Yesterday, we discussed three of the prime forward options the New Jersey Devils may consider with the fourth overall pick. Today, let’s investigate some of the defensive options general manager Tom Fitzgerald may go with. This draft has been regarded by many, for years now, as being extremely top-heavy with defenseman. In the past couple weeks, four possible candidates have emerged. These being Owen Power, Luke Hughes, Brandt Clarke, and Simon Edvinsson.
Owen Power
Power is an 18-year old left-handed defenseman. He is listed at a towering six-foot-six, and 214 pounds. He spent the final portion of his junior hockey career with the Chicago Steel of the USHL. In 103 career games with the Steel, he totaled 23 goals and 42 points which is good for a 0.63 point-per-game average. Most recently, he played in the NCAA with the University of Michigan. In his first season with the team, he played in 26 games racking up three goals and 16 assists while posting a plus-18 rating. He also represented Team Canada at the last World Championships contributing three assists in 10 games.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Owen Power’s main strengths come in the offensive zone. The best way to describe his play there is a playmaker. He does a great job keeping possession alive in his own zone and relies on his excellent passing abilities. Another strong point of his game is his transition game into the offensive zone. This skill is possible because of three main abilities: the previously mentioned passing ability, very good straight-line speed, and his size.
At six-foot-six, Power does a good job shielding opponents and using his frame to protect the puck. His size also helps him defensively. His reach is abnormally large and it helps him break up plays.
For a possible first overall pick, Power does have a decent bit he needs to iron out. The number one issue is he does not play like he is six-foot-six. Although using his size in some positive ways, he needs to use it a lot more. Oftentimes, in his own end, he loses puck battles and gets easily knocked off the puck or his line which results in failed own-zone retrievals. Which is just flat out surprising given his stature. Also, as a result of how big he is, his skating is a bit awkward. As pointed out above, he has excellent straight-line speed, but at times his lateral movement seems a bit suspect which hurts him a lot in his own end, defensive rushes, and own-zone retrievals.
Some other areas where he does need some patching is his overall defensive game is very raw. His positioning and defensive zone decision-making does need some fine-tuning. This can be fixed with some good coaching and another year at the University of Michigan. One last note, he is one of the oldest players draft-eligible. Specifically, almost one whole year older than Luke Hughes.
Draft Outlook
It seems the consensus has Power penciled in as a top-two pick. However, as you can see, he has a lot in his game that needs work. This seems like a classic, “he’s six-foot-six so his game is automatically going to translate and he will be coached up,” scenario. Which may be true, but as mentioned, he will need to be developed and coached-up as well as possible. If this happens, there is no reason to believe Power won’t develop into a offensive-first, playmaking defenseman with okay defensive abilities.
Do you trust the Devils to correctly develop Power to his fullest potential? Well, it seems like this won’t have to be pondered as Power should be off the board in the top-three.
Luke Hughes
The third Hughes brother is slated to enter the NHL come Friday night. Luke is listed at six-foot-two and 188 pounds. Like Power, he is left-handed, but unlike him Hughes is extremely young for this class. More on that later. He has played his junior hockey throughout the United States program. Last year, in the United States Developmental Program, he totaled 34 points in 38 games. While playing with the USNTDP Juniors team against USHL teams he put up 15 points in 18 games.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Luke Hughes’ best ability is his play in the offensive zone. He is comfortably both the best offensive-defenseman in this draft, as well as the most exciting. He is a tremendous skater: his speed, edges, agility, and acceleration are all top-notch. For this reason, he excels in the transition game. His puck-carrying ability through the neutral zone into the offensive zone is arguably the best of any defenseman in this draft. Once he gets to the opponent zone, he showcases his solid passing ability and vision to help generate high-danger chances for both himself and his teammates.
He also plays a very aggressive type of game. This is very evident in the offensive zone, pinching from the point as well as another reason why his transition game is so strong. He is not afraid to take things upon himself. This can also grow to be a valuable trait in the defensive zone, if properly developed.
Hughes’ downfall is almost exclusively to his play in his own end. He needs to use his body and be more physical. He seems to be too reliant on using stick-checks and does not use his six-foot-two frame to slow his opponents up. Also, overall he is very inconsistent in his own end. One second he can be using his terrific skating ability to create a turnover and create offense out of the defense and the next he can get knocked off a puck along the board after weakly trying to retrieve, resulting in a solid high-danger chance for his opponent.
His defensive awareness and decision-making can be tweaked, as this is something that will also come with experience and solid coaching. He, like his brother Jack, also seemed to try to do too much sometimes resulting in unnecessary turnovers and rushes the other way. Once again, fixable with some experience and good coaching.
Draft Outlook
Luke Hughes is only 17-years of age, almost a full year younger than Power, and not too far off being a 2022 draft eligible prospect. For this reason, he is a bit behind the other top defenseman in his development. However, in comparison to the others, where he is at right now is not far off. Some may even say right on par or even ahead.
As of now, he projects out as a very solid, offensive-first, puck-moving defenseman. He has the tool kit to be coached into a reliant defensive player. But, as it stands now that part of his game is a deep work in progress. Once again, by gaining experience and as he matures it should round into better form.
All signs point to Hughes being available when the fourth overall pick comes. So, we shall see if the Devils chose to unite the smooth-skating Hughes player together in The Garden State.
Brandt Clarke
Another current Devils’ family member, this time in Graeme Clarke’s brother, Brandt. The younger Clarke is a right-handed defenseman who is listed at six-foot-two and 188 pounds. Clarke has had an interesting route in his junior career. He played in the OHL with the Barrie Colts where he registered 38 points in 57 games. But, due to COVID-19 he was loaned over to Slovakia where he played in the country’s top league registering a very solid 15 points in 26 games played. This point-per-game average ranked 13th in the whole league in terms of defenseman and first on his team. For a 17-year old kid playing against men in a professional league, that is pretty impressive.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The first aspect that jumps out about Clarke is wherever he goes he produces points. He totaled 54 points in 33 GTHL under-16 games in 2018-19, 113 points in 73 games played in the under-16 AAA-level, and then a point-per-game average in a professional hockey league that you do not see too often out of 17-year old kids. A main reason for all this production is Clarke’s borderline elite playmaking abilities. He has great vision and and awareness of the ice which helps exemplfy this passing ability and establish himself as a bonafide playmaker in the neutral and offensive zones.
A lot of his neutral zone success has to do with how aggressive Clarke plays. This aggression helps him defensively as well. He is very good at pressuring opposing players into turnovers which is something the other defenseman on this list do a whole lot.
Clarke’s archetype as a player is one that usually includes very sound skating abilities. Unfortunately, this is not the case here. His speed and agility disallows him from having that explosiveness usually assocaited with this type of defenseman. His skating also inhibits him from playing a decent transition defense. Especailly in those rush circumstances where a defenseman must turn his hips and get back fast.
Other aspects in his game that can need improvement is strength, which not only can help his overall defensive game but may help his skating improve a bit as well. He also does need some work givening opponents a tougher time in gaining entry to his team’s own zone as well defense along his own blueline. Once again, he does not have the explosivity necessary to get back when a play is botched at the offensive blue line.
Draft Outlook
Clarke’s biggest question mark is by far his skating. If this is improved on, he should develop into a solid, puck-moving defenseman who settles in well defensively. He has the tools in both areas to be effective just needs the glue (his skating) to be placed to bring everything together.
Unless some unforeseen developments it seems extremely likely Clarke will be on the board comes the Devils’ pick. There will certainly be players also still around that would be considered the better player(s) available. So, do not be banking on Clarke being the guy at four.
Simon Edvinsson
A full profile breaking down the six-foot-five, left-handed Swedish defenseman can be found here.
Who Makes The Most Sense For The New Jersey Devils?
If the New Jersey Devils wish to draft a defenseman with the team’s first pick, Luke Hughes should be the guy. Of course, he has to still be on the board, but he is the best defenseman in the draft. No, this is not because he is related to the Devils’ budding super star.
Owen Power is a player that has just too much risk associated with him, and one that is most likely being vastly overrated because of his six-foot-six frame. Also, it is very unlikely he is there at four.
Both Brandt Clarke and Simon Edvinsson are players that will certainly not be the “best player available,” when the Devils select. But, are both guys that project out to be very solid with some proper development.
Overall Rankings
Given this two article series only focused on seven players, below are them ranked. Please note, these are not necessarily the rankings of the top-seven players in the class.
- Matthew Beniers (forward)
- Dylan Guenther (forward)
- William Eklund (forward)
- Luke Hughes (defenseman)
- Brandt Clarke (defenseman)
- Simon Edvinsson (defenseman)
- Owen Power (defenseman)
Although a top-heavy defensive class. The top-three forwards are all really stellar prospects. Each of the defenseman have aspects of their game that need a decent bit of work. Nonetheless, each should turn into solid players, with the proper development, at the next level.