New Jersey Devils: Is Shakir Mukhamadullin A 2020 Draft Steal?
The New Jersey Devils are hoping that Shakir Mukhamadullin is worth a 1st-round pick.
The New Jersey Devils shocked some people when they took Shakir Mukhamadullin with the 20th-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. It was their third pick of the 1st round after stocking up through trades during the season. They weren’t very good and they were hoping that they can get as much for their assets as they can. Now, they have to hope that these guys pan out and reach the potential that got them drafted that high.
The Mukhamadullin pick originally belonged to the Vancouver Canucks. They sent that pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning for J.T. Miller. The Lightning later flipped the pick to the Devils in the trade for Blake Coleman. The Devils needed to keep an eye on where the Canucks finished in order to know where they would be drafting and it landed at pick 20.
So what do we know about Shakir Mukamadullin? Well, we know that he was taken a little off the board from where he was projected. Obviously, the Devils thought he was worthy of that selection. They didn’t draft again for a while and clearly saw him as someone they wanted to grab while they can. We have to hope that he continues to develop well and turns into a good NHL defenseman.
For a 6’4″ defenseman, he is a great skater. That is important to note as he goes through the rest of his development. Another attribute to be excited about is his booming shot. He can slap one-timers as good as any young prospect out there and he isn’t afraid to use it. That is a skill that New Jersey absolutely needs on their back end. They want to see Mukhamadullin be that guy someday.
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Defending is also a big key to developing young defensemen. Mukhamadullin has shown the ability to defend around his own net which is a nice asset to have. He has also been able to break up opponent rushes and then take the puck away. When he makes plays like that, he has the ability to get pucks up to his forwards to give them an opportunity to score. The Devils absolutely need more of that in the organization as well. Shakir Mukhamadullin was a surprise pick for sure but we can only hope that he has a great career for himself!