5 Prospects New Jersey Devils Can Take With New York Islanders Pick
The New Jersey Devils sent both Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the New York Islanders for a deal that was mostly for a 1st-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft. Devils fans were split on the deal, but most were just upset the team is still in this position. The rebuild continues with little end in sight. However, as hard as it seems, there is a reason for confidence.
The Devils have a lot of pieces in place for a long run. Does that always work out? No, but seeing great NHL ability from Nico Hischier, Mackenzie Blackwood, Jack Hughes, Ty Smith, and Jesper Bratt makes it more exciting than for past never-ending rebuilds like that in Buffalo. Obviously, the Sabres hit the nail on the head with Jack Eichel, and Rasmus Dahlin is a very good defenseman with high upside, but there are so many other draft picks that flamed out completely.
Meanwhile, the Devils just added to their arsenal. They have their own 1st-round pick, and they now have the Islanders’ 1st-round pick. They are going to add two more prospects that will likely push them even higher up the prospect pool rankings. Sure, it’s white noise until they make the NHL and contribute, but with players like Janne Kuokkanen, Yegor Sharangovich, and Mikhail Maltsev taking up roster spots on a nightly basis, it’s not just the very best of the prospects that are contributing.
So, when the Devils look to add another 1st-round pick to the prospect pool, they will have a lot of options. The scouting has been strange for 2021, but the team can still get a really good player with this pick. They have to do their research, because there is a limited number of talented hockey players this season, unlike last season when it seemed like just about everyone in the first two rounds had star potential.
There are some very, very exciting players in the draft, even if it’s a weak draft overall. The Devils should be targeting players like these at the end of the 1st round.
Simon Robertsson
The Devils desperately need more talent at the wings. Alexander Holtz could be on his way to the NHL roster momentarily, and Dawson Mercer might not be too far behind. That’s two players, but the Devils really need four to fit two amazing lines next to Hughes and Hischier. Maybe Bratt fills another hole, but getting a prospect here that could make it a legit top six over the next decade is exactly what they need.
Simon Robertsson has a motor that never quits. That’s the type of player that could work really well with Hischier, because he needs puck possession and Robertsson will get it for him. There is a chance he goes somewhere in the middle of the round, but there are plenty of mock drafts that have him going in the 20s.
Robertsson plays the type of game that the team is really looking for. The Devils want someone who plays with power, and Robertsson does that in spades. If the Devils don’t end up getting William Eklund with their first pick of the round, they could still get another supremely skilled Swedish winger, although he doesn’t have nearly the upside of Eklund.
This would be a really fun player to watch. He has an NHL skill set when looking at the total package. He has the tenacity needed to make an NHL roster. There’s a high floor with Robertsson. While he hasn’t been as dominant offensively in the SHL as he has been in Swedish juniors, he still has upside to be a top-six winger. Don’t be too alarmed by his two points in 22 professional games. He’s still very young, and those types of players aren’t going to make a ton of noise until they get a little older.
Stanislav Svozil
Obviously, most Devils fans will want defensive help in this year’s draft. The expectation is that the team should end up with one of Owen Power, Brandt Clarke, Luke Hughes, or Simon Edvinsson. However, some mock drafts have them taking Kent Johnson, which honestly wouldn’t be that bad. If they do, there are some interesting defensemen later in the round. Stanislav Svozil is the most interesting among them.
He’s a player who has been on the radar for a long time. He’s been competing in international tournaments since a young age, and many scouts have been circling around him. So, where does he rank? Svozil has been ranked anywhere between the teens to the final pick in the 1st round.
His offensive upside is a little weary, but he’s great in the transition game. The Devils still have trouble getting the puck out of their own zone at times, so adding someone who can do that for them is crucial.
Svozil would be a nice compliment to the current young Devils defensemen. They already have Damon Severson, Ty Smith, and possibly Will Butcher on the roster moving forward, and they have some other offensive defensemen among the prospect ranks. Svozil would start as a compliment to them while his offensive game develops. He’s a prospect many are split on, so he could fall to wherever the Devils end up picking.
Daniil Chayka
Daniil Chayka is the other defenseman that will really intrigue fans in this position. He was on loan this year in Russia after the OHL didn’t really materialize for him, he was very inconsistent. His rankings are all over the place (it’s a theme in this draft), and he could be gone around 15 or he could be available into the 2nd round. It’s more likely he goes in the 20s, and he’s someone the Devils will be heavily scouting.
Chayka is someone who could have pushed himself into the top ten if it was a normal season. Obviously, it wasn’t, and now he sees himself as a high upside play. His talent level is there as he showed with Guelph last season, but it just didn’t translate to the Russian game for whatever reason.
He played for an underwhelming Russian World Juniors team along with Devils prospect Shakir Mukhamadullin. Unlike Shakir, he already has decent size as a two-way defenseman. There’s a base to work off of here, which is all one could really ask from a defenseman taken here. Chayka has tools that haven’t been realized to their full potential. Can the Devils get him there? The issue is the Devils have a lot of projects on the defensive end, and Chayka is still a little in between with where he is going to play next.
He should go to Guelph and have another dominant season. He needs the confidence boost and he needs to learn when he’s making the right plays. Then, his next step will be an important one. Either way, the Devils would be happy to get him with their Islanders pick. Chayka is someone with a great foundation.
Oskar Olausson
Going back to the wing, the Devils would be very happy if Oskar Olausson ends up being the pick here. The Swedish forward has been a consistent scorer in Swedish junior leagues throughout his teenage years. He’s even contributed a bit to HV71 in the men’s SHL league. Three goals in 16 games might not seem like something to go home about. However, Alexander Holtz only had nine goals in his draft year, and we know what to expect from him moving forward.
His best asset is the ability to use speed and size to make plays. He’s 6’2 and can skate through a defense when the play goes his way. The fact he can do that and still play hard-nosed defense shows that a team can put him out on the ice without worrying what’s going the other way. Olausson is a player that some might consider close to being an NHL player, but his upside might be limited.
Olausson is considered a shooter in the offensive zone. The Devils could use a player that has a shoot-first mentality. There’s a lot of playmakers on this team, especially among the young players. This would give them a future winger who is looking to put himself in position to score goals. He wants to put the puck in the back of the net. That’s his main priority.
Olausson might not be available when the Devils pick, but other mock drafts say he falls to the mid-20s. This is a player that could grow into a really fun middle-six winger on a team that’s really building something special.
Matthew Coronato
Matthew Coronato is a player that could do some damage for the Devils on the right wing, but some have questions about his production to this point. He’s scoring close to two points per game this season, but he’s doing it in the USHL. That’s not exactly a league that’s testing his greatness. Still, players who dominate on any level deserve a look.
He’s 5’11, so many Devils fans will sigh at the fact the Devils would target yet another forward who’s under six feet tall, but Coronato makes up for it with smart plays and decent skating ability. He’s able to play in all three phases (even strength, power play, penalty kill). That will be something Tom Fitzgerald loves about him. They want smart, elusive forwards who can contribute in multiple ways. It helps avoid busts in a very strange draft.
This is a player that puts all the parts together to make a very good player. His ceiling is limited, but it’s very likely he makes it to the NHL and contributes for a long time. If the Devils are looking to find a 30-goal scorer, this isn’t their guy (despite his gaudy USHL numbers). However, if they want someone who is going to be a good soldier and make all the right plays when he’s on the ice, Coronato is an interesting option.
Next. Assessing Devils CapFriendly Trades. dark
The Devils lost two rock-solid forwards who have been here for a long time. They were both free agents, so getting a 1st-round pick was a win on paper. These five prospects would help in what the Devils are trying to build.