Rangers, Islanders and Devils first round draft targets
The Playoff Devils and the 17th Pick
Ryan Merkley: Defenseman, Guelph Storm
Despite the overall idea being that the Devils will take a forward, there is always a chance that there will be someone who will continue to fall for a reason, and be higher up on a team’s draft board. Ryan Merkley is that type of player for this draft. The 17-year-old defenseman has been highly regarded for years now, but recently, he has fallen in draft rankings, even falling off of team’s boards. He has had major confrontations with coaches, teammates, reporters, and officials over the past year; however, the 45th ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting still put up numbers. He scored 13 goals and had 67 points in 63 games, and added one goal and six points in six playoff games
He is a dominant skater for his age who plays a 200-foot game. He excels on the power play and can rush the puck up from behind the net to the offensive zone like it’s nothing. His top-end puck skills remind me of Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
In the future, I could see Merkley on the Devils defensive core with Will Butcher, Sami Vatanen, Mirco Müeller, and Damon Severson.
Vitali Kravtsov: Right Winger, Traktor Chelyabinsk
Vitali Kravtsov, 18, is ranked the third best European skater by NHL Central Scouting. Kravtsov does not put up the most points as with three different teams this season, he scored nine goals and 17 points in 45 games as well as one goal and four points in two playoff games. He does; however, bring something else to a team: size.
Kravtsov is 6’4″ and uses his size to his advantage. He brings a ton of grit and physicality to a team while also showing that he also is speedy and a good backchecker. A player that is comparable to Kravtsov is Stanley Cup Champion Tom Wilson.
I could see Kratsov becoming a vital piece of that Devil’s offense with players such as Michael McLeod, Nico Hischier, and Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall.
Serron Noel: Right Winger, Oshawa Generals
Serron Noel, 17, is a more highly-touted prospect than his bother, a fourth-round pick, was going into the draft. The Generals winger is ranked the tenth best North American skater by NHL Central Scouting, scored 28 goals and 53 points in 62 games this season, and had one assist in five playoff games. What makes Noel such a major attraction to teams, though, is his size.
Noel stands at 6’5″ and weighs in at 205 pounds and is described as a typical power forward, but he can also score. It takes time for him to gather energy: going from zero to 100 takes him time. Noel is comparable to the Florida Panther’s Nick Bjugstad.
Just like Kravtsov, I could see Noel fitting in with Hall, Hischier, and McLeod.