Day one of the NHL Draft was pretty uneventful for the New Jersey Devils. It’s understandable why that is the case considering the fact that they didn’t have a first-round selection, due to the Timo Meier trade (ironically they re-signed Meier to an eight-year deal on Wednesday), and also made a couple of surprising trades recently.
It’s refreshing to see the Devils not so focused on the draft, since they are widely considered to be a playoff-contending team. Despite the draft process being somewhat of an afterthought, there are still a few interesting prospects that the Devils should keep their eye on as the draft progresses. Currently, the Devils have six selections, two being in the sixth round. After the Tyler Toffoli trade, they do not own a third-round pick.
Obviously, the Devils are no strangers when it comes to finding diamonds in the rough. They have discovered talented players late in drafts before, including Jesper Bratt (sixth round in 2016) and Akira Schmid (fifth round in 2018). A few OHL players have already heard their names called (Colby Barlow, Oliver Bonk, Quentin Musty, etc.), but some other OHL talent, specifically from the Erie Otters, might fall to a Devils selection. Pucks and Pitchforks spoke with Otters play-by-play announcer Shawn Bednard as he shared his thoughts and opinions regarding a few talented Otter players.
Watch the full discussion in the latest episode of Locked On Devils.
Carey Terrance – Center – Ranked #38 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
“When he was going into his OHL Draft year, everything that the scouts said consensus was that he has game-changing speed,” Bednard said. “He’s probably that fastest player from the 2021 OHL Draft Class… Going into the 2022-23 season, he was able to take over. He was a 30-goal scorer, tripled his offensive output, and whenever he had the puck, careening across the middle of the ice, you’re just thinking that something [amazing] could happen. Carey is a really smart player and very selfless.”
Bednard also added that Terrance was given the opportunity to compete for both the United States and Canada for international competition, which gives him an extra advantage compared to some of his peers. This past season, Terrance finished with 47 points (30 goals, 17 assists) in 67 games. He was also an alternate captain for Erie.
Forward Ondrej Molnar #96 of the Erie Otters. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images) /
Ondrej Molnar – Left Wing – Ranked #129 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
“Ondrej is an interesting case study,” Bednard said. “You can obviously see the skill, ability, and focus that he has when he’s in the offensive zone. He was highly ranked when he was playing in Slovakia, and then he had to make that midseason change by coming to North America. He came out the gates running, he had seven points in his first seven games, and then he went on a bit of a cold streak…He is one of those diamonds in the rough that can be developed into a very lethal scorer. We have seen streaks of the offensive prowess when he’s clicking…He needs to work on his confidence in order to play the North American game comfortably.”
Molnar played in 34 games for Erie and was able to net 19 points (four goals, 15 assists). While representing Slovakia U20 during the 2022-23 International-Jr Tournament, he appeared in three games and had three points (two goals, one assist).
Spencer Sova – LHD – Ranked #182 by NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters)
“I think Spencer Sova is the most disrespected prospect, at least in the defensive class,” Bednard said. “He is a readily available, pro-style defensive player. He’s a 200-foot player, he’s got a wicked slapshot, and he can put the puck in great places, but he knows how to back skate, plays the defensive game well, and he’s a guy who likes to frustrate offensive players. He does that by taking the puck away from them, shut down passing and shooting lanes…He’s a top 26 scoring defenseman in the OHL, top scoring defenseman on the Erie Otters, and found great numbers overall in his first two seasons in the OHL.”
Next. 5 Prospects To Target In NHL Draft Second Round. dark
Bednard also said that age might be a factor as to why Sova isn’t ranked as high as he should be. Because this is his second attempt in the draft and scouts might view him as an older player compared to a young player who is hitting his stride. Sova turned 19 in January, but can still be a decent two-way player in the NHL. Like Terrance, he was an alternate captain for Erie and played in 68 games while racking up 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists).
