The Devils are very much out of it. They sold off their expiring contracts at the deadline for pennies on the dollar and now face their toughest stretch of games on the season. It is looking more and more obvious that they will finish somewhere between the 4th-7th overall pick in this year’s draft. Here are a few players that the Devils should consider in that range.

Owen Tippett:
The prototypical goal scoring right wing has been lighting up the OHL this season. Alongside Devil’s prospects Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastian, Tippett has posted 39 goals in 52 games. There is a lot to love about Tippett from the perspective of Devils fans. First off, he fills a positional need at right wing. Second, he is an elite goal scorer. The Devils have done a very good job drafting in recent seasons but have seemingly obtained more playmaking ability than pure goal scoring. Zacha and McLeod are both set up guys. They create offense for their teammates first, and score goals second.

Tippett can do both. He has an elite quick release wrist shot that helps him score from all over the ice. The other impressive part of Tippett’s game is his skating. He has the ability to rush up the ice and create chances for himself. He is very quick and has a great set of hands that allow him to protect the puck. When I watch Tippett play I see a lot of Phil Kessel in his game. Just the speed down the ice coupled with the release really harkens back to Kessel. If the Devils are able to finish around 6th overall, Tippett should definitely be considered.

Casey Mittelstadt:
Casey Mittelstadt was at one point, one of the hardest prospects to judge in the last couple draft classes. That is largely due in part to his decision to forgo the USHL and play Minnesota State High School Hockey instead. He consciously chose to play worse competition to have a chance to win the vaunted MSHSL AA Championship for his high school, Eden Prairie. Yet in the end it doesn’t even matter because when he plays higher levels of competition one thing stays consistent- Mittelstadt’s ability to score.

So far this season in the USHL (Where he played until returning high school) Mittelstadt had 21 points in 16 games. Mittelstadt also showed promise at last year’s U-18s, where he tallied 13 points in as many games. This has cemented Mittelstadt as one of the best pure offensive talents in this draft class. Mittelstadt plays a smooth game. His stride and skating are his biggest tools that allow him to elude and blow past defensemen. He has very close to the best hands in the draft and a formidable wrist shot as well. Mittelstadt would be an infusion of skill that the Devils prospect pool desperately needs.

Eeli Tolvanen:
The Finnish winger has been lighting up the USHL this season. Tolvanen’s game is pure sniper. The kid can shoot, and he isn’t hesitant to unload from anywhere in the zone. His detractors will ask “What else does he got?” At the moment Tolvanen has plenty of good tools surrounding his elite shot. He certainly isn’t Mikey McLeod but can skate fairly quickly. He can stick handle and has a fair amount of agility to avoid contact, as he had a slighter frame than most at 5’11” 170 lbs.

I definitely hold Tippett and Mittelstadt a tier above Tolvanen but for a consolation prize he would be exactly what the Devils need. A winger who can snipe a goal from anywhere. If the Devils were too pick him, Tolvanen put on 10-15 lbs, and worked on his speed he could potentially become a steal in this draft. Yet even without that I think his tools as they are today make him worth a selection.