Todd Cordell: On draft targets for the Devils and buying low on Spooner

It was only one game, but in the gold medal game against the US, Heiskanen was very unimpressive - and I was watching him closely based on the Devs potentially picking him. Again, only game I saw him, but rather then get me excited to pick him, I thought look elsewhere...

Hi, though I'm a Canes fan, I also like to read informative articles on hockey from many knowledgeable bloggers, so thanks for your work and info! I've a question.
Who among the top 10-15 ranked players do you see dropping down, for whatever reason? And, who do the Canes pick at eleven (assuming they don't get lucky in the lottery)?

I thought the same thing (also the only game I saw him), but like you said, it's one game and it's not a good idea to use a one-game sample to judge a player. The main concern some have with him is it's hard to tell how productive teenagers playing in men's leagues will be. He comes over to the U18's and finishes second in scoring in the tournament. He's also very, young (doesn't turn 18 until July). He's still my top choice for the Devils.

Hi, though I'm a Canes fan, I also like to read informative articles on hockey from many knowledgeable bloggers, so thanks for your work and info! I've a question.
Who among the top 10-15 ranked players do you see dropping down, for whatever reason? And, who do the Canes pick at eleven (assuming they don't get lucky in the lottery)?
- randycane

I know the Hurricanes have a lot of promising young defenseman but Timothy Liljegren seems to be the big faller. Someone like Elias Pettersson could also be an option.

Not that it matters..... but here's my ranking for the Devils pick at #5
1) Cale Makar
2) Haiskanen
3) Glass
4) Vasalainen
5) Tippet

I like the Spooner idea but I do wonder if Shero might want to keep the C spot open for now. Right now you'd expect Zacha, Zajac, and Blandisi to all be on the roster. Based on what McLeod has done in 2017, I'd be surprised if he doesn't at least get his 9 games next season.

Not that it matters..... but here's my ranking for the Devils pick at #5
1) Cale Makar
2) Haiskanen
3) Glass
4) Vasalainen
5) Tippet
- NaNa04

Vasalainen seems to be all over the place. I've seen him in the mid-20's and as high as 5 in different mocks. I like what I've heard about Glass as well.

I like the Spooner idea but I do wonder if Shero might want to keep the C spot open for now. Right now you'd expect Zacha, Zajac, and Blandisi to all be on the roster. Based on what McLeod has done in 2017, I'd be surprised if he doesn't at least get his 9 games next season.
- CaptCrankypants

Spooner plays more W than C

I would really love any of the top 3 centers lol It might be unlikely we pick high enough to get any but we will see I am praying as I am sure many others in here are lol after that I really like a shooter ( Owen ) or in a trade down or trade up from the second round scenario I would like to take a stab at Vesalainen. I am not to excited about picking a defence man, at least not with our very first pick. I get there is a need but I feel it is way more immediate and not as necessary to try and fill through the draft just yet. I like dealing for NHL defence that are upgrades to address the need at the NHL and take high low risk high reward stabs at defence in the later rounds. Honestly though it's going to be a one off a kind of season so I really believe this team will look a lot different next year then it did this.

I enjoyed this article, thanks todd.

I would really love any of the top 3 centers lol It might be unlikely we pick high enough to get any but we will see I am praying as I am sure many others in here are lol after that I really like a shooter ( Owen ) or in a trade down or trade up from the second round scenario I would like to take a stab at Vesalainen. I am not to excited about picking a defence man, at least not with our very first pick. I get there is a need but I feel it is way more immediate and not as necessary to try and fill through the draft just yet. I like dealing for NHL defence that are upgrades to address the need at the NHL and take high low risk high reward stabs at defence in the later rounds. Honestly though it's going to be a one off a kind of season so I really believe this team will look a lot different next year then it did this.
- blizzzard

I understand your position on rather trading for a D, but you have to give a lot more up for a quality Dman than a forward. We had so much talent in the backend because we drafted most of them in the 1st and 2nd rounds. I think our forwards are talented but just needs the backend to handle themselves without the forwards skating back to help them all the time.

With the amount of picks they have in the first 3 rounds this year and next I'd like to see them get aggressive move some draft picks for a poopty contract and a late first if Hague, Valimaki or Foote start really dropping.

I understand your position on rather trading for a D, but you have to give a lot more up for a quality Dman than a forward. We had so much talent in the backend because we drafted most of them in the 1st and 2nd rounds. I think our forwards are talented but just needs the backend to handle themselves without the forwards skating back to help them all the time.
- NaNa04

Im not asking us to trade for a top pair guy but I think with all the commotion that will be going on it wont be unreasonable to think we can at least acquire a top 4 dman to upgrade what we have. Maybe we get lucky and out bid everyone for Shattenkirk but who knows if not I believe we will at least be able to get an NHLer or two for the back end who are better then Merril/Prout/Lovejoy/More. As for trying to draft a franchise or top pairing defender should we maybe wait till next year and go all out for Dahlin lol

With the amount of picks they have in the first 3 rounds this year and next I'd like to see them get aggressive move some draft picks for a poopty contract and a late first if Hague, Valimaki or Foote start really dropping.
- smellmyfinger

I'd poop my pants and have a massive woody if Hague, Valimaki, or Foote drop to a low 1st rd early second. But that won't happen. They been ranked top 20 for a long time.

Im not asking us to trade for a top pair guy but I think with all the commotion that will be going on it wont be unreasonable to think we can at least acquire a top 4 dman to upgrade what we have. Maybe we get lucky and out bid everyone for Shattenkirk but who knows if not I believe we will at least be able to get an NHLer or two for the back end who are better then Merril/Prout/Lovejoy/More. As for trying to draft a franchise or top pairing defender should we maybe wait till next year and go all out for Dahlin lol
- blizzzard

lol yes Dahlin!!

sigh

we aren't so lucky.

I'd poop my pants and have a massive woody if Hague, Valimaki, or Foote drop to a low 1st rd early second. But that won't happen. They been ranked top 20 for a long time.
- NaNa04

Chychrun dropped to 16 last year, you never know, and outside of the top 10 rankings are all over this year.

A 184 pound 5:10 center -SPOONER is NOT what the NJ D need.
We are so small we can not get the puck out of our own zone .
Draft for talent . UFA sign for Size and Speed.

Draft if we are picking at #5
Lets say Patrick , Nico and Vilardi are gone .
-----
1-Casey Mittelstadt 6'1 201 Could be best offense in this draft.
2- Owen Tippet -6'2 200 goal scoring machine
3- MIchael Rasmussen 6'5 205 Zajac with better hands.

4-Cale MAker or drop down and draft Timothy Lilegren .What happened to this kid ?? He was #1 on some draft boards.

We're not talking about Kovalchuck. SWEET!

I read up on all those centers and I like each and every one of them. If we pick up a center, I'm fine with that. I think development will determine who the best of these guys will be because they're all really close in terms of ceiling.

Still iffy on guys like Makar and Heiskanen... size (lack) sticks out, esp. Makar. Gives them lower odds to become 1st pair dmen...

Im pretty high on this cody glass kid. I love the way he plays and if we dont end up with the 1 or 2 pick with Nolan or Nico then i say take Glass. Or if were taking a D man then i say we take Heiskanen. Those are the two players i wanna draft and no matter how far we fall(were the devils were not winning a lottery lol) at least one will be available when we pick

Im pretty high on this cody glass kid. I love the way he plays and if we dont end up with the 1 or 2 pick with Nolan or Nico then i say take Glass. Or if were taking a D man then i say we take Heiskanen. Those are the two players i wanna draft and no matter how far we fall(were the devils were not winning a lottery lol) at least one will be available when we pick
- Krazykid

Hey, we won in 2011 and moved up to 4th. We drafted Larsson, which got us Hall... who was drafted 1st overall the year before. So not only did we win the lottery we essentially travelled back in time 1 year to get the first overall selection. Pretty impressive moves by David Conte and Ray Shero.....

Hey, we won in 2011 and moved up to 4th. We drafted Larsson, which got us Hall... who was drafted 1st overall the year before. So not only did we win the lottery we essentially travelled back in time 1 year to get the first overall selection. Pretty impressive moves by David Conte and Ray Shero.....
- Queenie_5_hole

yeah thats great an all but 6 years ago doesn't have anything to do with this draft. And the lottery was different back then as well. According to allaboutthejersey.com we have a 33% chance at falling to 6th. look at prospects in the 5-8 range, no point in looking at nico nolan or casey. but hey hopefully im wrong tomorrow night but we'll see.

A 184 pound 5:10 center -SPOONER is NOT what the NJ D need.
We are so small we can not get the puck out of our own zone .
Draft for talent . UFA sign for Size and Speed.

Draft if we are picking at #5
Lets say Patrick , Nico and Vilardi are gone .
-----
1-Casey Mittelstadt 6'1 201 Could be best offense in this draft.
2- Owen Tippet -6'2 200 goal scoring machine
3- MIchael Rasmussen 6'5 205 Zajac with better hands.

4-Cale MAker or drop down and draft Timothy Lilegren .What happened to this kid ?? He was #1 on some draft boards.
- thechezman

Size isn't the issue, it's skill. Rasmussen has very poor production at even strength. Liljigren stunk this year is what happened.

yeah thats great an all but 6 years ago doesn't have anything to do with this draft. And the lottery was different back then as well. According to allaboutthejersey.com we have a 33% chance at falling to 6th. look at prospects in the 5-8 range, no point in looking at nico nolan or casey. but hey hopefully im wrong tomorrow night but we'll see.
- Krazykid

Don't get down on that this year... the guys at 5-8 have a good chance at being better than the guys at 1-4. There's no big gap after 1, 2, 3... the top 8 or 9 guys in this draft will probably leave their picking teams very happy and "getting the player they always wanted". Like the Larsson year, the seventh overall pick could end up being the best player in the draft.

I don't even care what happens in the lottery; as long as Shero is drafting smart, the Devils are getting a good player.