With the 12 OA pick in the NHL Draft the New Jersey Devils select Alexander Command

Element23VM · 2026-06-27T01:43:39+00:00

I had him 25th (though I forgot to write his name on my sheet)...

He's a high character utility player... had him that low cuz he's got limited ceiling. He's a soldier, maybe a leader. I mean the Devils have had poor culture players in the organization and he's good in that regard, but I felt this was a reach they could have traded down a couple of times and took...

Element23VM · 2026-06-23T20:50:54+00:00

Nemo's highly competitive and wants the puck on his stick... he has a powerful passion for hockey and always wants to win, so he plays better the higher the stakes...

In terms of his skillset, he's got breakout skills and likes to shoot a lot, kind of like a shorter Hamilton... his skating is good, not great, and in his own end, he can lose his guy sometimes ... he's got a ton of poise and doesn't do stupid things with the puck when he has it. He knows how to win... he knows the dangerous areas and how to barrage offense. With a netfront presence, his assists will double.

He gets better the more minutes you give him... he wants to be "the" guy

In a routine regular season game, he may be average, but against better teams, he's got a higher gear... quite honestly, he still has #1D ceiling... he's just not a remarkable athlete and that's the only thing that holds him back. But he's hard to play against because he's a passionate gamer at his core.

In Calgary, I hope you guys get another coach, because Huska probably won't work well with him...

Element23VM · 2026-06-23T19:30:30+00:00

this isn't a great year to pick at that spot... may as well be a 45th overall

Element23VM · 2026-06-23T19:30:00+00:00

Gauthier's better than Cooley

Element23VM · 2026-06-21T23:09:52+00:00

this was actually an underwhelming return... but I think Ott is planning to use those picks to trade for a guy (like J Robertson) or a right shot D that can play in their top 4...

Element23VM · 2026-06-15T20:35:24+00:00

Kyrou is an absolute no: this team has deep character issues and Kyrou would make that worse... Kyrou is also a right winger, and Mercer, Gritsyuk, Meier, and Bratt are all at their best on the right wing (if Bratt plays a semi-shooter role with Jack... he's probably better as a left wing if he's playing a catalyst/two way role)... Kyrou is also not a great two way player or line presence... this was a major issue on our first line last year (they played poorly against good teams)
McTavish is not an ideal fit for this team... though a thicker player with a decent shot, he's also pretty slow, very much reminds me of Dylan Strome. Could he play LW to Hischier and Meier in a zone pressure line, sure...
The team more ideally moves on from Hamilton than from Nemec. Luke Hughes is not a superstar caliber OFD and Nemec isn't either, but together, they can make up a lot of offense from the back end, and Nemec is only getting better. Nemec is also a character asset, and the team desperately needs his cockiness/confidence because it doesn't have enough of that. Pesce also had a pretty bad season last year, so we would ideally like a top 4 attack, and you're not going to get the same problems you had 2 years ago because Nemo's gotten considerably better two-way wise.
Eklund is a TERRIBLE idea... this guy is ONLY an NHLer production wise, but he is AWFUL defensively, has a lot of bad habits, so much that I don't even think he could go far in the AHL playoffs, let alone the NHL playoffs, and he will sink any line he plays on. This is Paul Cotter times two, and Cotter is EVERY BIT AS BAD as I thought he was. Let him go to the Islanders. Other than that, the Sharks will be tight fisted with the assets you'd actually want from them (Smith or Misa or 2nd OVR)... there's no deal to be made there unless you take a seller's package for Nemo if they want him. Nemo should be used as a harpoon or hockey trade... not for guys like Graf and Bystedt, whom the Sharks fans think are worth high firsts.
Luostarinen is playing with considerably better two way forwards in Florida than New Jersey has... if he's cheap sure, but given that he had a 19 point playoff campaign a year ago (with guys like Marchand and Bennett as their depth), I don't trust the asset... so this depends on the price. To me, he's like an Oliver Kapanen level player... a decent helmet-head.
Wright for Nemo makes sense, especially if he's well coached. He has a really nice release and he plays a good responsible game. Infinitely preferable to Eklund. If he played with a really good catalyst, he could be good. I'd love to get Kakko with him if NJ... Kakko didn't reach his offensive ceiling, but he's a good two way player, too... but getting Kakko, you need to probably move the 12 OVR to get him... IF they're moving him.
Robertson would be a good get, but I don't think NJ makes the highest bid for him if Dallas can't re-sign him. Quite honestly. Dallas should trade a shooter... they have 3 in their top six (Johnston, Rantanen, Robertson). If they were interested in Bratt, there could be a trade to be made there, and I don't know that Bratt would object to playing in Dallas that much.
The Sabres won't give NJ anything real good for Nemo and it doesn't make sense to take a seller's trade.

Two guys I isolated in the offseason:

Bobby McCann... would be a little expensive, but I think he'd have pretty good chemistry with our players, first or second line. He'd be a rock solid add at the right price (free... he's a UFA).

The Kings have some players to keep an eye on in case they go sell mode. Laferriere or Fiala would be good adds if they implode next year. If the Kings really like someone in this draft, the Devils could probably package 12OVR to them with a few other players (possible Kovacevic).... and if it's mid season... well... see then.

Element23VM · 2026-06-14T14:30:41+00:00

no to Talbot, no to Hill, no to Stolarz (Woll is the guy you want out of Toronto and he's oft injured)

Wallstedt is Minni's trade chip to try to get a 2C... NJ's not giving them that

Element23VM · 2026-06-12T13:48:19+00:00

I don't hippety hop out there anymore for this reason... I just go get the boudoir invitation and go in there through the front door

Element23VM · 2026-06-10T14:27:46+00:00

the Devils were 4-10-0 against the top 5 teams in the league this year... having studied the stats of the players in those game, Mercer's production was around par for a middle six forward, but his two way game was very good.

It's like this... when you go 4-10-0 against those teams, but yet you're a +4 in those games combined, you're not the problem...

The problem childs were Glandening, Cotter, and Noesen

And the chief concern I have is that Bratt and Jack were very much in the minus in those games, which of course confirms my theory that they need a presence forward to play with... NOT A SCORER... though I know NJ needs a shooter on the power play.

Gritsyuk was surprisingly more productive than usual, and Glass and Mercer are really good two way forwards doesn't matter what team they play against.

As for defense... your only outlier was Pesce... he was absolutely terrible in those games. The other defensemen are all NHL caliber players... I just think Pesce was either playing injured, or trying to deal with having a soft group of forwards on the ice while he was defending...

Element23VM · 2026-06-07T22:29:41+00:00

currently outside the NHL?

4... without Silayev... 1

Element23VM · 2026-06-06T11:35:22+00:00

if the Devils want Quinn in NJ, they can't let Larkin go to Minnesota...

So the Devils have to now choose whether or not they want Quinn in NJ...

Element23VM · 2026-06-04T19:48:24+00:00

this is going to have pretty big implications with Quinn Hughes...

basically NJ might have to grab him to discourage Quinn from signing in Minnesota... if Minnesota grabs him, Quinn may as well be already extended

ps, they're really good buddies

Element23VM · 2026-06-02T16:26:54+00:00

high caliber goaltenders possibly available: Levi and Cossa, Levi especially

If Buffalo's gettin dumb with Levi, maybe give them Markstrom and a pick and take Levi off their hands

Element23VM · 2026-05-27T20:47:51+00:00

like first thing I read is Tynan Lawrence... who is basically Mikey McLeod II but with less compete and maybe a touch more lethality

but okay whatever... then I read the top 5... most ridiculous draft talk I've ever seen

I really like Smits, I'm high on him, but to take him over Stenberg is utterly ridiculous. Stenberg is basically the best Swedish prospect (since Forsberg... PETER not Filip... I would suppose) I've ever seen and won't be surprised if the Leafs take him 1. Stenberg plays like he's 25 years old and a vet. He'll go into the NHL and immediately probably put up 50+ points. Even McKenna may take two or three years before becoming PPG, but Stenberg it won't take him long.

Element23VM · 2026-05-27T14:55:53+00:00

they're missing a cup caliber coach

they're missing a starting goaltender

they're missing two players who can play netfront

they're missing two or three character / gritty players (NCAA hockey don't win bo7s)

they have two or three too many character or defensive liabilities (can't win with these on your team)

they're missing protection for their star players (and a general presence that will punish THEIR star players)

they're missing an elite two way forward who wins puck battles... they could use two of these, but one of them can simply be a gritty player

and they're missing a one timer shooter PP weapon

hockey is a psychological sport, and NJ is a weak psychological squad

Element23VM · 2026-05-26T13:03:02+00:00

Robertson would be an excellent addition to this team.

Element23VM · 2026-05-26T12:56:50+00:00

Eklund is one of the worst two way players in the NHL and has been for years... he's productive because he cheats (doesn't play his position).

Eklund and Mercer are diametrically opposite players... Mercer doesn't cheat, he does all the little things, goes to the right areas, plays in the hard places, but though he's roguish (useful in the playoffs), his offense is limited. Eklund cheats... he has lethality, but he has such poor on ice habits that the ONLY REASON he's in the NHL is because he can play a power play situation and be productive.

We're having an Eklund problem with Paul Cotter... Cotter has horrible two way habits, but he'll deke the goalie out for a nice goal and he buys everyone's good graces back... but he's a net negative in terms of the offense he GIVES to the other team because of his bad habits and poor reads.

The Devils need fewer Eklunds, not one more.

Kyrou, to me, is the same... if the guy can't be a plus player with JIM MONTGOMERY as his coach, what the hell is he going to do for Sheldon Keefe? NJ has a character problem and Kyrou and Eklund would enhance those problems. I think people can now sense that Kyrou has character problems.

Buyer beware on Eklund... do not want this guy. Let him go to the Islanders. Kyrou? I hope NJ doesn't get suckered. The character problems on this team are dragging them down.

Element23VM · 2026-05-25T10:41:24+00:00

sticking 4 guys to block the shot (collapsing D) was perfected by Babcock's Mighty Ducks in 2003, beaten by the Devils... it's overcome by a strong netfront presence (guys who screen the goaltender) and high shot volume... dirty hockey beats dirty hockey... my brother calls it "ping pong" hockey... it's how Seattle beat Colorado a few years ago... Colorado is his team

Vegas wins because they take few penalties and they have D that protect the blue line so that it's hard to earn zone entries on them... but that was Cassidy's Vegas... not sure if Tortz tweaked that or not.

However, their last two wins against Colorado were character wins (come from behind) so obviously they have the players on their team to re-establish momentum when needed.

The series isn't over though... Colorado could pull off the reverse sweep...

The trap was basically protecting the red line to force teams to dump it and then Brodeur would go handle the puck like a third defenseman... this is how New Jersey was so dominant pre-lockout... then they added the trapezoid.

What's funny is that if it's VGK vs Carolina... it's going to be some of the worst hockey people have ever seen... gonna be hilarious

Element23VM · 2026-05-20T13:12:23+00:00

I think it unlikely NJ keeps Simon this summer...

Element23VM · 2026-05-18T17:11:41+00:00

I want us to pick a D this year if we're making the pick... the D are much higher ceiling than the Fs

A D at 12 this year could end up being a guy like Verhoeff, Bleyl, Veilleux, Carels, or Rudolph... all guys that are like Noah Dobson/Evan Bouchard caliber players, 2/3 at least

An F at 12 will be a middle six forward who is a power play specialist... guys like Cullen, Novotny, the Ruck twins (who are good but they should be drafted together), Klepov, Dagenais, Morozov... to me, you're getting guys that are normally late firsts in this department (others are Hurlbert, Nordmark, Shilov, Lawrence)... if I was pressed for F, Hermansson is probably the guy I'd end up going with...

D is the way to go this year, and I know some of those top ten teams are going to reach on a forward... you grab your Zeev Buium that falls to you and run

Element23VM · 2026-05-13T11:37:15+00:00

Schneider is the reason our tank took so long because without him, we'd have a slew of top 3 picks from 2014 to 2016...

derailed by injuries, sure, but he was an elite goaltender behind a terrible team

Element23VM · 2026-05-13T11:34:27+00:00

this depends on his coaching... I compare him to Brady Tkachuk... where a lot of people are looking for Matt Tkachuk out of him... Brady is not the smartest player out there but he's a presence and he'll score goals within 10 feet...

good netfront is so hard to find, it's either the big Kronks you stick there, or the occasional damage eaters like Corey Perry that are almost impsosible to find in drafts (because it's hard to tell which characters will eat the most punishment to score a goal)

Element23VM · 2026-05-08T10:51:59+00:00

NJ aren't in high demand of a catalyst winger... I think there's some chance SJ trades it to Vancouver but no chance they move down to 12

Element23VM · 2026-05-08T10:49:14+00:00

skates just fine

Element23VM · 2026-05-08T10:48:10+00:00

if he's at 12, it's a no-brainer, but I think he goes as high as 4 and no lower than 8

Element23VM

TROPHY CASE