The New Jersey Devils finished their 2020 NHL Draft in the 6th round.
It was quite the draft for the New Jersey Devils. After three 1st-round picks, plus four other picks, the Devils finished things up with center Benjamin Baumgartner. He’s been playing with HC Davos, scoring two goals in the first four games of the season.
Baumgartner is a very interesting pick, as his size likely caused him to fall to the 6th round, but his skill is still impressive. He’s a very good skater and can handle the puck well. There is a lot to like about Baumgartner’s game despite it coming from a guy in a 5’9 frame.
It seems that Baumgartner is a pick many experts believe could make it to the NHL despite being a late-round pick. He’s already 20 years old, so a lot of his game is on the surface already. There won’t be a lot of deviation from the player he’s already become, which is good for him because he seems to be a jack of all trades. Dobber Prospects called him one of their late-round gem possibilities.
Baumgartner was excelling in the NLA last season. He scored 27 points, by far the most from a teenager in the league. As an overager, the Devils are getting a product that’s much closer to completion. Obviously, being older hurt his value in the draft, but it could work out in the Devils’ favor.
His game attributes fit the kind of players the Devils covet at this point in the draft. He does all the little things right. He kills penalties. Baumgartner is projected to be a very good bottom-six player with some nice upside offensively.
The Baumgartner pick definitely has value for the Devils. There were some other possibilities on the board like Veeti Miettinen (Maple Leafs at 168) and Yevgeni Oksentyuk (Stars at 162). However, the Devils got a piece that could develop faster than a lot of these other picks. Baumgartner fits the “timeline” and he could help the team in a complimentary role faster than a lot of the other prospects.