The Devils went with a double overage choice in 19-year-old Brandon Baddock who played for the Memorial Cup winning Edmonton Oil Kings.
Baddock, 19, is a 6'4" forward who had 17 points and 128PIMs in 56 games before tallying one point in 13 playoff games playing in a depth role.
Once again, Devils elect to go with a guy who projects to be a bottom-6 forward if anything.
1st: 30th overall | C - John Quenneville (Brandon Wheat Kings - WHL) 2nd: 41st overall | D - Joshua Jacobs (Indiana - USHL) 3rd: 71st overall | W - Connor Chatham (Plymouth Whalers - OHL) 5th: 131st overall | D - Ryan Rehill (Kamloops Blazers - WHL) 6th: 152nd overall | F - Joey Dudek (high school player) 6th: 161st overal | LW - Brandon Baddock (Edmonton Oil Kings - WHL)
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The Devils went off the board with their 152nd pick drafting high school player Joey Dudek. I don't know anything about him so I'm not going to praise or criticize the pick.
Dudek is a 5'11 forward who tallied 44 points (9G, 35A) in 25 games with Kimball last year. He also had three points (1G, 2A) in five games for USA at the U-18 Ivan Hlinka tournament.
Dudek seems like a guy worth taking a shot on late, but I'd rather have goal scoring winger Spencer Watson who's slipping in large part due to his 5'9" frame, I think.
1st: 30th overall | C - John Quenneville (Brandon Wheat Kings - WHL) 2nd: 41st overall | D - Joshua Jacobs (Indiana - USHL) 3rd: 71st overall | W - Connor Chatham (Plymouth Whalers - OHL) 5th: 131st overall | D - Ryan Rehill (Kamloops Blazers - WHL) 6th: 152nd overall | F - Joey Dudek (high school player) 6th: 161st overall
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The Devils continued their trend of making pretty puzzling picks as they selected Ryan Rehill 131st overall.
Rehill is a 6'3" defenseman who put up 20 points and had 182 penalty minutes in 72 games with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL. I've admittedly never seen him play, but given the amount of PIMs he had I'm guessing physicality is the name of his game. The Devils have a plethora of defense prospects and there are some very talented offensive players who are a little undersized still available. To me they'd have been better off going that route. I don't think the Devils are drafting near as well as they could be.
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With the 71st pick in the draft the Devils elected to go with another safe pick in Connor Chatham of the Plymouth Whalers. Chatham is a big winger who likes to get in on the forecheck and cycles well. He plays a two-way game, is a good straight line skater and projects to be a bottom-6 guy who can chip in offensively here and there.
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After taking two-way center John Qunneville with their 1st round pick, the Devils continued their trend of drafting a defenseman in the 2nd round.
The Devils elected to go with 6'2 defensemen Josh Jacobs from Indiana of the USHL.
Jacobs is a fluid skater who makes a good first pass and can contribute offensively. He's not afraid to throw his body around and projects to be a solid two-way defenseman.
He's still pretty raw, but the tools are certainly there.
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The New Jersey Devils made a bit of a surprise pick when they drafted John Quenneville 30th overall.
While he's a responsible two-way forward who can produce some offense - I'll have more on him and other Devils' picks Sunday and Monday - it seemed like a bit of a safe pick.
That said, the Devils have five picks today including one early in the 2nd round at 41st overall, and there will be some talented players available.
The two highest players on my board - Ivan Barbashev and Brendan Lemieux - were both expected to go in the 1st round from all scouts I've talked to, so it's surprising to me that they'll both be available entering the 2nd round.
Both players figure to be chosen early in the 2nd, and should the Devils be eyeing one of them, they may have to move up a few slots.
I figured the Devils were going to go with Lemieux at 30 given his bloodlines and that he's actually a very good player, but the Devils elected to go with the two-way center.
There will be plenty of good wing options at 41 should the Devils decide to go that route.
If Lemieux and/or Barbashev are gone by their next pick, I think goal scoring winger Spencer Watson makes some sense. He's a teammate of Ryan Kujawinski's so they surely saw quite a bit of him over the last two seasons, and he certainly addresses a need. Not only that, but he's a 1st round talent and if he were a few inches taller he would have went in the top-30.
The Devils own the following picks:
1st: 30th overall | C - John Quenneville (Brandon Wheat Kings) 2nd: 41st overall 3rd: 71st overall 5th: 131st overall 6th: 152nd overall 6th: 161st overall
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