Devils 2020 Draft Class Revisited
The New Jersey Devils have made plenty out of their 2020 draft class, with possibly more to come
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The New Jersey Devils' 2020 draft class was always going to be a defining pillar of their rebuild. They had eight total picks, including three in the top 20 of the first round.
With those three picks, the Devils drafted Alexander Holtz (7th overall), Dawson Mercer (18th overall), and Shakir Mukhamadullin (20th overall). While two of those players are no longer with the organization due to trades, it's yielded some NHL talent for the organization.
Plus, there may still be more to come from the Devils' selections that year. Let's look back on their 2020 draft class, which will reach its fourth anniversary in October.
Holtz & Mukhamadullin Turn Into Trade Bait
Though many fans want to see their team's high draft picks become valuable contributors to the lineup, draft picks become trade bait more often than not.
That's what happened with Holtz and Mukhamadullin, who were part of separate trades. First, let's look back on them as prospects and why the Devils selected them with two of their three first-rounders.
Holtz was touted as one of the best shooters in the 2020 draft class. He had a terrific draft-1 season with Djurgårdens in the SHL, totaling nine goals and 16 points in 35 games as a 17-year-old. While there were red flags in his game, ones that became problematic in his time as a Devil, the scoring upside was undeniable.
The Devils clearly envisioned him developing into a player who could ride shotgun alongside Jack Hughes. He shined in his first pro season on North American ice, totaling 26 goals and 51 points in 52 games with the Utica Comets in the AHL. However, when it came to playing in the NHL, he struggled to break into the top six.
Holtz never got a fair shake alongside the Devils' scorers under former head coach Lindy Ruff, but it's not like he earned that playing time, especially this past season. That led to the Devils trading Holtz this offseason to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Paul Cotter, who should help in the bottom six.
It wasn't the story anyone wanted for Holtz as a Devil, but it was time if the organization didn’t believe he’d get top-six minutes in 2024-25. Could they regret giving up on him down the road? Only he can decide that.
As for Mukhamadullin, the Devils took a gamble on a player whose rankings were fringe first-round at best, but most public rankings at the time had him as a second-round pick. The Devils believed in the upside, though, and they were probably right.
Mukhamadullin showed progress in his development in his post-draft years. In his final year with the Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, he posted six goals and 25 points in 67 games. However, he would never get into a game with the Devils.
That's because Mukhamadullin was among the players dealt to the San Jose Sharks in the trade that brought Timo Meier to New Jersey. Given the Devils had Luke Hughes, Šimon Nemec, Kevin Bahl, and Seamus Casey in their system at the time, they could afford to part with Mukhamadullin.
The Sharks will likely be in good hands with Mukhamadullin, too. He's totaled 44 points in his first 67 AHL games and appears to have top-four potential. So, while the Devils may never see Mukhamadullin wear red and black in New Jersey, they hit on the pick. Otherwise, the Sharks wouldn't have coveted him for Meier.
Mercer Likely Sticking Around
Mercer is the last of the Devils' first-round picks from the 2020 draft, which I'm not sure I would have guessed at the time, mostly because I thought Holtz would emerge as a top-six winger.
QMJHL prospects seem to be misses more than hits, but there was something different about Mercer during his draft year. He was one of the top scorers in the QMJHL, totaling 60 points in 42 games. That 1.43 points per game average ranked 12th among all QMJHL players that season.
Mercer was also a well-rounded prospect. He had an underrated shot, good stickhandling, and was defensively stout. That eventually won him the Guy Carbonneau Trophy as the QMJHL's top defensive forward in 2020-21, his draft+1 year.
It wasn't hard to envision Mercer becoming a good pro, and he showed it in his rookie season. Though he had some cold spells, as any rookie does in the NHL, he finished with 17 goals and 42 points in 82 games in his first season with the Devils.
Mercer followed that up with an excellent sophomore campaign, totaling 27 goals and 56 points in 82 games while playing plenty in the top six alongside Hughes. Sure, he had a down season in 2023-24, but he *still* totaled 20 goals. If he adds some strength this offseason, I'd expect him to rebound in 2024-25.
The Devils still need to get Mercer signed; he's a restricted free agent without arbitration rights. But they should look to get him locked up to a long-term deal this summer since he's a good bounce-back candidate. If they bridge him, they could regret it a couple of years from now, even with the cap rising.
Instead of having him signed for between $5-6 million annually on a five or six-year deal, that number could be around $7 million two years from now if he returns close to his 2022-23 totals or becomes a 30/30 player. But regardless, he looks like someone the front office believes in as a long-term piece.
More to Come?
There's a reason the Devils traded Akira Schmid in the deal that sent Holtz to Vegas. It's because they seem to believe in Nico Daws' upside. The Devils drafted Daws in the third round (75th overall) of the 2020 draft after a stellar overage season in the OHL when he totaled a .924 save percentage with the Guelph Storm.
Daws has had to play in the NHL more than the Devils would have liked due to injuries and poor play from their other goaltenders, but he has shown potential. With Jacob Markström and Jake Allen manning the crease this coming season, Daws shouldn't have to play much in the NHL.
However, with Allen only signed for 2024-25 and Daws' contract turning into a one-way for 2025-26, there seems to be a path where he's backing up Markström a little over a year from now. If he excels with the Comets this season, he could be the Devils' 1B in 2025-26.
We'll see how Ethan Edwards' senior year at Michigan goes, but the Devils could sign him to his entry-level contract after the 2024-25 NCAA season concludes. I'm not sure he's an NHL defenseman, but he could provide depth in the AHL.
Artem Shlaine had two productive seasons with Northern Michigan as a junior and senior and will spend his fifth year of NCAA eligibility with Arizona State. He's probably not an NHLer, but he could also be someone the Devils sign to an ELC and give a chance in the AHL.
Devils Made Out Well in the 2020 Draft
Though not every pick from the Devils' 2020 class will play for the team, having selected four potential NHLers in Holtz, Mercer, Mukhamadullin and Daws is a nice bit of business from director of amateur scouting Paul Castron.
And though not every pick will play for the organization, turning Holtz and Mukhamadullin into NHL talent (Cotter and Meier) sets up the Devils for long-term success beyond 2024-25. As a whole, you have to like how this class has turned out.
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