Devils’ Top Draft Picks in Deep Class of 2024 – Hockey Writers – NHL Entry Draft

With the New Jersey Devils’ miserable season officially in the rearview mirror, it’s time to focus on the NHL Draft. This year’s show will run June 28-29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Once on stage at one of the world’s most expensive entertainment venues, general manager (GM) Tom Fitzgerald and company will face an important decision. Thankfully, it’s a deep draft, and with the 10th overall pick, they’ll have a chance to select a potential major contributor while their draft window is open. Here are three that seem most likely:
Berkly Catton, C, Spokane (WHL)
There’s no sugarcoating it: Berkly Catton is an absolute stud. The numbers alone tell you all you need to know, with 54 goals and 116 points in 68 games for the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He finished fourth in league scoring, but unsurprisingly the three who finished (slightly) ahead of him were older and already registered. So, why did Catton drop to 10?
However, some scouts and insiders seem concerned about his size. He is tall enough to have a center at 5-foot-11, but weighs only 170 pounds. He will need to add muscle to be effective at the NHL level. While the Devils need to grow and get stronger as a team, Catton’s scoring ability is unbeatable.
Peter Baracchini, Hockey WritersA draft analyst said, “He can be a threat in every situation as he always puts himself in a position to be dangerous and succeeds with his awareness and skill alone.”
NHL.com’s Mike Morreale highlighted similar skills in his analysis: “(He’s) relentless in his pursuit of the puck and has a competitive level that’s too good to be overlooked. (He’s) under pressure and can make some smart plays.”
Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino said, “There’s no obvious weakness in his game,” and that was backed up at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup; Catton scored eight goals and a team-leading 10 points in five games, becoming Canada’s gold-medal captain. He looks like he could be a top-six center in the NHL, and with Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier sidelined for a while, Catton could finally help complete one of the best 1-2-3 formations down the middle.
Most majors have him going between the 7th and 14th, and a few ridiculous draft picks by the Devils. He is not as NHL ready as other options as he needs to put on some weight and (at some point) gain work experience. But offensively, he may have the highest ceiling of any of the top 10’s. If all goes as planned, Catton’s entry-level contract extension could bring the team a much-needed break in a few years, helping to extend their tenure. the window.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, RW, Mora (HockeyAllsvenskan)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (MBN) is not only the most covered Norwegian of all time but also only one to be selected in the first round. Watching him play, it’s easy to see why. He had 18 points in 41 games and limited minutes for Mora IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan, one of the highest levels of professional hockey in Sweden. Doing that at a young age is rare, and producing at that level is a different ball game. Jesper Bratt played in the same league at the same age, but Brandsegg-Nygard produced points at a rate ~24% faster than Bratt.
Bransegg-Nygard also had 10 points in 12 playoff games, becoming one of Sweden’s hottest players for a short time. His international performance has dispelled doubts about his game. At the World Juniors, he scored five points in five games for a Norwegian team that scored just 12 goals in the tournament. He then got a chance to play in the recent Men’s World Championships, where he had five points in seven games while playing against multiple NHLers – one of his goals came against Switzerland when he faced off against Hischier and Jonas Siegenthaler.
He’s 6-foot-1, 198 pounds, and he’s probably still growing. Of all the prospects I’ve seen, Brandsegg-Nygard is arguably one of the most NHL-ready because of his practical style of play. He may not have as high of a ceiling as a player like Catton, but he certainly projects to be a very valuable quick-release center fielder who shows great performance in person.
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While he may never reach Aleksander Barkov’s level again, we’ve seen firsthand what a successful player on both sides of the puck can do for a franchise in these Stanley Cup Playoffs. Jason Bukala of Sportsnet said, “(Brandsegg-Nygard has) good size and strength. It plays fast. Turns well in the cycle and finds quiet ice in the offensive zone…shoots the puck quickly and accurately.”
Steven Ellis of the Daily Faceoff said, “He’s someone I expect to be the most important two-way player in the NHL,” and Morreale of NHL.com said, “He’s a hard-working player with first-step quickness, decision-making and vision.”
Since his scoring ceiling is a little lower than others, most majors have him ranked between 10th and 16th. But he certainly seems to be a worthy star in the Devil’s organization.
Konsta Helenius, C, Jukurit (Liiga)
Like Bransegg-Nygard, Konsta Helenius plays well, making him more NHL-ready than others. He is one of the youngest players in the Draft – he turned 18 a few weeks ago. He had 14 goals and 36 points in 51 games for Jukurit, and like Bransegg-Nygard, he opened the playoffs with six points in six games.
However, his skating doesn’t seem to be up to par with other prospects, and has caused him to slide down some draft boards. Regardless, a 17-year-old ripping off a professional game is not to be laughed at. He’s not small at center, but he’s not big either, coming in at 5-foot-11, 181 pounds. Ellis of Daily Faceoff said, “Helenius is not big, but he is strong…(he) fights hard to win, and while he only had two points at the World Juniors, he showed his amazing hockey IQ and small area game. “
The World Juniors also hurt his stock, as some (myself included) expected offensive production. But he had seven points in five games at the U18 World Championships and added an assist in four games at the Men’s Worlds while being the youngest player on the Finnish roster.
That power is real. There was a follow-up when Finland faced Switzerland, and Helenius got past Hischier to successfully tie him up and prevent a comeback goal. He showed it all tournament, which is why he had a plus-2 rating while playing against some of the NHL’s elite talent. Hockey Writers‘ Baracchini said, “He continues to be an active and tricky soccer player as that determination and energy seems to take over consistently. He is strong when hunting for loose pucks, fighting off the boards, and his combination of patience and quickness make him very dangerous when the game is down. “
Helenus is a rare card. He doesn’t have Bransegg-Nygard’s defensive ability but he may have a higher offensive ceiling. It remains difficult to say how Liiga’s points will be interpreted. Recently, Kaapo Kakko was drafted second overall (2019) due to success in that league, and that didn’t translate well, while players like Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho are now NHL champions.
Most major ranks have him between 8 and 13. Although he is very vulnerable, he has the potential to be an important part of the Devil’s future.
Some Devils Players May Consider
While these three may have gone to New Jersey, a few other names are worth mentioning. Left fielder Cole Eiserman broke Cole Caufield’s record for most goals always he got points in the US National Team Development Program, but scouts and analysts can’t agree on his position because of his weak defense – some say he’s in the top five, while others have him after 15.
Sam Dickinson of the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights is one of the best defensemen, but he’s very unlikely to fall into the top 10. Cayden Lindstrom (WHL) is a good fit for the Devils as a 6-footer. -4, 216-pound elite power forward, but he has a back story that makes him a gamble. Anton Silayev (Continental Hockey League) is a 6-foot-7, 207-pound defenseman who has played well professionally, but due to the situation in Russia, scouts do not seem to agree on his position, placing him anywhere in the middle of the 2nd. and 16. Who knows when (or if) he’ll make it to the NHL.
Zeev Buium was the best offensive defenseman in college hockey this season, as his 50 points helped Denver to the National Championship. But with Seamus Casey, Luke Hughes, and Dougie Hamilton already in the fold, it seems unlikely that the Devils will go that route.
It is important to remember that these talented prospects are 18 years old, and almost all of them have some flaws. The draft is a matter of finding out whose mistakes are most fixable or, at the very least, won’t hinder their ability to find NHL success.