New Jersey Devils address holes with trio of 1st-round selections

The New Jersey Devils had been hectic in the initially round and had been able to handle their wants, albeit in a considerably odd way.

The New Jersey Devils had been 1 of the busiest groups through the initially round of the 2020 NHL Draft.

They experienced a few picks for the initially time in franchise background, two of which had been obtained from the Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks/Tampa Bay Lightning.

No. 7 — Alexander Holtz

With their initially select, the seventh in general, the Devils chosen Alexander Holtz, a suitable-winger from Sweden. He’s eighteen yrs aged and impressed significantly as a teenager playing in the SHL.

Holtz is praised for possessing 1 of the finest shots in his full draft class and was as opposed to Filip Forsberg, a superior objective scorer, of the Nashville Predators by the NBCSN crew.

The finest way to describe Holtz is as a sniper, which is specifically what the Devils have to have. The Devils had been 1 of the worst groups in the league last year and a huge motive why was the actuality that they gained just about no scoring from the wings.

The entrance place of work identified this difficulty and think Holtz is portion of the solution. In the course of the 2019-20 year for Djurgarden of the SHL, he recorded 16 points in 35 games (nine aims and seven helps).

Those 16 points led all players below the age of eighteen.

In a few games for Djurgårdens IF J20, he recorded a jaw-dropping nine points, coming in the variety of seven aims and two helps.

No. eighteen — Dawson Mercer

With the 18th in general select that they gained as portion of a bundle deal from the Coyotes in trade for Taylor Corridor, the Devils chosen Dawson Mercer.

The soon-to-be 19-yr-aged from Newfoundland brings flexibility to the Devils — he can provide as equally a center and suitable-winger. Mercer is projected to be a center-six player for the Devils.

In 42 games in 2019-20 for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL, Mercer experienced sixty points (24 aims, 36 helps).

Mercer’s most evident weak point is his skating capability, which is what stops a lot of scouts and analysts from considering him to be a prime-six forward.

No. 20 — Shakir Mukhamadullin

With their last select of the initially round, the twentieth in general, the Devils took Shakir Mukhamadullin, a still left-handed defenseman from Russia.

He designed his KHL debut in 2019-20 with Salavat Yulaev. He’s a superior skater and a sound playmaker. He’s actual physical and also has a sturdy, strong shot.

Nevertheless, this may perhaps have been the most puzzling range of the initially round.

Mukhamadullin has ranked any place concerning 50th and 106th on the wide the greater part of internet sites. Mukhamadullin would possible have been offered later on and the Devils could’ve traded down to pick him.

They do have to have support on the defensive stop but he’s a significant-danger, significant-reward select. He also is not a significantly effective player, scoring just 1 point in 27 games last yr.

The Devils will hope that won’t be the norm for him and that he’ll be able to insert an offensive factor to his game.