New Jersey Devils: Assessing Picks We Loves, Liked, And Hated In NHL Draft

Players We Like

Alexander Holtz

This is a ‘like’ for Holtz and not a ‘love’ simply because of who the Devils bypassed at #7. There were two players who stood out for me whom the Devils could have selected in Marco Rossi and to a lesser degree Cole Perfetti, yet the Devils went with the more pressing need of a high-scoring right winger in Alexander Holtz.

The Devils are going all in supporting Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes by providing them with every opportunity to succeed, and Holtz will help in that regards. He possess one of the best shots in the entire draft and has 40-goal upside. He is Patrik Laine-esque without having to acquire Laine himself. He is a think first, pure sniper. Envisioning him on a line with Hischier or Hughes and blasting one timers from those guys should get Devils fans fired up.

He could be the most electric goal scorer the Devils have had since Ilya Kovalchuk. He must work on his skating and two-way game before he makes it in the NHL. By all intensive purposes, Holtz has a good work ethic and compete level, so those could be improved upon with good coaching. The Devils broke hockey’s cardinal rule by drafting for need above going best player available, however getting a player of Holtz’s caliber is a nice consolation prize.

Ethan Edwards

At pick #120, Ethan Edwards is a great type of defenseman to gamble on. He is on the smallish size, but what he lacks in size he makes it up with his skating and stick-handling ability. He could lead a rush through the neutral zone, makes good outlet passes and makes efficient decisions when he has the puck on his stick.

He is very polished positionally and forces turnovers, and with his speed helps in the transition game. Edwards must get bigger and work on his shot if he is to become the player that we want him to be. He is an incoming freshman at the University of Michigan, so much of his game could be improved upon there. He is a prospect to keep an eye on.