I love trading picks that we could have used to draft busts to move up and draft more highly coveted busts.
- shvingter88

Couldn't have said it better. 4th and 5th's don't really excite me at all

Couldn't have said it better. 4th and 5th's don't really excite me at all
- Crushers68

True but I also meant that we suck at drafting

True but I also meant that we suck at drafting
- shvingter88

That too!

True but I also meant that we suck at drafting
- shvingter88

Ain’t gonna suck itself!

Damon Severson is now a BlueJacket!

True but I also meant that we suck at drafting
- shvingter88

Idk, the Devils have drafted alright, Bratt and Sharangovich were later round finds.

I love trading picks that we could have used to draft busts to move up and draft more highly coveted busts.
- shvingter88

🤣.. its so true, I wonder how often that's ever worked out for teams when they've done those later round trades to move up a round to just draft another player who is just another bust.

Just had it come thru Bleacher Report. Wow.
- Queenie_5_hole

A bullet dodged. Would not want Sevo inked until he's 36 at that cap hit. Take the 3rd and run. Thanks for the service Sevo.

Anyone hearing talks of any potential Mercer extension? It would be great to lock all these guys up long term before the cap skyrockets, and if Mercer was interested in a severson-like extension, I would be thrilled.

Idk, the Devils have drafted alright, Bratt and Sharangovich were later round finds.
- JetFuel

Devs have drafted very well. Just looking at some impact players, Schmid and Bratt 5th rd picks or later, and even our 1st rd selections haven't been duds for the most part. Obviously Nico and Hughes are studs, but Mercer at 20th was a steal, and Luke Hughes may look like a steal even though he was 4th overall. Drafting and trades on the whole have been really strong in my opinion. If Holtz and Nemec become big time players for this team, we are shaping up to be a perennial threat in the east. Bost/Tampa/Wash/Pitts/Isles all are on the brink of rebuilds given their age and prospect pool. Timing couldn't be better.

Devs have drafted very well. Just looking at some impact players, Schmid and Bratt 5th rd picks or later, and even our 1st rd selections haven't been duds for the most part. Obviously Nico and Hughes are studs, but Mercer at 20th was a steal, and Luke Hughes may look like a steal even though he was 4th overall. Drafting and trades on the whole have been really strong in my opinion. If Holtz and Nemec become big time players for this team, we are shaping up to be a perennial threat in the east. Bost/Tampa/Wash/Pitts/Isles all are on the brink of rebuilds given their age and prospect pool. Timing couldn't be better.
- bikeguy99

Everyone always wants their drafting to be better, but you are right. Our drafting has been very good. And you can add Mikey McLeod as another first rounder to make it... and Pavel Zacha too. Arguably a bit disappointing for draft position, but they are legit NHLer none the less. I think people don't get what a low percentage of drafted players work out.


Nemec was a pretty bold move by Fitzy that surprised a lot of folks. But if he's can make the jump to the NHL, it'll be another great drafting move.

Wonder if Fitz is trying to do the same with Graves and Wood lol, or just their rights, even if it's for just a 5th or something.
- vlongo4419

And theres the answer to that. LeBrun has reported that the Devils have started to receive interest from multiple teams in regards to acquiring the rights of Ryan Graves.

Everyone always wants their drafting to be better, but you are right. Our drafting has been very good. And you can add Mikey McLeod as another first rounder to make it... and Pavel Zacha too. Arguably a bit disappointing for draft position, but they are legit NHLer none the less. I think people don't get what a low percentage of drafted players work out.


Nemec was a pretty bold move by Fitzy that surprised a lot of folks. But if he's can make the jump to the NHL, it'll be another great drafting move.
- Queenie_5_hole

Zacha is an NHLer just not a very good one. It was bad drafting at the time and aged even worse. The fact we got a more than serviceable player in Haula in return is a very good piece of trading by Fitz. McLeod is also an extremely middling pick as he was drafted for his speed which he is just a decent skater. His defense is mediocre and he his only offensive ability was show in limited games in the postseason.

All in all, none of these picks were made by Fitz in the first place and goes to show that our drafting until recently was actually garbage. Lou left this team barren and Shero didn't do much great either. We're actually starting to see our scouting improve and we're actually developing young talent a lot better too which is great.

I really think the Nemec pick was fine and I think people greatly overrate what position a player is drafted in after the fact. If you're in a draft that doesn't have a generational talent and you're not picking first if there are multiple players who are similar ability it doesn't really matter who you're taking.

Anyone hearing talks of any potential Mercer extension? It would be great to lock all these guys up long term before the cap skyrockets, and if Mercer was interested in a severson-like extension, I would be thrilled.
- bikeguy99

No talks yet but once July 1 passes and Bratt/Timo get done, Fitz should definitely be trying to get Mercer inked to a long term deal, but i dont see why Mercer would do that. Right now you're probably looking at a 5x5 or 6x6 type of deal for him and i dont see why he'd commit to that. He potted 27/56 this year and i'm going to assume he feels he can produce more than that, so why not take a bridge deal and get that huge extension in a few years after the cap goes up? His camp is probably looking at it as 1 more year on his ELC into a ~2 year bridge, then the big time extension comes if he continues getting better. I'm guessing he and his camp feels he can be a 30/70 player.