Devils give a 21 ranking salute to their prospect system
Mar 13, 2024 22:50:48 GMT -5
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Post by NJDevilsGM on Mar 13, 2024 22:50:48 GMT -5
Adrift in another lost season, the New Jersey Devils once more turn their attention to the future as the club gave out their bi-annual ranking of prospects who are working their way up through the system.
"We are excited about the guys who are steadily improving their skills and aiming to make the NsHL club, some as early as next season," said Trent Allen, Devils GM. "Hopefully, we're only a piece or two away from living up to our potential and making the post-season."
The team has a steady supply of talent at all positions, and in their ranking of the top 21 prospects in the system, there is an even split of nine forwards and nine defensemen, with two goaltenders thrown in. These rankings are expected to see a big overhaul by the fall given the Devils have five first round draft picks this year, including two which may end up in the top five of the draft.
1. Will Smith, C - The Devils nabbed Smith with the fifth overall pick in last years' NsHL Draft and thus far they have no reason to be disappointed in that selection. "We see a player with Patrick Kane-level upside here," said Allen. "Will is a guy who could be one of the top centres in the league and may one day even be the best if it weren't for the Connor's (McDavid and Bedard). Thus far, Smith's claim to fame is pimp slapping Seattle Kraken GM Jade Graber on stage during the draft but the expectation is he'll let his play do the talking from here on.
2. Thomas Harley, D - Expect Harley t be playing a key role with New Jersey really soon, possibly as soon as next season. The hard-shooting, slick skating blueliner plays a strong two-way game and is logging well over 20 minutes a night with Richmond in the AsHL and is expected to do the same in New Jersey soon. "He's got all the tools to do something in every catagory and excel in quite a few of them," said Allen.
3. Simon Nemec, D - Nemec is two years younger than Harley but only about one year behind him in terms of development. Expected to be signed after this season, Nemec is likely destined for a year in the AsHL before he takes a crack at making the Devils line up. The development plan is about halfway done for the former fourth overall pick, but he may end up as the clubs' future number one defenseman. "The upside for Nemec is incredibly high on several fronts, and we see him one day pairing up with Jaccob Slavin to lead our defense," said Allen. "He and Harley are likely to be a permanent fixture here for 15 years."
4. Dustin Wolf, G - The long-term heir apparent to the starters slot in New Jersey, the Devils are blessed to have ample time to develop their young stud netminder. Stuck behind Ilya Sorokin for the foreseeable future, the Devils also have other young netminders in Filip Gustavsson and Joseph Woll in the mix to give them plenty of depth and upside. In turn, Wolf has been brought along slowly and is likely to be in the AsHL for a few seasons more yet before getting a taste of the big show. His development has allowed the Devils to forgo selecting any netminders in the NsHL Entry Draft for the past few seasons and it's likely that will continue.
5. Luke Evangelista, RW - Evangelista has had steal written all over him ever since the Devils picked up the late bloomer in the second round in 2020. After scoring zero goals as a 17-year-old in the OHL, Evangelsita posted 61 just two seasons later and his sky-high trajectory has continued since turning pro. Likely to sign with New Jersey after the season, Evangelista could be one of the few prospects who can go straight to the NsHL next year if he has a good development and rookie camp.
6. Lukas Cormier, D - Cormier has been a free-wheeling blueliner since junior, but this year he's been asked to tidy up his own end more and the results have spoken for themselves. While Cormier will have to work on balancing out his offense and defensive responsibilities, he has taken a big jump forward. "He's a bit of the wild card of our defensive prospects just because of that offensive upside," said Allen. "He's definitely a peg or two behind Nemec and Harley but if he puts it all together, his offense could be what elevates him over them in the end."
7. Andrew Cristall, LW - The 2023 NsHL Entry Draft was almost entirely devoted to undersized players -Matteo Mann's 6'6, 240 lbs frame excluded- and Cristall is definitely the poster child for that draft class. The 5'10, 175 lbs forward oozes skill, and is already over 100 points this season in the WHL. A surprising snub from a disappointing Team Canada U-20 club, Cristall will be looking to fast-track his way to the NsHL and show what he's capable of. "There's a lot of Ray Whitney in this kid," said Allen. "His skating is what gets the knock with him, but the points show he gets to where he needs to and he has the hands to finish when the opportunity arises."
8. Kevin Bahl - Bahl is a hulking stay-at-home beast of a defenseman, standing 6'6 and weighing 230 lbs. Not expected to put up many points, and maybe requiring a map to even find the offensive zone, Bahl is nonetheless a force in his own end and is expected to be a valuable bottom pairing defender who will be a key on the penalty kill unit at a minimum. "You don't find guys of this size that can also skate as well as Kevin does," said Allen.
9. Joseph Woll, G - The other netminder on this list, Woll has taken a long route to get to the spot he's in, but is also a textbook example that goaltenders development is not linear and the position often requires more time to master. Just a few years removed from questions being asked about whether Woll could be more than a farm team backup, Woll now has legitimate NsHL starter upside and he has appeared at times in trade rumours out of New Jersey. Stuck behind Sorokin and Gustavsson, something will have to give sooner or later with Woll and the organization.
10. Ryan Johnson, D - Johnson's stock is on the rise after finally ending his four-year collegiate career. Questions lingered about how his game would transition to the pro ranks but Johnson has answered a lot of those already and now is likely to be signing a contract with New Jersey after the season. While he is still a long-term project, Johnson has reemerged as a potential top four defenseman and further deepens an already deep blueliner core.
11. Peyton Krebs, C - Krebs ran into injury troubles in his draft year which carried over into the following season and he's never really been able to catch up on the lost time. Originally viewed as an excellent two-way centre that would hold down a middle six role, Krebs now is aiming to developing into a checking line centre with enough upside to chip in 30 to 40 points a season, similar to a Sam Bennett. Still, Krebs is praised for his intensity ad leadership capabilities, and he provides an element of grit not found in many other forwards in New Jersey.
12. Justin Sourdif, RW - Sourdif has developed as expected, which is all well and good, but the question remains what is he developing into. The offense is solid but maybe not enough to be a scoring line winger, while he may also not be suited for a bottom six role. To his credit, Sourdif has tried to develop an element of grit to his game, earning a pair of suspensions this season.
13. Emil Martinsen-Lilleberg, D - Picked up on a whim for a sixth round draft pick - along with forward Carson Bantle- the gamle has thus far paid off, and Martinsen-Lilleberg has far exceeded expectations this year. Already slated to earn a contract this off-season, Martinsen-Lilleberg is expected to be in the AsHL earning a regular shift next season and the hope is he'll turn into a serviceable 6th/7th blueliner in New Jersey before to long.
14. Bryce McConnell-Barker, C - McConnell-Barker will never win a scoring title in the NsHL, but he might just be every bit as valueable as a forechecker and glue guy who plays an important part in the locker room chemistry. McConnell-Barker has worn the captain's C nearly everywhere he's went and his character rates as upper tier. "He's a balls to the walls type of guy and will give anything for the team and his teammates. We need more of that for sure," said Allen.
15. Mattias Havelid, D - Havelid, the son of former NHLer Niclas Havelid, is a skilled puckmoving blueliner who is still honing his craft in Sweden. The question remains on how well his game will translate to the smaller North American rinks but Allen doesn't seem worrid about that. "He grew up watching his dad play on this smaller rinks and his old man did pretty well on this side of the pond. Between his own experiences and what wealth of knowledge his dad can impart on him, we think Mattias will be just fine."
16. Brett Berard, LW - Think Brad Marchand with about one-third the skill and that's what you have in Berard. A dogged determination combined with an elite pest-attitude and a mediocore scoring touch gives Bedard a strong likelihood of making the NsHL someday, though likely in a bottom six position. "As Dean Lombardi once said, ever army needs a few criminals. He's likely to be one for us," said Allen.
17. Nikita Okhotyuk, D - A former second round pick, Okhotyuk doesn't appear likely to develop into the top four rank his draft position would expect, but he still is likely to carve out a niche role in a NsHL blueline. Possessing a good first pass and a strong defensive game, Okhotyuk is likely to sign on with New Jersey this year and begin what will likely be a long development program in Richmond.
18. Parker Kelly, RW - Kelly is a hardworking forward who has achieved everything he's done thus far on pure grit alone. Not even expected to be a top six forward in the AsHL, Kelly's future is an energy forward in the NsHL if he makes it, and the jury is definitely out on if he can make the cut. A move to another organization may be needed to find the ice time at the pro rank.
19. Emil Jarventie, LW - The Devils are already cautiously using the term steal for Jarventie, who was a last round pick up in the 2023 NsHL Entry Draft. Jerventie has looked really good playing in the second tier Mestis league in Finland, but the Devils know that is a longway from the NsHL. Still, he has already taken a few steps forward which is more than can be expected from someone drafted after pick 200 in a draft, and the Devils plan to give him anothr year at least to mature in his homeland before looking to bring him to North America.
20. Vasily Ponomarev, C - Ponomarev has been coming along slowly since his draft year and the patience is beginning to pay off. Pony, as he's affectionately called, is having his best year to date and could be putting ink to paper on a contract this off-season. For the former point producer turned grinding forward it has been a difficult transition, however in order to make it on the very deep Devils centre position, Ponomarev needs to bring something his fellow centres don't in order to find his spot.
21, Declan Chisholm, D - Chisholm has been hanging around these rankings for several years now and though he has slipped down them overall, he has also slowly improved each and every year. Now on the cusp of being NsHL ready, Chisholm needs to accept less is more for himself and the reality is he may be best suited as a seventh defenseman/call up type blueliner. Next year will be a make or break season for 24-year-old.
"We are excited about the guys who are steadily improving their skills and aiming to make the NsHL club, some as early as next season," said Trent Allen, Devils GM. "Hopefully, we're only a piece or two away from living up to our potential and making the post-season."
The team has a steady supply of talent at all positions, and in their ranking of the top 21 prospects in the system, there is an even split of nine forwards and nine defensemen, with two goaltenders thrown in. These rankings are expected to see a big overhaul by the fall given the Devils have five first round draft picks this year, including two which may end up in the top five of the draft.
1. Will Smith, C - The Devils nabbed Smith with the fifth overall pick in last years' NsHL Draft and thus far they have no reason to be disappointed in that selection. "We see a player with Patrick Kane-level upside here," said Allen. "Will is a guy who could be one of the top centres in the league and may one day even be the best if it weren't for the Connor's (McDavid and Bedard). Thus far, Smith's claim to fame is pimp slapping Seattle Kraken GM Jade Graber on stage during the draft but the expectation is he'll let his play do the talking from here on.
2. Thomas Harley, D - Expect Harley t be playing a key role with New Jersey really soon, possibly as soon as next season. The hard-shooting, slick skating blueliner plays a strong two-way game and is logging well over 20 minutes a night with Richmond in the AsHL and is expected to do the same in New Jersey soon. "He's got all the tools to do something in every catagory and excel in quite a few of them," said Allen.
3. Simon Nemec, D - Nemec is two years younger than Harley but only about one year behind him in terms of development. Expected to be signed after this season, Nemec is likely destined for a year in the AsHL before he takes a crack at making the Devils line up. The development plan is about halfway done for the former fourth overall pick, but he may end up as the clubs' future number one defenseman. "The upside for Nemec is incredibly high on several fronts, and we see him one day pairing up with Jaccob Slavin to lead our defense," said Allen. "He and Harley are likely to be a permanent fixture here for 15 years."
4. Dustin Wolf, G - The long-term heir apparent to the starters slot in New Jersey, the Devils are blessed to have ample time to develop their young stud netminder. Stuck behind Ilya Sorokin for the foreseeable future, the Devils also have other young netminders in Filip Gustavsson and Joseph Woll in the mix to give them plenty of depth and upside. In turn, Wolf has been brought along slowly and is likely to be in the AsHL for a few seasons more yet before getting a taste of the big show. His development has allowed the Devils to forgo selecting any netminders in the NsHL Entry Draft for the past few seasons and it's likely that will continue.
5. Luke Evangelista, RW - Evangelista has had steal written all over him ever since the Devils picked up the late bloomer in the second round in 2020. After scoring zero goals as a 17-year-old in the OHL, Evangelsita posted 61 just two seasons later and his sky-high trajectory has continued since turning pro. Likely to sign with New Jersey after the season, Evangelista could be one of the few prospects who can go straight to the NsHL next year if he has a good development and rookie camp.
6. Lukas Cormier, D - Cormier has been a free-wheeling blueliner since junior, but this year he's been asked to tidy up his own end more and the results have spoken for themselves. While Cormier will have to work on balancing out his offense and defensive responsibilities, he has taken a big jump forward. "He's a bit of the wild card of our defensive prospects just because of that offensive upside," said Allen. "He's definitely a peg or two behind Nemec and Harley but if he puts it all together, his offense could be what elevates him over them in the end."
7. Andrew Cristall, LW - The 2023 NsHL Entry Draft was almost entirely devoted to undersized players -Matteo Mann's 6'6, 240 lbs frame excluded- and Cristall is definitely the poster child for that draft class. The 5'10, 175 lbs forward oozes skill, and is already over 100 points this season in the WHL. A surprising snub from a disappointing Team Canada U-20 club, Cristall will be looking to fast-track his way to the NsHL and show what he's capable of. "There's a lot of Ray Whitney in this kid," said Allen. "His skating is what gets the knock with him, but the points show he gets to where he needs to and he has the hands to finish when the opportunity arises."
8. Kevin Bahl - Bahl is a hulking stay-at-home beast of a defenseman, standing 6'6 and weighing 230 lbs. Not expected to put up many points, and maybe requiring a map to even find the offensive zone, Bahl is nonetheless a force in his own end and is expected to be a valuable bottom pairing defender who will be a key on the penalty kill unit at a minimum. "You don't find guys of this size that can also skate as well as Kevin does," said Allen.
9. Joseph Woll, G - The other netminder on this list, Woll has taken a long route to get to the spot he's in, but is also a textbook example that goaltenders development is not linear and the position often requires more time to master. Just a few years removed from questions being asked about whether Woll could be more than a farm team backup, Woll now has legitimate NsHL starter upside and he has appeared at times in trade rumours out of New Jersey. Stuck behind Sorokin and Gustavsson, something will have to give sooner or later with Woll and the organization.
10. Ryan Johnson, D - Johnson's stock is on the rise after finally ending his four-year collegiate career. Questions lingered about how his game would transition to the pro ranks but Johnson has answered a lot of those already and now is likely to be signing a contract with New Jersey after the season. While he is still a long-term project, Johnson has reemerged as a potential top four defenseman and further deepens an already deep blueliner core.
11. Peyton Krebs, C - Krebs ran into injury troubles in his draft year which carried over into the following season and he's never really been able to catch up on the lost time. Originally viewed as an excellent two-way centre that would hold down a middle six role, Krebs now is aiming to developing into a checking line centre with enough upside to chip in 30 to 40 points a season, similar to a Sam Bennett. Still, Krebs is praised for his intensity ad leadership capabilities, and he provides an element of grit not found in many other forwards in New Jersey.
12. Justin Sourdif, RW - Sourdif has developed as expected, which is all well and good, but the question remains what is he developing into. The offense is solid but maybe not enough to be a scoring line winger, while he may also not be suited for a bottom six role. To his credit, Sourdif has tried to develop an element of grit to his game, earning a pair of suspensions this season.
13. Emil Martinsen-Lilleberg, D - Picked up on a whim for a sixth round draft pick - along with forward Carson Bantle- the gamle has thus far paid off, and Martinsen-Lilleberg has far exceeded expectations this year. Already slated to earn a contract this off-season, Martinsen-Lilleberg is expected to be in the AsHL earning a regular shift next season and the hope is he'll turn into a serviceable 6th/7th blueliner in New Jersey before to long.
14. Bryce McConnell-Barker, C - McConnell-Barker will never win a scoring title in the NsHL, but he might just be every bit as valueable as a forechecker and glue guy who plays an important part in the locker room chemistry. McConnell-Barker has worn the captain's C nearly everywhere he's went and his character rates as upper tier. "He's a balls to the walls type of guy and will give anything for the team and his teammates. We need more of that for sure," said Allen.
15. Mattias Havelid, D - Havelid, the son of former NHLer Niclas Havelid, is a skilled puckmoving blueliner who is still honing his craft in Sweden. The question remains on how well his game will translate to the smaller North American rinks but Allen doesn't seem worrid about that. "He grew up watching his dad play on this smaller rinks and his old man did pretty well on this side of the pond. Between his own experiences and what wealth of knowledge his dad can impart on him, we think Mattias will be just fine."
16. Brett Berard, LW - Think Brad Marchand with about one-third the skill and that's what you have in Berard. A dogged determination combined with an elite pest-attitude and a mediocore scoring touch gives Bedard a strong likelihood of making the NsHL someday, though likely in a bottom six position. "As Dean Lombardi once said, ever army needs a few criminals. He's likely to be one for us," said Allen.
17. Nikita Okhotyuk, D - A former second round pick, Okhotyuk doesn't appear likely to develop into the top four rank his draft position would expect, but he still is likely to carve out a niche role in a NsHL blueline. Possessing a good first pass and a strong defensive game, Okhotyuk is likely to sign on with New Jersey this year and begin what will likely be a long development program in Richmond.
18. Parker Kelly, RW - Kelly is a hardworking forward who has achieved everything he's done thus far on pure grit alone. Not even expected to be a top six forward in the AsHL, Kelly's future is an energy forward in the NsHL if he makes it, and the jury is definitely out on if he can make the cut. A move to another organization may be needed to find the ice time at the pro rank.
19. Emil Jarventie, LW - The Devils are already cautiously using the term steal for Jarventie, who was a last round pick up in the 2023 NsHL Entry Draft. Jerventie has looked really good playing in the second tier Mestis league in Finland, but the Devils know that is a longway from the NsHL. Still, he has already taken a few steps forward which is more than can be expected from someone drafted after pick 200 in a draft, and the Devils plan to give him anothr year at least to mature in his homeland before looking to bring him to North America.
20. Vasily Ponomarev, C - Ponomarev has been coming along slowly since his draft year and the patience is beginning to pay off. Pony, as he's affectionately called, is having his best year to date and could be putting ink to paper on a contract this off-season. For the former point producer turned grinding forward it has been a difficult transition, however in order to make it on the very deep Devils centre position, Ponomarev needs to bring something his fellow centres don't in order to find his spot.
21, Declan Chisholm, D - Chisholm has been hanging around these rankings for several years now and though he has slipped down them overall, he has also slowly improved each and every year. Now on the cusp of being NsHL ready, Chisholm needs to accept less is more for himself and the reality is he may be best suited as a seventh defenseman/call up type blueliner. Next year will be a make or break season for 24-year-old.