5 Early NHL Draft Targets New Jersey Devils Should Hope For
By Nick Villano
LW. New Jersey Devils. Juraj Slafkovsky. 5. player. 85.
The Devils often look at the players who could be running up draft boards and takes them way early. They’ve done it in the past two seasons with Shakir Mukhamadullin and Chase Stillman. Taking Juraj Slafkovsky in the top five would be taking an asset that’s rocketing up boards and might even be off the board as early as third overall.
Slafkovsky was a standout at the Olympics, another lucky soul who got bigger minutes because of the lack of NHL players. He led Slovakia in both points and goals in the tournament. The opportunities came for Slafkovsky, and he hit it out of the park. Every opportunity was tackled with authority. This is the type of player the Devils will really want.
One thing that might enthrall the Devils here is the size of Slafkovsky. He’s 6’4 and 225 lbs, he’s one of the biggest forwards in the draft. He scored two goals in the bronze medal game, showing he can show up when the lights shine brightest. Slafkovsky would be an interesting addition for the Devils long term.
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He would absolutely become a winger in the Devils’ system, and the team will likely want him paired with Jack Hughes. Pairing Slafkovsky, Hughes, and Yegor Sharangovich together would be a scary threesome for the next decade. Hughes gets two players who can make their own chances so he can keep scoring. It would be a great day for Devils fans if they got Slafkovsky in the first round.