New Jersey Devils Potential Second Round Picks: Part 1
Nolan vs. Nico is still the hot debate when it comes to the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, but the New Jersey Devils have to hit on their other picks. Here’s a look at some potential 2nd round picks the Devils can take with their first 2nd rounder. As a reminder, the Devils will select 36th and 49th, barring any trades.
It’s obviously important to hit on the 1st overall pick, but the 2nd round picks are also important. Some notable 2nd round picks include P.K. Subban, Patrice Bergeron, Duncan Keith, and Patrik Elias. These are all players who made a serious impact during their NHL careers. Not every pick will turn into one of these guys, but the 2nd round picks are still important. Let’s take a look at some guys the New Jersey Devils could take with the 36th pick.
Jaret Anderson-Dolan | Center | Elite Prospects Page
JAD is a 5’11”, 185 lbs center who just finished his second full season with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. He put up a stat line of 39G/37A/76P in 72 games this year. Of those 76 points, 44 came at full strength. Future Considerations raved about his skating, saying,
"He skates extremely well and loves to get low, driving off his low center of gravity to burn around players. He’s very balanced on his feet which enables him to change direction with quick pivots to shake and shock those covering him."
Zachary Devine of The Hockey Writers (find his post about JAD here) also noted his speed, saying,
"The thing you take away from a Jaret Anderson-Dolan viewing is speed. Everything he does looks to be at a pace that others on the ice struggle to adjust to. His hands are quick, his feet are fast and his processing of the game is excellent among his peers."
According to scouts, he has a solid release that will continue to develop, and has decent vision and passing skills for someone who is a scorer. There are some weaknesses, though. Future Considerations noted that he has deficiencies that he will need to work on, but the potential is there. It should also be noted that he was on a line with Kailer Yamamoto, which could’ve impacted his stats. His potential is still there to be a solid two-way player in the NHL, and is someone the New Jersey Devils could look at with the 36th pick.
Robin Salo | Left-Handed Defenseman | Elite Prospects Page
Salo is a two-way LHD currently playing in the SM-Liiga, the top Finnish hockey league. The 6’1″, 190 lbs blue-liner has been playing against men since 2015, when he played 16 games for Sport of Liiga. Salo had a stat line of 1G/15A/16P in 54 games. That’s not too bad for an 18 year old playing with grown men. Future considerations describes him as this,
"a hard-working player, reads the game well and plays a mature game. He can match up against the opposition team’s top forwards and doesn’t get out-muscled in the defensive zone. He is excellent at getting in lanes and using his stick to break up passes."
Toni Rajamäki, a Finnish scout for HockeyProspect.com, is a big fan of Salo’s defensive game, saying,
"He’s a great player when you look at his defensive game. I think his positioning is very [good], he has good vision and he’s good without the puck."
There are a few knocks against Salo, the big one being his offensive upside. Both Future Considerations and Rajamäki mentioned this in their reports on Salo. Another knock is his skating ability. He’s a solid skater, but won’t blow anyone away with his speed. Luckily, that’s something he can work on. The New Jersey Devils need to add to their defensive prospects, and while the offensive upside isn’t as high as someone like Miro Heiskanen’s, his two-way potential would be a nice addition.
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David Farrance | Left-Handed Defenseman | Elite Prospects Page
Farrance could be the offensive defenseman that the New Jersey Devils need. The 5’11”, 187 lbs LHD had an extremely solid season with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. His stat line against the USHL was 1G/16A/17P in 25 games. Farrance also put up 47 shots in those games. In 64 USDP games, he put up 7G/30A/37P in 64 games. Steve Kournianos over at The Draft Analyst actually had the Devils selecting Farrance in his mock draft.
"For all the talent they’re stockpiling in New Jersey, the organization could use another quick-thinking puck mover that can run the power play. Farrance is a Rochester native heading to BU after spending this past season orchestrating the attack from the NTDP’s backline."
Future considerations are huge fans of his offense and offensive upside, but also note some weaknesses.
"Farrance is a speedy offensive defender who does a great job generating offensive chances in transition. He has good acceleration with short, powerful strides and is adept at lugging the puck through the neutral zone and making a controlled zone entry. He has good stickhandling ability for a defender, showing the skill to deke around defenders at high speed, maintaining control. He is good at carrying the puck and maneuvering around defenders, but he often lacks the vision to take advantage of the added time and space his skating can create."
He’s a powerful skater who makes good zone entries, with good puck and stick skills. Farrance has some solid offensive awareness from the point. The rest of the quote notes that he has a weak shot, sloppy passes, and sometimes lacks vision. These are all things that can be worked on, especially at a school like Boston University. The New Jersey Devils need offense, and Farrance can provide that.
(Stats via Prospect-Stats.com)