Brenden Lemieux is a worthless plug. Why would you ever want him on your team.
- Pomegrant

Because people were crying that we drafted matteau instead of him

If I remember correctly

Did Bedard or Wright play with the other top prospects? No? Then who’s to say the other top prospects wouldn’t be even better to play with? That’s nice and all, but scouts are evaluating more than how well guys play with each other. All these players should be much different in a few years. So we’re looking at various abilities, where guys can improve, how they will translate to the NHL game. Everything Wright and Bedard say is relative to what they’ve experienced so far in their juvenile years of playing hockey against other kids. It doesn’t hold that much weight to me, no pun intended haha
- MartysBetter88

They have played with and against plenty of prospects. Sometimes players are better scouts than you think. Their understanding of the game holds plenty more weight than half the scouts out there in my books. It was over two years ago that McDavid and Sid both stated that Denault was the toughest centre to play against. Looking at Denault during that span, it makes sense. I will always take the opinions of high end players seriously. One of my favorite examples was Tarasenko's first tantrum with his GM, many years ago when he asked for his buddy Panarin to have a tryout. They ignored him and Panarin paved his own way. Sometime's the guys actually putting the work in on the ice know more than the guys in the stands or the ones who solely stare at analytics.

Brenden Lemieux is a worthless plug. Why would you ever want him on your team.
- Pomegrant

Teammates hate Lemieux. It's the main reason he is a suitcase on league min

Because people were crying that we drafted matteau instead of him

If I remember correctly
- dmarsden2988

It was Qunneville, not Matteau. But none of those 3 turned out to be relevant in any way at the NHL level so it's whatever IMO.

I want Luke Hughes. He should be the top priority for NJ. He could easily end up being the best d-man in this draft. Quinn and Jack are studs for Van and NJ, there's no reason to think Luke won't be one too. Plus, Luke is the biggest brother.

I want Luke Hughes. He should be the top priority for NJ. He could easily end up being the best d-man in this draft. Quinn and Jack are studs for Van and NJ, there's no reason to think Luke won't be one too. Plus, Luke is the biggest brother.
- jtylerm

Jack needs to break 50pts before a christen him a stud lol.

Jack needs to break 50pts before a christen him a stud lol.
- MartysBetter88

90 pts this year for the stud.

I am all in on Tarasenko, but why ask them to retain salary? Give up less assets to get him and take the salary. Unless Fitz has some other big ticket items (Hamilton?) we will need that salary to get to the floor, especially if we move PK. Fitz is much smarter than me, so I am sure he has a plan.

Unsurprisingly no Kraken moves today. Almost like the whole "they have side deals in place" thing was total bullpoop. Didn't see that coming at all!

Unsurprisingly no Kraken moves today. Almost like the whole "they have side deals in place" thing was total bullpoop. Didn't see that coming at all!
- Pomegrant

How weak they’ve been so far has made me not a fan from the jump, plus they took our boy. I don’t even remember who Vegas took from us.

90 pts this year for the stud.
- Leniwm1

I’ll be content with 60. It’s his 3rd year.. and last season was abbreviated. I have more stress with Nico.. I gotta see some 7.25mil out of our 22yr old center.. which means I need to see 65+ points, no less.

Preferred draft choices with the #4 pick:

1. Power - Best defenseman in the draft, but I really don't know how much better than the other defensemen. I don't know if the other defenesemen have a higher ceiling.

2. Hughes - Three things going for him. He's Jack's brother so maybe they finish their careers with the Devils. He skates like his brothers, which is a good thing. He's probably the youngest guy in the draft so his ceiling is probably higher than Power.

3. Eklund - I heard his game is like Zetterberg. Team him up with Hischier and that's deadly.
4. Guenther - Two right wing snipers to play with Hischier and Hughes is tempting.

5. Clarke - At first this was my first choice for the 4th pick. The team needs a righty on D, but I'm really concerened about his skating.

6. Edvinsson - He's got size and skill, but for every Swedish defenseman that is supposedly the next Lidstrom or even Hedman, there's Adam Larsson. Larsson is a fine defenseman, but not game chaning.

-----------------------------------------------

I wouldn't mind seeing the team trade Butcher for Tarasenko. Butcher is the odd man out in Jersey and the Blues can porbably use him after losing Vince Dunn. 2-years of Tarasenko at $7.5 mil is not a huge risk for the team.

Tarasenko can play on Hughes right-side and Sharangovich slides to the left. Kuokkanen can either play on Boqvist's left side or McLeod.

Sharangovich-Hughes-Tarasenko
Zacha-Hischier-Bratt
Kuokkanen-Boqvist-Johnsson
Wood-McLeod-Merkley

AHL can tryout Foote-Mercer-Holtz on a line together for next season and see where they're at for the 2022-23 season.

Preferred draft choices with the #4 pick:

1. Power - Best defenseman in the draft, but I really don't know how much better than the other defensemen. I don't know if the other defenesemen have a higher ceiling.

2. Hughes - Three things going for him. He's Jack's brother so maybe they finish their careers with the Devils. He skates like his brothers, which is a good thing. He's probably the youngest guy in the draft so his ceiling is probably higher than Power.

3. Eklund - I heard his game is like Zetterberg. Team him up with Hischier and that's deadly.
4. Guenther - Two right wing snipers to play with Hischier and Hughes is tempting.

5. Clarke - At first this was my first choice for the 4th pick. The team needs a righty on D, but I'm really concerened about his skating.

6. Edvinsson - He's got size and skill, but for every Swedish defenseman that is supposedly the next Lidstrom or even Hedman, there's Adam Larsson. Larsson is a fine defenseman, but not game chaning.

-----------------------------------------------

I wouldn't mind seeing the team trade Butcher for Tarasenko. Butcher is the odd man out in Jersey and the Blues can porbably use him after losing Vince Dunn. 2-years of Tarasenko at $7.5 mil is not a huge risk for the team.

Tarasenko can play on Hughes right-side and Sharangovich slides to the left. Kuokkanen can either play on Boqvist's left side or McLeod.

Sharangovich-Hughes-Tarasenko
Zacha-Hischier-Bratt
Kuokkanen-Boqvist-Johnsson
Wood-McLeod-Merkley

AHL can tryout Foote-Mercer-Holtz on a line together for next season and see where they're at for the 2022-23 season.
- CardiffGiant

I like it. But swap kuok and Johnsson. I think we get a 3rd line center. I agree- unless we’re absolutely wowed, I see no reason not to have that line in the minors. Make it so.

12ish hours and we should know our first pick

Teammates hate Lemieux. It's the main reason he is a suitcase on league min
- bikeguy99

I like Lemieux and wanted to draft him instead of Q. He's turned out to be a better player although that's not saying much. I think he'd be a decent replacement for Bastian except he's not as disciplined a player and (like everyone else) doesn't have that chemistry with McLeod. He's cheap, tough, and not completely unskilled. He's still young and his age fits this team.

That said, if he's an a$$hat in the locker room then you simply can't bring him in. Especially considering how young this group is. Not sure how you know that about him. Considering his dad I'm not completely surprised. Claude wasn't the easiest guy either; although I was a big fan of his.

Trade for Tarasenko. Butcher is the odd man out in Jersey and the Blues can porbably use him after losing Vince Dunn. 2-years of Tarasenko at $7.5 mil is not a huge risk for the team.

Tarasenko can play on Hughes right-side and Sharangovich slides to the left. Kuokkanen can either play on Boqvist's left side or McLeod.

Sharangovich-Hughes-Tarasenko
Zacha-Hischier-Bratt
Kuokkanen-Boqvist-Johnsson
Wood-McLeod-Merkley

AHL can tryout Foote-Mercer-Holtz on a line together for next season and see where they're at for the 2022-23 season.
- CardiffGiant

Really like the idea of trading for Taransenko. Would gladly included Butcher in the trade. Hear the Devils are asking the Blues to retain salary which is kind of ridiculous. We should be taking on the salary (because we can) and giving up less assets. This is why I'm often doubtful about this team weaponizing the cap; because owners don't want to spend money.

Also, I'd swap Kuokkanen and Zacha. I don't think Merkley is a good 4th liner and I'd look for someone on the farm to take his place. There are a few choices but AJ Greer seems like the right type to replace Bastians toughness.

Wooo Happy draft day!

Seeing Tarasenkos name out there a lot, but just a reminder. Ownership spends to barely above floor, with PKs deal expiring after the season the Devils can probably take on 2 large contracts. After that the money spent will be to retain our own young players.

Tarasenko will be 31 next season and since suffering an injury two years ago he has 7 goals in 34 games. If we are packaging up the Islanders pick I would much prefer to target Timo Meier.

How weak they’ve been so far has made me not a fan from the jump, plus they took our boy. I don’t even remember who Vegas took from us.
- MartysBetter88

Devils legend John Merrill

Because people were crying that we drafted matteau instead of him

If I remember correctly
- dmarsden2988

WE SHOULDVE DRAFTED LEMIEUX!!!!

Wooo Happy draft day!
- vlongo4419

Probably going to be Hughes, and he will probably be great for us. Just hope we don’t regret passing on Guenther if the rumors of Anaheim zeroing in on Eklund are true.

Probably going to be Hughes, and he will probably be great for us. Just hope we don’t regret passing on Guenther if the rumors of Anaheim zeroing in on Eklund are true.
- smellmyfinger

I know.. I’m so iffy on passing on a goal scorer for a mobile D..

I know.. I’m so iffy on passing on a goal scorer for a mobile D..
- MartysBetter88

I know you love multiple threads

Mussa put up a devil's thread this morning with the draft board logo 😎

I know you love multiple threads

Mussa put up a devil's thread this morning with the draft board logo 😎
- dmarsden2988

-_- lol

Brenden Lemieux is a worthless plug. Why would you ever want him on your team.
- Pomegrant

Truculence