So our third pick makes up for pick 29?
- dmarsden2988

Yeah pretty much lol. He wouldve been much more understandable at 29. If you swap them then its totally fine and both are good picks

Meh, everything is a dart throw at this point. I'm totally fine just taking a random goalie in the 3rd-5th round every draft. You're eventually going to hit
- vlongo4419

It's also an annual tradition, Schmid, Brady, Daws. What's a draft if we don't throw a mid round pick at a goalie we haven't heard of? Last goalie the Devils drafted that I remember fans actually knowing the name was when we spent an earlier pick on Blackwood.

It's also an annual tradition, Schmid, Brady, Daws. What's a draft if we don't throw a mid round pick at a goalie we haven't heard of? Last goalie the Devils drafted that I remember fans actually knowing the name was when we spent an earlier pick on Blackwood.
- smellmyfinger

Just last year. Everyone knew Daws lol, he was the #1 ranked NA goalie from Central Scouting

Just last year. Everyone knew Daws lol, he was the #1 ranked NA goalie from Central Scouting
- vlongo4419

Last year I remember goalies being Askarov or bust, lol. Shows how little attention I pay to goalies in the draft.

Last year I remember goalies being Askarov or bust, lol. Shows how little attention I pay to goalies in the draft.
- smellmyfinger

Yup he was widely ranked the consensus #2 goalie overall behind Askarov by the big ranking sources.

But again, its just goalies. Outside of the surefire guys who go in the 1st round, its a complete crapshoot and you just throw a dart

Last year I remember goalies being Askarov or bust, lol. Shows how little attention I pay to goalies in the draft.
- smellmyfinger

It is just the thought process I don't get. This goalie is not on anybody's draft list, he was passed over last year and was the 10th ranked European goalie. As some one said we are throwing darts here, but position players are still much more projectable at this point. Take the position player here and save the goalie pick in round 7. Its like fantasy football, draft your kicker last, unless you are drafting Askarov talent level.

This draft is actually taking forever. Still 3 full rounds to go and we're already 4 1/2 hours in

Unless I'm mistaken Suvorov and Gueven are both still available? They were both on most draft boards by round 3. Maybe get a steal here picking first in the 5th round.

This draft is actually taking forever. Still 3 full rounds to go and we're already 4 1/2 hours in
- vlongo4419

It's painful.

I heard they were trying to shorten day 2 today because it was so long yesterday so good job all around seeing it's taking longer than ever.

Solid value pick in Topias Vilen. Mobile defensive defenseman, already playing pro in the Liiga

McKenzie had our 5th round picked ranked 84th.

Seems like this year more than any the draft rankings are all over the place. I don't think we've had a bad draft so far even though the 29th wasn't liked very much.

Seems like this year more than any the draft rankings are all over the place. I don't think we've had a bad draft so far even though the 29th wasn't liked very much.
- Pomegrant

But the thought of passing on trading a slower Bastian with Butcher and someone for Meier is a bit nauseating.

But the thought of passing on trading a slower Bastian with Butcher and someone for Meier is a bit nauseating.
- MartysBetter88

Is there anything confirming that that was the trade? I haven't seen anything about it so it sounds like baseless speculation.

Is there anything confirming that that was the trade? I haven't seen anything about it so it sounds like baseless speculation.
- Pomegrant

Not at all lol. But would it have been enough? Just the thought is depressing.
But you’re right. Best not to think it.

Not at all lol. But would it have been enough? Just the thought is depressing.
But you’re right. Best not to think it.
- MartysBetter88

Do you really think that Butcher (a player nobody wants), the 29th pick, and some other asset was enough to get Timo Meier.

Do you really think that Butcher (a player nobody wants), the 29th pick, and some other asset was enough to get Timo Meier.
- Pomegrant

Well the other asset is the key. I know I sound like I’m backtracking lol. 29th has some value I think.

Well the other asset is the key. I know I sound like I’m backtracking lol. 29th has some value I think.
- MartysBetter88

29 was going to have to be a piece, but there was going to have to be prospects going back the other way. Maybe the other pieces in the ask would’ve been too steep. Maybe SJ held firm on 29 and either Holtz or Mercer. We will never know. The disappointment is that not only did we hold the pick, but we used it on a player that we could most assuredly move back quite a bit and collect more picks. Maybe everyone in the hockey world is missing something the Devils see in Stillman, but I don’t get it. It was probably the biggest reach in the first round aside from drafting a guy that said “don’t draft me”.

Not at all lol. But would it have been enough? Just the thought is depressing.
- MartysBetter88

It seems safe to assume no, it would not have been enough. If we could’ve made that trade, there’s no reason to think Fitz would’ve inexplicably passed on it to gamble on someone. Timo is a former top-10 pick who’s only 24, with a 30 goal season under his belt. It seems much more likely the 4th overall would’ve needed to be included (if that trade was close to happening at all—were there legitimate rumors that the Devils were close?) and I’d rather have Luke.

Do you really think that Butcher (a player nobody wants), the 29th pick, and some other asset was enough to get Timo Meier.
- Pomegrant

Even if we miss on Hamilton, I do hope we sign an NHL level defender. Pushing Butcher to 7th Dman and Tennyson out of the NHL all together would be ideal.

Friedman on the NHL Network gave an update on Hamilton. He said Carolina and Dougie have made progress towards an extension, but Carolina has given him a deadline prior to free agency to decide if hes staying or leaving. Then mentioned the Devils as the team who is going to go big for him

Even if we miss on Hamilton, I do hope we sign an NHL level defender. Pushing Butcher to 7th Dman and Tennyson out of the NHL all together would be ideal.
- smellmyfinger

We are ~11 million under cap floor with Sharangovich, Merkley and Kuokkanen to resign. If Dougie hits the market and the Devils don’t have an offer out there that’s at least as high as the one he decides to choose that to me is more an indictment of the ownership of this team than Fitz.
If we make a great offer and he signs elsewhere so be it. If we balk at the price even with Subban and Butcher coming off the books after this season then (frank) this team. Lol.

We are ~11 million under cap floor with Sharangovich, Merkley and Kuokkanen to resign. If Dougie hits the market and the Devils don’t have an offer out there that’s at least as high as the one he decides to choose that to me is more an indictment of the ownership of this team than Fitz.
If we make a great offer and he signs elsewhere so be it. If we balk at the price even with Subban and Butcher coming off the books after this season then (frank) this team. Lol.
- smellmyfinger

If canes offer 9.. give him 10!! Lol. Just want to make this team better. He’d be a good fit.

If canes offer 9.. give him 10!! Lol. Just want to make this team better. He’d be a good fit.
- MartysBetter88

Definitely agree. Everybody mocks our owners saying theyre cheap, but the Canes owners are legit the definition of cheap lol. I dont see a world we get outbid by them, so if he stays hes almost certainly leaving money on the table