The NHL Draft is set to take place tonight in Las Vegas at the Sphere. It seems like the New Jersey Devils will hold onto their 10th overall selection. Obviously, Macklin Celebrini is projected to be selected first overall by the San Jose Sharks. However, a decent amount of highly touted players will still be available for the Devils to select at tenth overall. Pucks & Pitchforks is in Vegas for the festivities and caught up with Mike Morreale (NHL.com) to discuss available draft prospects.
Beckett Sennecke - RW / C - Oshawa Generals
"I like his size, at 6 feet and 177 [lbs]. He's a centerman with a right-handed shot and a big body [frame]. He sort of reminds me of Martin Necas. He was kind of a late bloomer physically; he's grown nearly five inches in the last 18 months. His skating has improved this calendar year. He covers ground effortlessly when he's skating with the puck, has long strides, and is tough to box in because of his quick hands and real strong edges. "
Sennecke finished with 68 points (27 goals, 41 assists) this past season for the Oshawa Generals. His point production carried over into the playoffs. He tallied 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 16 playoff games.
Cole Eiserman - LW - USNTDP
"He probably has one of the best shots in this draft. He's a natural goal scorer, for sure. He can score in a lot of ways. I think the one thing that's been questioned about his game is that 200-foot effort. Could he give that type of good performance in his own end of the ice? I think that is something he worked on in the second half of the program [USNTDP]. "
Eiserman is committed to playing at Boston University under former Devils legend Jay Pandolfo. This past season for USNTDP, he finished with 34 points (25 goals, nine assists) in 24 game appearances. While playing for Shattuck-Saint Mary's during the 2020-21 season, Eiserman finished with a staggering 154 points (97 goals, 57 assists) in 50 games. Former Stanley Cup champions Sidney Crosby and Jonathan Toews recorded more goals for Shattuck's U-18 team at 15 years old.
Berkly Catton - C -Spokane Chiefs
"Catton is a really smart player. He's very creative when he's out there. Two summers ago, he actually spent a summer with the Hughes family. Jim, Ellen, Luke, I think Quinn was there. Jack wasn't around at the time. But he learned all about the Devils since Luke was there. [He also learned] what it takes to be a professional living with that family for a week and a half. "
Catton's connection to the Hughes family is quite compelling, and it could certainly help his case if he's still available at number 10. Catton had 116 points (54 goals, 62 assists) in 68 game appearances for the Spokane Chiefs this past season.
There are a decent amount of prospects that could potentially fall to the Devils. Some include Zayne Parekh, Tij Iginla, and Carter Yakemchuk. While conducting his mock draft, Morreale stated that it was a tight race between Sennecke, Eiserman, and Catton. The draft will take place tonight and tomorrow. Only time will tell what the Devils decide to do with that pick.