The NHL Draft at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada has officially concluded – but not without fireworks. The New Jersey Devils traded away John Marino, Akira Schmid and Alexander Holtz before the draft concluded.
In total, the Devils utilized former and newly acquired picks to grab seven new additions to their prospect pool. Here’s the rundown:
Round 1, Pick 10: Anton Silayev (LHD, Niz. Novgorod / KHL) | 6-foot-7, 207 Pounds
General manager Tom Fitzgerald has been adamant about wanting to add size, and he proved that with the selection of Anton Silayev. Don’t let the 6-foot-7 frame fool you – Silayev is one of the better skaters in his draft class. Many outlets had him going top-three, so when he slipped to tenth, the Devils pounced on the opportunity. He’s drawn some comparisons to Victor Hedman, and even if his offense doesn’t ever reach quite that high, Silayev can become a vital addition to the Devils in their contention window.
Playing in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) as a 17-year-old is absurd in of itself, and producing is a different story…he passed Vladimir Tarasenko for the most ever U18 points by a KHL player in their draft year (11). He has two years left in his KHL deal and will likely come over to North America afterwards. The Hockey Writers‘ draft analyst Logan Horn said, “Silayev is an exceptional skater for his size, and moves like an NHL-caliber defender already. He can work his way across the offensive blueline with possession, shut down plays from disadvantages with his speed and reach, and has shown some potential as a puck carrier through transition.”
Round 2, Pick 49: G Mikhail Yegorov (Omaha Lancers / USHL) | 6-foot-5, 187 Pounds
Don’t let Mikhail Yegorov’s ugly .892 save percentage (SV%) fool you: he was the top-ranked North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting. The Omaha Lancers were the worst team in the United States Hockey League (USHL), and Yegorov was hung out to dry every night. He went 8-25-3, but all eight of those victories were entirely because he stole the game. His size is what helps make him so successful, standing at an intimidating 6-foot-5. The Devils are playing the numbers game with goalies: Yegorov joins Nico Daws, Isaac Poulter, Jakub Malek and Tyler Brennan as young netminders with promise in their system. He’s committed to Boston University where he’ll have the luxury of playing behind a defense that’s much more capable than Omaha’s. There, he should be able to begin to show what he’s truly capable of.
Round 3, Pick 85: RW Kasper Pikkarainen (TPS / Liiga) | 6-foot-3, 198 Pounds
Another emphasis on size, as the son of former Devil Ilkka Pikkarainen is now a member of his father’s former squad. He had 28 points in 34 games for TPS’ U20 team, and then got to play against men for five games playing pro hockey in the Finnish Liiga. He’ll likely make the jump and play there next season. The Elite Prospects 2024 Draft Guide said, “(Pikkarainen) never fails to capitalize on a good opportunity to make contact, even laying big open-ice hits from time to time. It’s not all about the physicality, though; Pikkarainen also brings plenty of craftiness as a passer, both in the offensive end and in transition”
Round 3, Pick 91: LW/RW Herman Traff (HV71 / SHL) | 6-foot-3, 215 Pounds
Once again, another large human being. Sensing a pattern? Herman Traff seems to have pretty good value here, being ranked as low as #39 by major outlets. The Hockey Writers’ draft analyst Stefano Rubino said, “Traff’s game has surprised many as he continues to develop and mature…(he) has shown that he is a well-rounded physical winger who can fill the middle of the ice if needed. He’s aggressive and physical and has a great touch of the puck for a big man.” He had 21 points in 26 games for HV71’s U20 team, before earning the call-up to play at the pro level for 18 games, where he held his own in limited ice time.
Round 5, Pick 139: C/LW Max Graham (Kelowna Rockets / WHL) | 6-foot-3, 203 Pounds
I’m sure you looked at the height and weight. Not surprising. Max Graham is an overager playing for the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He had an okay season, notching 42 points in 67 games and adding 135 penalty minutes. He also had eight points in 11 playoff games. As a 20-year-old with such limited point production, though, his ceiling is likely a Kurtis MacDermid-type fourth liner.
Round 5, Pick 146: G Veeti Louhivaara (JYP / Liiga) | 6-foot-4, 207 Pounds
While a .890 SV% for JYP’s U20 team doesn’t seem very appealing, it seems that Veeti Louhivaara is going to play professionally in the Finnish Liiga next season. As he works towards filling out his frame, he certainly stands as a breakout candidate there. He also had a .921 SV% in two games for the Finnish U18 team. The raw tools are there, according to The Hockey Writers’ draft analyst Alex Chauvancy: “His glove hand, size, athleticism, rebound control and compete level for loose pucks are all strengths. He does have to work on his lateral movement, puck tracking, strength and explosiveness. While he is a project, he was ranked as high as #99 by Elite Prospects, which makes this appear to be yet another value pick.”
Round 6, Pick 171: Matyas Melovsky (Baie-Comeau / QMJHL) | 6-foot-2, 190 Pounds
While Matyas Melovsky is a double overager, he checks a lot of the boxes that the Devils are looking for. He’s the smallest player they drafted, but certainly not small, standing at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. He had 60 points in 53 games for Baie-Comeau in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and tacked on 19 points in 17 playoff games. He also dazzled at the World Juniors for Czechia with 11 points in seven games en route to a bronze medal. The Hockey Writers’ draft analyst Jim Bay said, “He shows great decision-making and puck management, as he usually picks the good option and rarely makes mistakes. It is Melovsky’s physical skills that help feed his overall game. He will lean against opponents, squeeze them off the puck, and immediately send it to open teammates. But he’s not just a complementary player. His give-and-go’s and occasional dangles under sticks are skills that also have gotten him noticed.”
Noticeable Size Additions
The average height and weight of these prospects is…6-foot-3.5, 200 pounds!! Sheesh. Outside of the draft, Fitzgerald is continuing to keep his promise, adding the 6-foot-2 Paul Cotter, who had 233 hits last season. That would have led the Devils by 54.
The Devils now have $19,792,770 in cap space to work with (via CapFriendly) as they still have some holes to fill. These next few days should be very interesting.
