New Jersey Devils: Top 9 forwards worth drafting in 2020

First Pick Options

Cole Perfetti

With the currently projected sixth pick in the draft, the top fit for the Devils based on those physical features and nationalities is Cole Perfetti. Perfetti is 5’10″ and 185 pounds and was born in Whitby, Ontario, Canada, putting him right in the sweet spot of Fitzgerald’s liking.

Perfetti had an absurd season with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL, putting up 37 goals and 74 assists for 111 points in 61 games. He has excellent upside, and one of his biggest strengths is in his hockey IQ and his ability to out-smart opponents and constantly be one step ahead.

Alexander Holtz

The second-best fit with their top projected pick would be Swedish forward, Alexander Holtz. Holtz is 6’0″ and 183 pounds, putting him at the taller end of Fitzgerald’s preferences, but right in the middle with his weight. Fitzgerald has also shown an interest in drafting Swedish forwards, though it is a small sample size.

I personally love Holtz’s game, as he has an insanely high IQ and is excellent passing and shooting the puck, making him the ultimate offensive threat. In fact, Dobber Prospect’s Christoffer Hedlund boldly said Holtz could compete for a Maurice Richard trophy in the future.

Tim Stützle

The third-best fit for the Devils with their first pick based on Fitgerald’s preferences would be Tim Stützle. Stützle is 6’0″ and 187 pounds, placing him on the bigger end of Fitzgerald’s preferences. He is also German, and Fitzgerald has never drafted a German forward before.

However, Fitzgerald has a small sample size of draftees, and despite not grabbing any German forwards in the past, he has taken players from unconventional hockey countries, such as Switzerland and Belarus. Taking a German forward, especially of Stützle’s calibre, wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility, nor would it necessarily go against his forward “prototype” that he has developed through the years.

Stützle recorded 7 goals and 27 assists for 34 points in 41 games as a 17-year-old playing in the top German men’s league, the DEL. His production against men in a high-end league shows that he can compete against older, tougher competition, which includes former NHL draft picks and players.

Stützle is considered a top five prospect in this draft, often getting ranked in the top three by experts, but there is a chance he could drop, due to the sheer volume of elite-level talent at the top-end of this draft.