The Devils would need a little luck for this to happen, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Jacob Battaglia is expected to go somewhere in the third round. The Devils are looking to grab him at the end (and with the amount of good defensemen that are available in the middle rounds, forwards could fall). Since the Devils have their big defenseman here (if Lavoie is already gone, keep an eye on Timur Kol here), they go after a center who can grow into an NHL player.
Battaglia started the year as a bottom-six player for the Kingston Frontenacs. After some time, he eventually proved that he should be on the team’s top line, finishing the season with 65 points last season. It was the true progression one wants to see out of a player in the OHL, after finishing last season with 27 points.
The Devils could really use more depth in their prospect pool at center. They used a ton of draft capital on centers under Ray Shero, which very often worked out. However, Tom Fitzgerald spends much of his capital on wingers, defensemen, and goalies. Nobody blames him since he has Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dawson Mercer, and prior to his arrest, Michael McLeod, but it’s clear center needs to be somewhat of a priority moving forward to keep the team alive.
Battaglia is a strong playmaker who can score in the right position. He has a skillset that will only get better if he’s developed the right way. The Devils will take a chance on him if he falls here, but we doubt they take him with their first third-round pick.