As promised New Jersey Devils fans, here is the “after” article regarding the seventh-overall pick. Looking back on my “before” piece it was clear I did not have eventual selection Alexander Holtz on the radar. There is definitely a lot to be said about this pick so let’s dive right in.
The first six picks went about as expected as possible based on the intel everyone was putting out on Twitter. When it came time for the Devils to select a player, they were left with quite a few great options. A prime choice out there was Ottawa 67s center Marco Rossi, a highly-touted prospect that will no doubt be NHL ready and it felt like a miracle that he was available. He was passed on by New Jersey and eventually taken ninth overall by the Minnesota Wild. Instead, the team went with Holtz.
Alexander Holtz is an incredible pick at number seven. It did sting me a little bit initially seeing them pass on Rossi, but this is not a disappointment in any way. There is no doubt the 18-year-old sniper will be phenomenal for New Jersey when arrives.
He is currently still under contract with Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish Hockey League and will not be with the team at training camp or the start of the 2020-21 season. This is actually terrific for both Holtz and the Devils. It will allow him to grow his game and become even better than he already is and for the Devils, they get a much stronger prospect in the process with another year of hockey experience.
He was not exactly the “best player available” for the number seven pick in the draft, but it was very difficult to go wrong as well. They addressed a very important need in wing depth by drafting Holtz. Sometimes you have to go against this new normal of always going best player and actually address your needs if you want to improve your team. I personally believe it should be a healthy combination of both. The Swedish prospect was close enough to be BPA while at the same time taking care of a lack of depth in the winger department. The future looks very bright for our New Jersey Devils.