Over the last few years, more and more skilled offensive defensemen have been stepping into the NHL at a young age and this year is no different. The New Jersey Devils‘ defense has been egregious for years. It seems very likely at this point that they will be taking another young defenseman in the NHL Draft this year giving them some fantastic potential in a year or two.
Fourth overall is a great spot for them. As things stand right now it looks like big defender Owen Power and two-way forward Matthew Beniers will be going one and two. After that things open up a little and depending where you look or who you ask, numerous players could be going next. This year things seem more open than ever before so it will not be unexpected for a player to rise or drop heavily on the day. Lets take a look at the most likely options for the Devils.
Brandt Clarke
The smooth skating offensive defender and brother of Graeme Clarke is a top end prospect this season and has really garnered more and more attention as this year went on. The OHL decided to not play this year, so Brandt Clarke made the bold decision to head off to Slovakia for the season playing for HC Nove Zamky. In 26 games he put up 5 goals and 15 points in a men’s league which is quite good. Where he really stood out was at the U18s. In his 7 games playing for Canada, he was a point a game player and really dominated his peers. He was the best player on the ice almost every time he was out there and showed his incredible hockey IQ. The choices he made were right in nearly every situation and had he been playing against players his own age all year could have been in discussion for the top with Power and Beniers.
His edge work and stick handling are top notch, comparable to players like Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar. Whoever drafts him is almost guaranteed to be jumping for joy. If he has any downside, it is not playing all that physical but as most hockey fans know this is common for offensive defenders of the modern age. They all seem to rely on smart stick work and high IQ plays to close gaps early. While it does work out well for many, it would be nice to see him use his body a bit more.
Luke Hughes
The final of the Hughes brothers is going early in this draft and there is a very good chance Luke Hughes ends up in Devils red. Recently, he commented on how he would love to play with Jack and that his brother loves it in New Jersey. This is a great sign and something that the team will be taking seriously. Much like Clarke or brother Quinn, Luke is part of the previously mentioned new age defensemen coming up that focus heavily on offense but use strong skating and transitional play to do enough defensively. It is also his transitional play that sets him apart as something he does the best in this draft class. Another thing to keep in mind for him is that he is a late birthday and only 6 days from missing the cutoff and being in the 2022 draft.
Before his season was cut short with an unfortunate leg injury, Hughes was putting up some amazing numbers. With the U18 team, he played 38 games and got 34 points.
Next season, he will be going to Michigan like many American born stars and this will bode well for his development. The ice time will be there and with players like Power, Beniers and Kent Johnson, who will very likely be with him the team will dominate and nothing quite breeds good habits like competition and winning sets up the right attitude. Unlike his brothers, a bonus with Luke is size. Currently he is 6’2 and 175 pounds so he should fill out to being at least 200 pounds and could still get taller.
William Eklund
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The last real interesting choice the Devils could make is Swedish forward William Eklund. He is an immensely skilled player who could make an immediate impact in the NHL. He spent this past season playing against men his age.
He also played with Alexander Holtz this season and in 40 games scored 11 goals and 23 points which was more than the Devils draft pick got in his draft year at 9 goals and 16 points. On the same line, for part of the season, it is also worth noting that he beat Holtz this season as well by 5 points and out scored him. Holtz was considered a goal scorer and put less pucks in than Eklund who is supposed to be more of a playmaker which is interesting in the very least.
His passing however does live up to that and his ability to find a player through traffic is great to watch and will translate well into the NHL. He has a decently high ceiling and should be a safe bet to play in the NHL. The downside from the Devils perspective here however is size. Another sub 6 foot forward whos frame is small and doesn’t hit just wont work in my own opinion. Bratt and Hughes are undersized and Nico is not exactly big. This means half of the top six, likely for a long time, would be the smallest in the league and the team is already not physical. The Devils get pushed around to much already so adding another similar player wouldn’t push the Devils in the right way especially when they get to the playoffs.
In summary, Eklund will be a good NHL player but the Devils should be picking one of the two defenders. Both are great picks and are close enough in talent level that one should be happy to get either and like most Devils fans I expect Hughes to be chosen.