New Jersey Devils: 2018 Draft will be the most important in years

The New Jersey Devils won the Draft Lottery in 2017. However, it is the upcoming draft that is the most important for them.

The 2017 New Jersey Devils Draft went beyond well. They won the draft lottery and had a plethora of picks. They got Nico Hischier number one overall and sped up their rebuild.

In last year’s Draft, they had a total of 11 selections, this season only six. But that is exactly why the Devils need this one to go well.

Last year the Devils not only got lucky by winning the lottery but were coming off another season of missing the playoffs. Now, they made the playoffs and are right on the cusp.

I know that the NHL Draft is not used to help a team instantly improve but each pick or trade can change a franchise forever, that is instant.

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In 2018, the Devils are in a tougher spot than most teams. The Devils barely squeaked into the playoffs but when they did they were able to win a game.

But the question is was that a fluke? Were they actually ready for the playoffs? Did they take advantage of a weak Atlantic Division to get the spot?

All those things need to be answered. That is why this is the draft that is going to be important. The Devils only have one pick in the first three rounds, and it is not even in the top 15.

So, do they trade back to a team to gain more picks in the draft? That makes sense but screams that the Devils are still rebuilding and looking for future assets.

Or, do the Devils get aggressive in the draft? They can easily decide that since they made the playoffs that they are close to winning and are just a few pieces away from the ultimate prize.

Then they can move up and get a guy who is ready to make an impact for the Devs sooner rather than later.

So, where do they stand? GM Ray Shero knows that moving back would be the best thing to do. The Devils do have a really good foundation right now and a great young core, but they kind of lack depth.

So, it makes sense to trade down and acquire more picks in later rounds and still only be a year or two away. However, teams might not even be willing to make moves. That is all why this draft is important.

The Devils need to decide before Draft day what their plan is for the 2018-2019 season. If they wait until draft day things get too hectic.

The last draft, it was obvious that the Devils just needs to get the best players available. Now, since they showed last year a glimpse of what the final product will be like, they might need to patch needs.

Perhaps one or two more playoff seasons will show us what they just need one or two more pieces.

But what if they ruin that by making the wrong moves this season? The Devils are not in a tough spot by any means. It must be a nice feeling for their fans to not even be in the lottery a year after winning it.

However, it is still an interesting and shocking thing that the Devils made the playoffs. It can call for some rather interesting moves on Draft day.

But regardless of what ends up happening, regardless if Ray Shero’s plan gets messed up by the demons of the draft, the Devils cannot afford to mess this draft up. Not a single round of it.

This can be the year the Devils complete their rebuild that is a little early by having a perfect draft. But it can also be the year the Devils jump the gun and go all-in too early and end up burning it all down by not giving their organization enough long-term depth.

Just because the Devils made the playoffs and do not have a lot of picks does not mean that this is not a very important draft for the Devils.

Next: Devs have an actual foundation

Just remember, sometimes the least exciting drafts, where it feels like nothing happens, are the best ones. Perhaps that is what the Devils are shooting for. The 2018 Draft can make or break the Devils for years to come.

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