Drafts are not made in just one round. It is imperative for teams to have success with their first round selection but the other rounds also have value. The later rounds are where teams can find diamonds in the rough or add organizational depth. It is easy to talk about all of the great players drafted in the 3rd-7th rounds (Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hasek, Benn) but that success is not guaranteed nor should it be expected. The main goal of these rounds is to find NHL contributors. Whether that player turns into a first line center or a third line winger, if they end up contributing at the NHL level it was a successful pick.
The second day of the draft is even more important to the Devils this year. As of draft day (barring a trade) the Devils have 8 picks between the 2nd and 7th round. 3 of them are 3rd round selections. The Devil’s prospect system is moving in the right direction after last year’s draft so hopefully this year, another successful draft can help expedite the rebuild.
Here are some prospects to look for in the 2nd round and on.
Cam Dineen:
A defenseman for the North Bay Battalion Dineen is an offensive catalyst. The New Jersey native is extremely gifted offensively with great passing and shooting skills. He also possesses smooth skating which allows him to get back and play defense. He has shown he can be a power play quarterback and has great playmaking ability from the point. He finished the year 2nd in points for all OHL defenseman. Certainly someone for the Devils to keep their eye on in the 2nd round.
G: 13 A: 46 P: 59
Jonathan Dahlen:
A Swedish winger, Dahlen has quickly risen up the draft boards over the course of the 15-16 season. Dahlen has a great combination of speed and hands. He has an elite ability to create offense by finding lanes and exploiting them. His stick handling ability makes it hard to get the puck off of him while he is skating at full speed down the ice. An elite offensive the talent the Devils should seriously consider in the second round.
G: 15 A: 14 P: 29
Adam Fox:
The Harvard-bound defenseman had a breakout year with the USNTDP. A small playmaking defenseman, Fox set a NTDP record for most points in a single season by a defenseman. Though he is a little undersized Fox makes up for it with his ability to command the game. Much like Dineen, he has great vision on the ice and the ability to make fantastic passes to his teammates. Fox turned a lot of heads at the U18’s as he put up 9 points in 7 games en route to a bronze medal.
G: 9 A: 50 P: 59
Adam Mascherin:
From the Kitchener Rangers comes the stocky Adam Mascherin. Standing at 5’9″ and weighing 192 lbs, Mascherin is built like a fire hydrant. Outside of Patrik Laine, Mascherin might have the best wrist shot in the draft. Mascherin isn’t the fastest player but all he needs is a little bit of space to get his shot off, and he can be deadly. He is a strong player and has exceedingly good hands which allow him to create space for himself and retain possession. While watching his highlights one comparison that comes to mind is Mike Cammalleri. An elite goal scorer the Devils should definitely look his way in the 2nd round.
G: 35 A: 46 P: 81
Jordan Kyrou:
A teammate of Pavel Zacha, Kyrou had a very good season with the Sarnia Sting. The right winger can mostly be classified as a playmaker. Kyrou excels due to his creativity and vision on the ice. He makes smart passes and is able to get his teammates open to create scoring chances. Kyrou is also not afraid to go to the front of the net and battle to get tips and clean up rebounds. He is an extremely skilled skater and his shot can be good at times. He is a hard working right wing with great playmaking skill.
G: 17 A: 34 P: 51
Other names to keep in mind:
Joey Andersen (RW, USNTDP)
Jesper Bratt (RW, AIK)
Ryan Lindgren (D, USNTDP)
JD Greenway (D, USNTDP)
Victor Mete (D, London)
Taylor Raddysh (RW, Erie)
Eetu Tuulola (RW, HPK)