The New Jersey Devils went to Las Vegas with six draft picks and left with seven drafted players – all being large players. How did the fanbase regard this draft? We can find out by going through the results of the quick polls of each draft pick by the Devils.
This was not supposed to happen about a year ago. After one of the best seasons in franchise history, the New Jersey Devils returned to the NHL Lottery process after a disappointing and frustrating 2023-24 season. They were awarded tenth overall. Despite rumors, speculation, and hope, General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and his staff opted to keep the pick. They also made trades at the Sphere in Las Vegas that resulted in the Devils leaving with seven new prospects after arriving with six draft picks. Given how large all of the selections were, I wrote that the Devils went big, large, and even huge at the 2024 NHL Draft. Should you want a different perspective, I recommend James’ thoughts about the Devils’ 2024 NHL Draft class.
Now it is time to go over a third, collective perspective: what you thought. At the end of each post for each pick, Chris and I put a poll for you to vote on how you feel at that time about the selection. They were intentionally timed to be short to capture the initial reaction of the People Who Matter. This is another way to gauge the response to what the Devils did at the 2024 NHL Draft. An appropriate time to do so with the recent end of Development Camp and the fact that the draft was just a bit over a week ago. Enough with the introduction, let us get into what you thought of each of the Devils’ picks at the 2024 NHL Draft.
First Round, 10th Overall, Anton Silayev
The Post About the Pick: Here.
The Results: With 1115 voters:
- I love it! – 50%, 559 voters
- I like the pick. – 37%, 417 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 10%, 107 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 2%, 25 voters
- I hate it! – 1%, 7 voters
Generally, these polls lean positive given that these are 17-20 year old prospects being drafted and most want what is best for them. As well as wanting to trust management. That said, over 1,000 people is a good representation of the fanbase at large and they largely loved the large Russian defenseman. 87% of the whole group at least liked Silayev’s selection. The unsure, middle-of-the-road, and negative were really minority opinions. It is easy to see why. I did not expect Silayev to fall to the Devils at 10th overall. Defensemen who are 6’7” and skate very well while getting regular minutes in the KHL at age 17 are rare. Even knowing his offensive game may lag behind Zeev Buium and Sam Dickinson, most (myself included) are fine with that. Should Silayev become a defensive minute-eater that is even just competent going forward, then the pick will be more than worth it.
What is interesting is that Tom Fitzgerald tipped his hand about a point of comparison. You and I may look at how Silayev does compared with the defensemen picked right after him. Fitzgerald revealed at a Wednesday morning press conference that the decision at 10th overall was between Silayev and a “Finnish center.” The only Finnish center available that would have went at 10th overall was Konsta Helenius. It is not common for the GM to be that open about who was on his draft board. Helenius would have addressed the center gaps in the pool, but it is clear that the organization preferred the bigger unicorn on the back end in Silayev. Based on the reactions to this pick, Fitzgerald made the right choice in Silayev. Time will tell if that works out.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “Buium would’ve been a fine pick as well but Silayev’s size and scary athleticism were too much to pass up on.
He likely won’t post 50- or 60-point seasons but we don’t need him to, he just has to be good on breakouts and the transition game.
He has the makings of a legit No. 1 shutdown defender, the size is a bonus.” – HughesYourDaddy
Second Round, 49th Overall, Mikhail Yegorov
The Post About the Pick: Here – which includes the Marino trade.
The Results: With 621 voters:
- I love it! – 16%, 98 voters
- I like the pick. – 51%, 318 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 26%, 159 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 5%, 28 voters
- I hate it! – 3%, 18 voters
Generally, the number of votes and reactions as the draft goes on goes down with each round. Still, 621 votes for a second round pick from a trade on the second day is a lot. This one is positive but not nearly as enamored as Silayev. The majority liked the pick on its own with an additional 16% loving it. However, there was a bigger contingent being in the middle or not knowing about it than loving it. Which makes sense as Mikhail Yegorov is a goaltender. A goaltender who played for a terrible Omaha team in the USHL and is college bound – Boston University – after this season at that. A lot of the comments were more about the Marino trade than the Yegorov pick, which does make sense as Marino is a NHL player and Yegorov is a USHL goalie. I wonder if that titled the poll from people who thought it is for the pick and the trade? Either way, it is what it is. People liked Yegorov – even if they are unsure of the nature of goaltending prospects.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “I really like that he’s going to BU. He gets to learn from that prestigious program and under Pandolfo. No KHL crapola to deal with is fantastic. He has the chance to really become the future Devils tender.” – Martys_Better_30
Third Round, 85th Overall, Kasper Pikkarainen
The Post About the Pick: Here.
The Results: With 307 voters:
- I love it! – 7%, 23 voters
- I like the pick. – 41%, 126 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 43%, 131 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 7%, 21 voters
- I hate it! – 2%, 5 voters
The Son of Ilkka Pikkarainen was selected after the Devils traded back a couple of times. The reaction was mixed as the “I don’t know/I’m in the middle” voters won by five over the “I like the picks.” There is not much negativity. Yet, I get the reaction. Pikkarainen did not put up big numbers or is expected to in the near future. His main assets include playing well within a structure, which has value – provided he actually fits the structure. And that value is not so obvious. He does have his fans (example blow) and this is where the picks become more or less guesses in a draft. I understand the general reaction to the pick by the poll results.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “I love this pick so much. A big kid that loves to use the body, and a skilled passer and good shooter to boot!! Add in his minor NHL bloodlines, and I think this is a very good pick for the 3rd round. I wanted either Pikkarainen or Julius Miettinen, and we got one of them. One of my favorite picks in the draft for sure.” – EliasStillRocks
Third Round, 91st Overall, Herman Träff
The Post About the Pick: Here.
The Results: With 250 voters:
- I love it! – 11%, 27 voters
- I like the pick. – 56%, 141 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 26%, 65 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 6%, 15 voters
- I hate it! – 1%, 2 voters
Herman Träff got a more favorable response than Pikkarainen, with a clear majority of voters liking the selection. He is not just large, but he frequently goes to the net and that is a trait most fans will like out of any prospect. That is a bit easier to be pleased with than someone like Pikkarainen even if both prospects were not big producers. Like a lot of picks from this round and onward, there is a hope he can be someone someday. Based on the poll results, it may be that more may like Träff’s chances than Pikkarainen’s at the moment.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “Over at McKeens, they had this to say about him: He may have flown under a few people’s radars this year since his point totals aren’t eye-popping, but he knows how to play the freaking game of hockey. They noted he needs to mature and get more experience but really liked him” – redmonsters
Fifth Round, 139th Overall, Max Graham
The Post About the Pick: Here.
The Results: With 204 voters:
- I love it! – 13%, 26 voters
- I like the pick. – 16%, 33 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 29%, 60 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 32%, 66 voters
- I hate it! – 9%, 19 voters
Max Graham was the first center taken in this year’s draft class for the Devils, the first double-overager picked (he’s 20), and the only Canadian of the group. He is also the first that the People Who Matter that voted did not like. It is by a plurality, but combined with the “I don’t know / I’m in the middle” group, you get half of the group more on the negative side. I think this may have to do with the fact that Graham is 20 and was not productive in the WHL in this past season. Or the prior two seasons. He may be large and possibly “tough” but this did not enamor the voters in the poll.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “Fitzy this time stuck with the plan he and Marty laid out two years ago, get bigger and tougher. He will probably go to Utica right away, and we see what we get” – garmonaitis
Fifth Round, 146th Overall, Veeti Louhivaara
The Post About the Pick: Here.
The Results: With 187 voters:
- I love it! – 13%, 24 voters
- I like the pick. – 35%, 65 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 43%, 80 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 8%, 15 voters
- I hate it! – 2%, 3 voters
The Devils’ second goaltender pick of the 2024 NHL Draft was JYP U-20 goalie Veeti Louhivaara. I was confused by the selection. However, the voters were more favorable. A plurality was either in the middle or unsure, but many more liked the pick than disliked the pick. The 24 people who loved it definitely outnumbered the 3 haters. As he is a goaltender, especially a Finnish junior league goalie, the sentiment of “Who knows, he’s a goalie” was strong with this one. Apparently, the voters’ reactions were not so bothered that the Devils took Yegorov earlier that afternoon.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “Throw darts ones eventually going to stick.” – Carterdogg
Sixth Round, 171st Overall, Matyas Melovsky
The Post About the Pick: Here.
The Results: With 147 voters:
- I love it! – 33%, 49 voters
- I like the pick. – 52%, 77 voters
- I don’t know / I’m in the middle – 12%, 18 voters
- I don’t like the pick. – 0%, 0 voters
- I hate it! – 2%, 3 voters
Outside of Silayev, the most favorably reacted pick of the draft class is the last one: center Matyas Melovsky. I do need to point out that Melovsky’s poll yielded the fewest voters. Still, those who voted really liked this selection. Melovsky is a double overage center, but with plenty of production with his QMJHL team and a successful WJCs with the Czechs. For a sixth round pick, that will garner plenty of positive feelings. So it did for Melovsky. It is also noteworthy that there were really few people who did not like or love him. Even the middle option was sparse. If nothing else, the voters felt the Devils finished strong at the Sphere.
A Selected Comment from the Post about the Pick: “Of all the Devils picks today, this is the only one I’m ok with. Most of the picks today seem to lack upside in my opinion. At least Melovsky has a chance.” – Irisches Glueck
Overall, most of the People Who Matter who voted would say they liked this draft class. Anton Silayev got a lot of love. He was far and away the most loved draft pick by both total vote and percentage of vote. A lot of people were very pleased that the Devils went with him. The last selection, Matyas Melovsky, also received a largely favorable opinion albeit with a far smaller population size of voters. Three of the five picked between those two had a plurality in “I like the pick,” with Kasper Pikkarainen missing that cut by 5 voters. Max Graham’s selection received the most negative reaction with a plurality in “I don’t like the pick.” His was the only one of the seven where one could say most voters were in the middle or worse. This means most of you liked what the Devils did, especially with their first round selection.
While I think I speak for many when I write that we all wish the Devils didn’t have to pick in the lottery range, many are happy with who they picked there. As much as the goal should be to win now, reach the cap ceiling, and focus on contending, doing well in drafts only helps those causes. Whether it is for adding assets to fund future deals, strengthening depth at a position, or just having good, young, and cheap players to step in as needed, there is no downside to performing well at the NHL Draft. The Devils clearly knew they had enough defenders in their system; hence, they drafted one (Silayev) and almost did not even pick him. Four of the other six picks were forwards. Although center remains a slim, the Melovsky selection may ease some of that depth in the short term. The two goalies are, well, goalies, and most understand they are long-term wild cards. At the moment, I can say that the People Who Matter felt that the Devils did well at the 2024 NHL Draft given where they were and what they did to get more picks.
Now is the time to further reflect on the season that was and think about the season that could be in 2024-25. The Development Camp is over. Free Agency Frenzy had the majority of its action on July 1. All that is really left for GM Tom Fitzgerald to do is re-sign his restricted free agents. The major one is Dawson Mercer. Once that is done, then there is little to do until September. Need some international ice hockey to tide you over? There is the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup for those interested in the 2025 Draft Class (and beyond) in August. As well as some absolutely crucial Olympic qualifiers at the end of August; they will decide the final 3 teams for Milan-Cortina in 2026. I suppose we can relax a bit in between all of that. The time is there. Might as well use it.
Thanks especially to all of the People Who Matter who voted in the polls for one or more or all draft picks. That makes posts like this one possible. Thanks again to Chris, James, Jared, Alex, Gerard, Jackson, Nate, Tyler, and Dan for their support through this offseason so far and in the future. Thank you to everyone who has been and will continue to read us in this offseason, as well as with this post.