Ranking Every New Jersey Devils 1st-Round Draft Pick Part 1: The Busts
By Mike Luci
No. 32: Matthew Corrente
Defenseman
30th Overall, 2006
The New Jersey Devils were originally slated to pick 25th overall in the 2006 draft but traded back with St. Louis (who originally acquired the 30th overall pick when they dealt Doug Weight to the Carolina Hurricanes). St. Louis would select forward Patrik Berglund, who went on to play over 700 NHL games. In between St. Louis’ and New Jersey’s selections, Nick Foligno was taken 28th overall by the Ottawa Senators.
The Devils drafted Matthew Corrente.
Once considered the Devil’s top defensive prospect, Corrente played two more OHL seasons before going pro but didn’t make his NHL debut until 2010. He only appeared in 34 NHL games, getting no goals and six assists. He did have 68 penalty minutes and wasn’t afraid to scrap, but never turned into the steady defenseman New Jersey had hoped. He played 163 AHL games (aggregating 13 goals and 49 points) over five seasons with Lowell and Albany, before leaving the organization.
Corrente spent three more years in the AHL playing for as many teams, only getting five goals and 24 points in 130 contests. In his last pro season, Corrente only had two assists in 13 games with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.
Among some of the notable players drafted in 2006 after Corrente—Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand, Jeff Petry, and Artem Anisimov.