We’re officially inside of a week until the 2024 NHL Draft kicks off at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. The New Jersey Devils possess the 10th overall pick and have the chance to make a decision that will propel them to the next level.
We are now aware of one player the Devils interviewed. That player is right-winger Beckett Sennecke, per NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky.
Sennecke Climbs Up Rankings
The 18-year-old Sennecke played this season for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where his counting stats don’t really resemble that of a top-10 pick. He had 68 points in 63 games, which ranked 38th in the league.
Many mock drafts initially had Sennecke outside of the first round entirely, but the conversation has quickly flipped to having him go anywhere between roughly fifth and 15th. How could this happen? Well, Sennecke underwent a massive growth spurt: from 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-3 mid-season. As a result, he had to partially re-learn how to skate and play hockey in his new body. He struggled mightily with it for a while, at one point scoring just three goals in 12 games. He was held off the scoresheet more often than he was on it.
But once he started putting it all together, he finished the regular season with 22 points in his last 12 games. That’s a 1.83 points-per-game (P/G) pace that would put him second in the entire league. He topped it off with 10 goals and 22 points in 16 playoff games. In all his games combined, he was a plus-42 as well.
It’s been abundantly clear that the Devils need more size. Adding a large forward into the mix who excels in all areas of his game would do wonders.
Scouting Reports
The Hockey Writers’ Matthew Zator outlined Sennecke in his prospect profile: “His shot and playmaking alone make him worthy of a first-round pick, but his other strengths in size, hands and skating push him over the top. In fact, he’s been described as one of the three best playmakers in the 2024 draft class, capable of putting up 50-60 assists as a winger in the NHL someday.”
Related: New Jersey Devils’ 2024 NHL Free Agency Guide
When looking over his tape, he somewhat reminds me of Tage Thompson from the Buffalo Sabres. His hands are absolutely phenomenal, sometimes allowing him to create something out of nothing. His shot is somewhat underrated and carries a ton of velocity behind it. He excels on the forecheck with a longer reach and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas.
NHL Central Scouting said, “(Sennecke has) great puck skills with his hockey sense to generate chances. He makes good choices and decisions, capable to read and make the plays at high speed. An asset on the power play with his quick release or one-time option.”
While he only weighs slightly over 180 pounds, he certainly has some time to grow into his frame. The work ethic is there, though, and the buy-in to strength training shouldn’t be an issue.
Timeline For the Devils
After Macklin Celebrini and Ivan Demidov early in the draft, nobody is really a sure-fire selection. There is always risk involved, but with the overall upside it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sennecke taken by the Devils.
If he can turn into something even close to a Tage Thompson-type player, that will mean the world for the Devils. It may take a couple of years for him to fill out and adjust to pro hockey, but I don’t think that’s as bad of a thing as some are making it out to be. With the eventual extensions of Simon Nemec, Luke Hughes and maybe Seamus Casey, Sennecke’s entry-level contract would come at a perfect time, and pay dividends.
In the meantime, the Devils will have just over $16 million to improve the team via free agency or trade. It’s widely known that this is one of the most important offseasons for the Devils in quite some time. They already made a big splash in acquiring Jacob Markstrom, but it was recently reported that Fitzgerald is also searching for a top-six forward, bottom-six forward, top-four defenseman and bottom-four defenseman. While Sennecke won’t immediately help, landing a player like him has the potential to become a vital acquisition toward a future championship-contending Devils team.
