The New Jersey Devils aren't going to be one of the most discussed teams when it comes to NHL Draft analysis. It's simply because the Devils don't have a first-round pick. After that first round, however, the Devils should be in the discussion. The Devils actually have two second-round picks this year after multiple trades. They have a total of six picks, but thanks to the wheeling and dealing of GM Tom Fitzgerald, only three of those picks are the Devils' actual draft slot.
The Devils have built their roster in the draft and added around those pieces. Seven of their lineup regulars were drafted by the Devils. That might not sound like a lot, but it is about league average. This doesn't include Seamus Casey, Lenni Hameenaho, and Arseni Gristyuk, all Devils draft picks who are expected to have a bigger role on the NHL team next season.
Sportsnet did an analysis of teams' draft success, and the Devils ranked 15th in the league. As of then, about 22.22% of drafted skaters end up playing 200 games. Of course, that doesn't include players like Simon Nemec, Mikhail Yegorov, and Anton Silayev, who have all of the makings of NHL regulars.
This offseason, the Devils could once again get a game changer in the draft. The last time they went without a first-round pick, they took Hameenaho in the second round. They took Cam Squires in the fourth round, and he might be an NHL player, too.
This season, the Devils hope to repeat the success of 2023. They might even build off that since they have two second-round picks. Below is the entire list of picks the Devils have in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Second round, Pick 50
Second round, Pick 62-64
The Devils' second-round pick will not be finalized until the Edmonton Oilers are eliminated. If they lose to the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals, it will be pick 62. If they lose in the Stanley Cup Final, it will become pick 63. If they win the Stanley Cup, it will be pick 64. They got that pick in the trade that sent John Marino to the Utah Hockey Club (now the Mammoth).
Third round, Pick 90
The Devils acquired this pick in the trade that sent Alex Holtz and Akira Schmid to the Vegas Golden Knights for Paul Cotter and a third rounder.
Fourth round, Pick 114
Sixth round, Pick 161
Sixth round, Pick 178
The Devils get the first pick in the sixth round after trading back from pick 82 to 85 in the 2024 NHL Draft with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Why aren't the Devils taking a player in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft?
The Devils traded their first round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft last season to the Calgary Flames in the deal to bring Jacob Markstrom to New Jersey. This deal felt inevitable for months, with the Flames asking for the moon until they accepted a protected first-round pick and Kevin Bahl. The protection was for the first 10 picks in the draft. Since the Devils ended up with the 18th-overall pick, the Flames get it.