Not expected to make their first selection until they're on the clock with the 50th pick, the New Jersey Devils will need to hunt for upside to make the 2025 NHL Draft a success.
And while the task certainly becomes much harder towards the back half of the second round, the Devils should have plenty of options, especially at the forward positions. This could be the rare time where drafting so many defensemen in past years works out well for them.
In his final mock draft ahead of Friday and Saturday's proceedings, The Athletic's prospects expert and draftnik, Scott Wheeler, predicted that USNTDP forward Jack Murtagh, a versatile spark plug type, would fall to the Devils at 50.
The East Greenbush, N.Y., native is ranked 29th in the consolidated rankings compiled by EliteProspects.
"Murtagh probably goes a little ahead of here, but a disappointing U18s could have moved him from closer to the front of the second round into this range. The Devils could use a forward prospect who can put the puck in the net," Wheeler said of Murtagh.
Jack Murtagh could be a slam dunk pick for New Jersey Devils in NHL Draft
At 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Murtagh brings the prototypical size the Devils urgently need to add to their roster, and he's not just a solid body. The 17-year-old is already an adept skater and possesses a high-end shot. Murtagh is a hard worker, loves to shoot, and will hound down those with the puck.
As Wheeler noted, Murtagh had a so-so performance at the 2025 U18 World Juniors two months ago, scoring three of his six total points in a 10-0 beatdown of Switzerland. He went without a point in four of his last five games of the tournament, having only further added a goal and an assist in a 6-3 takedown of Latvia.
Overall, though, it's only one tournament, and certainly not fully reflective of a larger body of work that got Murtagh to this point to begin with. If he falls to New Jersey at 50, Murtagh in a Devils uniform would be a dream scenario for Tom Fitzgerald and his crew.