthew Tkachuk, Max Jones, Logan Brown and Alex Nylander, among others.
2) I'm not in love with the Nathan Bastian pick - there were players with more upside on the board - but I think he stands a decent chance of becoming an NHL regular one day. He's a very smart player and his decision-making with and without the puck is sound. He doesn't force anything that isn't there and seems to see plays develop before they happen.
He has a pretty good shot, is very effective on the forecheck/in the cycle game and has ideal size at 6'3, ~210 pounds.
If he pans out he'll probably be a 3rd line player but, again, I think he has a better chance of making it than some of the others taken around him.
3) The Evan Cormier pick was a little odd because the Devils already have Cory Schneider, Scott Wedgewood, Keith Kinkaid and Mackenzie Blackwood in the organization and Cormier's numbers were bad.
I don't mind the pick, though. Cormier put up poor numbers playing behind one of the worst defensive teams in the OHL in Saginaw. He is raw and his technique/positioning needs work but he possesses NHL qualities in terms of size and athleticism. He is a project pick but it can't hurt to take a risk in the 4th round.
4) For the most part I think the Devils did a good job of prioritizing speed and upside in this year's draft class. They also took a shot on a couple Russian players, which I liked a lot. Russians tend to be undervalued at the draft because it's never certain they will come to the NHL, and players in European leagues aren't scouted as heavily, but there is certainly talent over there. Hopefully the Devils found some of it.
Recent Posts
Devils select Michael McLeod 12th overall
Is Damon Severson on the trade block?
Devils trade cap space for draft pick
Patrik Elias wants to play one more year
Which pending UFAs should be re-signed?
Could Jiri Hudler be a fit for the Devils?
New Jersey Devils Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»