Atlantic Division Draft Review:

Coming to Los Angeles, two Atlantic Division teams did not have first round picks.  The New Jersey Devils sent their pick to the Atlanta Thrashers in the Ilya Kovlchuk deal, and the Flyers traded their pick to the Anaheim Ducks in the Chris Pronger deal.

One trade worked; one did not.

In this article, I will review the first-round pick or top pick for each of all five Atlantic Division teams, and late-round picks that may be gems.  I will release each of the other five divisions over the next few days.  I would love to hear feedback about what you think, or if you have a question about your favorite team please email me at MMurangi@nhlhotstove.com .

Here is the review:

New Jersey Devils – Total picks: 5;  Highest round: 2nd (38th overall); Breakdown: 2D, 2G, 1RW.

The Devils used their second-round pick on defenseman Jonathon Merrill.  Merrill played well in the WJC, but did have some problems that  resulted in a mid-season suspension.  He bounced back, and is now a solid, stay-at-home blue liner.  Merrill will continue to hone his craft at the University of Michigan in the fall.  The two goaltenders picked, Scott Wedgewood and Maxime Claremont, came into the season with a chance to crack the top 10 in the rankings, but both struggled during the year.  The Devils have taken a goaltender in the last nine drafts in a row as they search for the heir apparent to Martin Brodure. Keep an eye on Joe Faust, a kid who would have been in the top 40 if he was three inches taller. GRADE C

New York Islanders – Total picks: 6; Highest round: 1st (5th overall); Breakdown: 2D 1G 2C 1RW 1LW.

If you rate this draft on talent, the Islanders would be in the top 5 in the league., but with the talent comes tons of question marks.  Top pick Nino Niederreiter is a  top-notch goal scorer and projects to be a top notch power forward on the power play.  Second-round pick Brock Nelson will take his time in his development at North Dakota.  The sleeper of the group is Kirill Kabanov, a very talented Russian with a lot of baggage.  Kabanov could have been a bonified top 10 pick.  If he pans out, this could be the best draft class of any team in the league.  Keep an eye on 3rd round pick Jason Clarke, a Shattucks and St Mary’s kid, who is a very talented  center.  Garth Snow went with forwards with his top four picks this time around.  Next year, expect him to try and restock the blue line.  GRADE A

New York Rangers – Total picks: 6; Highest round 1st (10th overall); Breakdown: 1D 1C 3RW 1LW.

The Rangers have a young, talented blue line and a lack of scoring on the parent club.  With scoring being a great need for the Rangers coming into the draft, every expert had them taking a forward, but after the run of the players the Rangers had high on their board, they took the fastest mover on the draft board in blue-liner Dylan McIlrath,  by far the toughest kid in the draft.  He is the type of blue line shut-down guy every team needs.  He has some skill, will pitch in 20 points a season, and will beat the hell out of everyone.  In the second round, the Rangers took Christian Thomas, the son of former NHL’er Steve Thomas.  He had a slow start as a rookie, but exploded for 41 goals this past season.  Ranked 69th by central scouting, the thing that dropped him was his size.  The Rangers then addded Andrew Yogan in the 3rd round, who will be a solid depth  forward, should be a star in the AHL, and will see some limited NHL time.  Keep an eye on 5th-rounder Jason Wilson, a great 2 way winger with some scoring touch.  GRADE C

Philadelphia Flyers – Total picks: 6; Highest round: 3rd (89th overall); Breakdown: 2D 1C 1RW 2LW.

The Flyers traded their top two picks, and watched Anaheim choose So-Cal born Emmerson Etem with the pick they sent them at the draft last year for Chris Pronger.  Philly went safe will almost all there picks, and used there 3rd round pick on Michael Chaput, a tall skinny center from the QMJHL’s Lewiston Maineiacs.  He has a ton of upside, and is a solid, fluid skater, but will need to add weight to play in the NHL and may be 4 years away.  Keep an eye on 7th round pick Brendan Ranford, a good, solid winger with a touch of scoring.  He is one of the best penalty killers in the draft, but fell to the 7th round due to his size.  He was rated 111th by central scouting, and his uncle is Bill Ranford, a Stanley Cup-winning goaltender with the Edmonton Oilers and the current goaltending coach of the Los Angeles Kings.  GRADE D

Pittsburgh Penguins – Total picks: 6; Highest round :1st (20th overall);  Breakdown: 2D 3RW 1LW.

If there is one need the Penguins have, its scoring wingers.  Pittsburgh used their first-round pick on Southern California native Beau Bennett, a scoring winger who put up 120 points in only 56 games.  Some would say that the talent that Bennett played against was not as solid as the talent in the WHL.  He is not NHL ready, and will attend The University of Denver this fall.  He should be a solid 2nd line winger for years in the NHL, but will need to score to stay in the league.  Bryan Rust is another solid winger out of the US development program.  He put up solid numbers in the WJC and will join the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame this fall where he will focus on bulking up for the rigors of the NHL.  Keep an eye on 4th round pick Tom Kuhenhackl, a RW out of Germany.  He will join Windsor this season after playing in Germany, and is a very gifted scorer.  He might be the gem of the class.  The Penguins took the best player available with all their picks, and overall, it was one of the most solid drafts top to bottom the Penguins have had in years.  GRADE A

Up next will be the Central Division.

Mike Murangi
NHLHS Entry Draft Correspondent
mmurangi@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @Draft_Mike