The New Jersey Devils have a lot of picks to play with in this year’s NHL Draft, including the number-one overall pick. That means they can take a couple chances in the later rounds.
Later this month, we will have extensive articles on who the New Jersey Devils should take in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th rounds of the NHL Draft. However, there’s one specific prospect who’s basically an outlier, and deserves his own article.
So this one is a little complicated. Alexander Yakovenko is a 21-year-old prospect, which is extremely rare in these NHL Drafts. He was first eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft, but was never picked. So, he shouldn’t be eligible, right?
Well, NHL rules state that to be eligible for the draft, a North American skater has to be between the ages of 18 and 20. However, overseas skaters over the age of 20 are eligible for the draft. It seems like he’s actually eligible for this draft, so we’ll go ahead and give him his own piece because of the circumstances.
His ratings have been all over the place, as can be expected because of his age. Some rankings have him around 100 among North American skaters, others have him close to the end of the draft.
Despite everything going against him, Yakovenko could be the steal of the draft. Those who worked with him tout his vision on the ice and how well he moves the puck. Is the 4th round too high for a player of his value? Probably not, because he’s probably ready to play in the AHL tomorrow. Could the Devils get him even later? They could hope.
He’d be an immediate upgrade to a Binghamton team that desperately needs good defenders to play in front of Evan Cormier and Gilles Senn. Yakovenko would be someone they could mold from the day the draft ends. He could go straight to the AHL and start working with coach Mark Dennehy.
Yakovenko is 21 years old, so you don’t get to mold him like you do most prospects taken in the top 100, but there’s a lot to like about this prospect. His ceiling isn’t terribly high, but getting a player in your building the day after the draft has value in itself.
More from Pucks and Pitchforks
- Should New Jersey Devils Try Load Management With Vitek Vanecek?
- New Jersey Devils Will Prove That Last Year Wasn’t A Fluke
- New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes’ Playmaking Will Outshine His Mistakes
- New Jersey Devils: Chase Stillman’s Performance Causes Concern
- Can Devils Fans Separate Zach Parise Heartbreak From Achievements?
The Kazakhstan defender had an interesting journey, which saw his status hurt by Russian leagues and rules. This season, he finally got to just play hockey with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. He scored 52 points in 56 games from the blue line. It was a great season for a player that was close to forgotten. Now, he could be a top-100 prospect.
Rumor had it he was looking to turn this into a college offer, but it looks like he plans to play in the Finnish Elite League. However, if a team decides to draft him, we believe he’ll stay in North America.
This is a player that scored 19 goals from the blue line. Yes, he was doing in in the USHL, but it’s still very impressive. He was second in the league in both goals and points among defensemen. To get a guy in a later round with those kinds of stats, age shouldn’t matter.
This could be the kind of player Ray Shero gets major props for in just a few seasons. Yes, he still needs major work, but he’s taken serious strides after two seasons in North America. He’s that rare breed that has international skill, but is already proven to be used to the NHL style. This could be a very smart choice.