Ranking the Entire Devils' Pipeline: No. 19 - No. 15
Part four of my comprehensive Devils' pipeline ranking.
The time has come — my comprehensive rankings of the entire Devils’ pipeline. Most minor league and European leagues have already finished or are wrapping up their seasons shortly, so I figured now would be as good a time as any.
For this ranking, I’m taking into account every player in the Devils’ system 25 years old and younger, much like I do with the biweekly prospect updates.
In this, I will be rating players’ individual skills on a 1-10 scale, with skaters being judged on their skating, hockey sense, puck skills, shot, defensive awareness, and physicality/size. Goaltenders will be judged on their athleticism, mobility, positioning, and puck tracking. I’ll also have film examples on occasion to illustrate my points/the prospects’ skillsets.
I’ll also be including NHL comparables, though it’s very important to note that the players I list there are simply stylistically similar — the caliber of skill is obviously not synonymous here, especially at the lower parts of the ranking.
With all that in mind, let’s get into it!
For part one (No. 34 - No. 30), click here.
For part two (No. 29 - No. 25), click here.
For part three (No. 24 - No. 20), click here.
No. 19: Nathan Légaré (RW/LW)
3rd Round, 2019 (74th Overall) — 57 Games Played | 12 Goals | 6 Assists | 18 Total Points — Utica Comets (AHL)
Nathan Légaré makes his money with a supreme work ethic. He isn’t going to wow you with his offensive toolkit but has the drive and wants to make it to the big leagues. He was a part of a minor league trade that brought him to Utica and he earned an NHL contract from there. The point totals don’t jump off the page either, but he may end up as a fourth liner simply off of how hard he works.
Skating: 4/10
In a straight line, Légaré is a relatively strong skater with decent explosion and an above-average top speed. Going back to his draft year, his feet were a legitimate issue, so it’s encouraging to see the growth he’s had in the past two or three years in this regard. His edge work and pivoting abilities still need work, though, as he doesn’t skate particularly well when rotating and struggles to transition between forward and backward skating. I’m not sure that matters all that much or affects his ability to get to the NHL, but it would certainly be nice if he could turn himself into a threat off the cycle by improving his ability to change direction.
Hockey Sense: 3.5/10
I don’t see a whole lot of vision in Légaré’s game, opting more for using his work ethic to create plays off the forecheck than his smarts. His off-puck movement is pretty unimpressive but he will rarely have a light-bulb moment where he realizes where he needs to be. In those times, that usually ends up with him slipping the defense to put himself in a high-danger area of the ice, usually around the goal mouth. Most of the time, though, Légaré is more content to just park himself in one location until he sees the opportunity to jump into a board battle. I know that seems counterintuitive to my praise for his work ethic, but I believe it’s just because he doesn’t think the game at a high enough level, not because he doesn’t want to try.
Puck Skills: 3/10
Again, Légaré’s game is rooted in playing hard much more than soft skill and IQ. His hands are no exception to that rule — while he does possess somewhat quick lateral movement with his hands, most of that comes to use in entering the zone on the rare occasion he doesn’t dump and chase and I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen him pull off a deke or make a move in tight space.
Shot: 6/10
Without a doubt, Légaré’s best asset is his shot. It was true when he was drafted by the Penguins six years ago, and it’s still true now. He has an extremely heavy release, generating immense amounts of power from his back legs when in stride to get a hard shot off that can beat goaltenders outright. At times, he can also pull out a dangerous one-timer, though his wrist and snap shots are the better of the bunch in my opinion. I’d actually like to see him shoot quite a bit more than he does because I feel as though his release is that good.
Defensive Awareness: 5/10
Defensive play was always an issue for Légaré, but things have simmered down in that regard and he now looks generally poised in his own end. He positions himself well enough to take away shooting lanes and force his man to the outside or to annoy his man with an active poke check. He’s a true puck hound when the opposition is cycling.
Physicality/Size: 7/10
Légaré isn’t a gigantic player, height-wise, at 6’0, but he is an incredibly stocky 205 pounds and uses that heft to his advantage. He’s strong both on and off the puck, contributing heavily to hitting on the forecheck and using power moves to get to the net when the opportunity arises. His motor is incessant, too, and he uses that to annoy opponents along the board and grind away at retrieving the puck back. He won’t turn down an opportunity to lay the body, either, doling out 12 hits in his three games in the big leagues this season and generally being an extraordinarily active forechecker. Players with his frame and work ethic largely use physicality as an asset to their game, and Légaré is no different.
NHL Comparable: Kiefer Sherwood
NHL Ceiling: Fourth Line Energy Winger
NHL Likelihood: Likely
Beyond his skillset, Légaré’s work ethic will get him NHL reps. As head coach Sheldon Keefe said, “He [plays] like a guy that wants to be in the NHL and knows who he is.” For a head coach to note that about a player who has only played a few games in his career is an encouraging sign for the rest of Légaré’s path. It might just be in a 13th-forward capacity or he could see an extended look as a fourth-liner, but I’m fairly confident in saying he’ll play more at the NHL level.
No. 18: Marc McLaughlin (C/RW)
Undrafted — 40 Games Played | 5 Goals | 12 Assists | 17 Total Points — Utica Comets (AHL)
Marc McLaughlin was acquired from the Boston Bruins in exchange for prospect Daniil Misyul, who I’d probably have ranked a tad bit higher than 18th on this list. The undrafted 25-year-old signed right from the NCAA to the Bruins’ organization a few years ago, and though he has had stints in the big leagues, hasn’t really been able to make it work, particularly on a consistent basis. My understanding is that the organization wants to keep him around after this season, when his contract expires.
Skating: 3.5/10
McLaughlin stays upright when skating, raising his center of gravity and thus lowering the amount of power that he's able to generate with each stride. This stymies his top speed pretty heavily which gives the illusion that he isn’t trying as much as he is. I think his ultimate goal is to play with pace, but his lack of footspeed by proxy of his poor mechanics holds him back from doing so. His edgework is outright unremarkable as well.
Hockey Sense: 4/10
I get the feeling in watching McLaughlin that he really wants to do the right thing most of the time and has the brain capacity to understand what he’s supposed to do, though his offensive toolkit — or lack thereof — prevents him from executing at the NHL level.
When things are clicking, though, he can make some nice plays and jump into action pretty well. He is irregularly able to make plays like this, where he sneaks into open ice at a high-danger location and has the wherewithal to continue the play afterward:
Puck Skills: 2.5/10
This is where McLaughlin’s (lack of) skill really bites him more than anything else. Regardless of what his brain wants him to do, his hands simply can’t match. His stickwork is largely slow, clunky, and telegraphed, which allows defenders who are keeping pace with him in one-on-one situations to easily get the puck out of his possession.
Shot: 4/10
I’m not impressed by McLaughlin’s shot, either. I don’t think he generates much power from his wrister or snap shot, and neither is particularly accurate, either. His release, much like his hands, is telegraphed and gives goaltenders time to react and/or position themselves accordingly. The one part of his shooting game I do like is his one-timer, which is particularly lethal off the rush. He doesn’t need to corral the puck to get it off when this situation arises:
Defensive Awareness: 7/10
The best part of McLaughlin’s game, and what will make him an eventual NHLer, is his defensive work. He’s always in the right spot to disturb play for the opposition, turning his active poke checks into the occasional breakaway (which he then, more often than not, fumbles because of his generally lacking skill set). He has great reads and anticipation of play, making him all the more effective at annoying and disturbing his opponents. He’s a gamer in his own end.
Physicality/Size: 6/10
McLaughlin isn’t enormous, at 6’0, 198 pounds, but he doesn’t shy away from physical contact, either. He is hard on the forecheck, as you’d expect from a player with his archetype, and usually comes out with possession of the puck when he’s pinned along the boards. He will every so often drop the mitts, too, though it’s not like that’s an everyday happening for him. His power moves are few and far between but are usually effective at generating scoring chances for him or his teammates.
NHL Comparable: Scott Laughton
NHL Ceiling: 13th Forward
NHL Likelihood: Likely
McLaughlin has already garnered a few NHL looks as either a fourth-line center or 13th forward, but has yet to be able to get consistent playing time. I think this is probably where he’ll be for the rest of his professional career, too — there’s no doubt in my mind that he can make it in a very limited capacity, perhaps one in which he doesn’t have high expectations, but anything beyond that will be a question mark to me. His game just hasn’t improved enough over the years for me to believe that it will take a big enough step forward to make a permanent role for himself in an NHL lineup.
No. 17: Daniil Orlov (LHD)
4th Round, 2022 (110th Overall) — 52 Games Played | 5 Goals | 10 Assists | 15 Total Points — Spartak Moskva (KHL)
Daniil Orlov, at the time of the pick, was considered a bit of a reach, albeit one who could develop into a 6/7D with enough time, patience, and luck. Flash forward three years and things are a bit promising, though there’s still much work to do for the young left-handed blueliner.
Skating: 6/10
Orlov boasts some pretty great speed and acceleration when moving North-South. He generates a good amount of power from his legs in each stride, causing him to reach top speed faster than most of his peers. This is particularly useful off the rush, where he is a legitimate threat in transition and has gone coast-to-coast a handful of times. His edgework is worse than his speed and explosiveness, but I think it’s still a net positive to his game. Orlov has certainly put the work in there, as pre-draft, he was exposed in his respective league for his pivots and lack of lateral chops. Now, it’s no longer a detriment to his game, being able to keep up with attackers when rotating his body and using those edges to get around defenders in transition.
Hockey Sense: 4/10
In a cyclical setting, I like what Orlov brings to the table at times. He’ll jump into the play if he sees an opening, and is effective enough at doling the puck out in the zone to not be a complete liability on that end of things. You’ll notice I said “at times,” though, as he can struggle with consistency in this facet of the game. In other words, I like when he jumps into the play and activates, I’d just like to see it more. In terms of breakouts from his own end, Orlov prefers the puck on his stick, and I’d like to see a bit of development regarding his first pass and which targets to identify on those passes.
Puck Skills: 4/10
I haven’t seen much from Orlov in terms of dekes and dangles, but his puckhandling abilities are fine enough for a defenseman, especially one with skating as strong as his. In transition, he relies more on his legs to get around defenders than his hands, but he has solid enough quickness with his stick to make a spur-of-the-moment side-to-side movement with the puck. He is able to do this in-stride and at full speed, too, truly making him one of the more under-the-radar transition defenders in the Devils’ pipeline.
Shot: 5/10
Orlov possesses a hefty slap shot, which is particularly useful in one-time situations. When in conjunction with his generally strong wherewithal of when to jump into the play and sneak a bit closer to the net, this proves to be an asset, as illustrated below:
His wrist shot is decent, too, being able to get a quick shot off while in stride (as seen in the clip under the blurb about his skating).
I do want to see him use his shot a bit more, particularly when he’s stagnant on the blue line. The power he generates makes him a threat from the top of the zone, and, if anything, blasting a slapper into someone’s shins takes them out of the play for a moment. It sounds horrible, but I want to see more of that.
Defensive Awareness: 5.5/10
Orlov is no slouch in his own zone, either. He is particularly effective at exiting the zone with possession of the puck, which can be attributed to his skating ability more than anything else. Puck retrievals can be a bit of an issue for him at times, occasionally positioning himself poorly along the boards, but once he does gain possession of the puck, you can be sure that it will get out. Orlov also clears the crease pretty well for a defender his size and doesn’t shy away from netfront contact or puck blocking, either.
Physicality/Size: 6/10
As noted above, Orlov has no issue with physical contact, especially when it comes to defending a player who is sitting in front of the net. He engages well along the boards from a physical standpoint, relying more on laying the body than his stick in those situations. In open ice, he doesn’t use his body as much as you’d like to see, instead relying almost exclusively on his stick to force defenders to the outside rather than sealing them off physically. He’s strong, though, when he does play with an edge.
NHL Comparable: Adam Pelech
NHL Ceiling: 7th Defenseman
NHL Likelihood: Somewhat Likely
I really do like the steps forward that Orlov has taken since being drafted, and I’m happy to see that he has, in some regard, proven the haters wrong a bit. There are definitely tools that you’d like to see from a modern-day defenseman, particularly in his mobility, and that might earn him a spot on an NHL roster in a couple of seasons. I want him to succeed.
No. 16: Daniil Karpovich (LHD)
6th Round, 2023 (186th Overall) — 19 Games Played | 1 Goal | 3 Assists | 4 Total Points — Gornyak-UGMK (VHL)
Daniil Karpovich is an incredibly difficult prospect to get a gauge on — not because he hasn’t played, but because he took a one-year hiatus from the Russian pro leagues to play in the Belarusian league, a perplexing move that, in my opinion, certainly stymied his development. Karpovoch was one of my favorite picks from the 2023 draft, with production relative to his league and age being pretty astonishing, particularly for a sixth-round selection. He had/has legitimate tools in his arsenal (particularly a powerful, accurate shot) and the scouting team was correct in touting him as a prospect worth a flier on. As I said, though, the one-year stint in Belarus did not do him any wonders, and it saddens me to think about how many spots higher he’d be on this list if he spent that time developing in a better league.
Skating: 5/10
Karpovich is a bigger defenseman (6’3, 210), but moves particularly well for his size. He keeps up to pace with opposing attackers playing on the rush and skates backward extremely well. His edgework lacks a bit which directly correlates to his general struggles closing gaps on forwards trying to dance around him, but he’s taken some small strides (pun intended) in that facet of his game over time. His straight-line speed and acceleration are solid, though, and he can shift direction well enough with the puck on his stick now to make a dent in transitional work on rare occasions.
Hockey Sense: 5/10
I think Karpovich has some underrated offensive IQ in his toolkit, too. I don’t think he’s necessarily going to stand out but he largely does the little, subtle things right. This doesn’t necessarily result in him getting on the scoresheet, but he makes the small decisions with efficiency and pushes play forward in that regard. In the offensive zone, he will occasionally activate and join the cycle, as illustrated below:
Puck Skills: 2.5/10
Karpovich’s hands are relatively stone-like. He can, very rarely, transition into the zone with a couple of sneaky head fakes and left-right dekes, but that’s about it.
Shot: 6/10
If ever there were a prospect in the Devils’ system with a heavy shot, it’s Karpovich. He uses his back legs to generate loads of power into his slapshot, making it a legitimate threat from all areas of the offensive zone. He has some accuracy issues, as do most who boast a slapper with that much speed, but I assume that that can be fixed with some more reps. His wrister is just alright, though he can beat goalies with it when he’s given time and space, which is a rarity considering that he is a defenseman — that’s where his hockey sense comes in, as he can jump into the flow of play pretty well in order to generate that aforementioned time and space.
Defensive Awareness: 5/10
Karpovich positions himself well defensively, though I feel as though he lets plays develop around him at too high a clip for my liking. By that, I mean that he can appear unengaged at times, allowing his opponents to cycle around the perimeter of where he’s at without challenging them. This makes him look as though he is lazier than he is. What he does do is activate well below the goal line from a physical standpoint, preventing attacking forwards from making their way around the net without a fight.
Physicality/Size: 7/10
Karpovich is a very physical defenseman, crushing opposing forwards with hard shoulder checks, particularly when they are around the back of the net. He engages in fisticuffs more often than he probably wants to, simply because he delivers so many hard hits that can cause some retaliation.
NHL Comparable: Radko Gudas
NHL Ceiling: Third Pair Defenseman
NHL Likelihood: Unlikely
The question, in my opinion, won’t necessarily be “Can Karpovich handle NHL minutes?” but rather “Will Karpovich ever move overseas?”
I do think he’s going to have a skillset that would translate well to playing in a 6/7D capacity in a couple of years, once he irons things out a bit and puts them all together at the KHL level, but in my far-from-expert opinion, I’m not sure it’ll be enough to move the needle for the Devils to where they’re pining for him to come over.
No. 15: Topias Vilén (LHD)
5th Round, 2021 (129th Overall) — 47 Games Played | 1 Goal | 18 Assists | 19 Total Points — Utica Comets (AHL)
15th on the list and the third straight left-handed defenseman, some tout Topias Vilén as an already-NHL-ready defenseman, though I heartily disagree. He is a balanced player, to be sure, and will have an NHL career in all likelihood, but I encourage everyone on that train to take a step back. He’s still just 21 and needs a good bit more time to marinate.
Skating: 5/10
I don’t think his skating is particularly impressive, nor do I believe that it holds him back in any way at all. His top speed and acceleration are average, as is his ability to use his edges in transition to get around defenders. I do like the activity of his feet when roving along the blue line, even if he doesn’t necessarily generate anything offensively from those movements.
Hockey Sense: 6/10
Vilén is a tale of two players when it comes to his hockey sense. On the one hand, he is always smartly positioned in both zones, particularly defensively, and has a small turnover rate because he executes high-probability plays at a high level. On the other, he’s too safe with the puck, and it will prevent him from reaching his ceiling more than anything else. Vilén is outright afraid to make risky plays with the puck, which, sure, will secure an extended possession, but will also prevent his team from generating high-end chances. The one exception to that rule is his aptitude at making plays happen from along the boards, which is somewhat often considering that he is an effective player at pinching when his team is on the cycle. He can also facilitate nifty passing plays when the stars align and he believes that it’s a surefire endeavor, like the sequence below — one in which he got the secondary assist:
Puck Skills: 3/10
As mentioned above in a different light, Vilén struggles with the puck on his stick, and deking is no exception to that rule for him. He rarely pulls out any sort of move to beat a defender or goalie one-on-one, relying mostly on head fakes and the occasional back-and-forth movement but largely ignoring any sort of creativity.
Shot: 4/10
I want Vilén to shoot a hell of a lot more than he does — I actually like the mechanics of his wrister a good amount, and yet he is shooting at a fewer-than-once-per-game rate. His release is quick and somewhat deceptive, being able to change the angle to deceive goaltenders when applicable. His slapshot is pretty unremarkable, though, and not a threat to do any damage when there isn’t an open net he’s shooting at. I would also like to see him utilize screens more from the point with his wrist shot, because, as I said, I think that tool is pretty solid.
Defensive Awareness: 6.5/10
Vilén’s defensive abilities, though, have never been in question. He’s most often in the right spot at the right time to make the right play, positioning himself smartly to break up plays with an active stick or put his body in the way just enough to disturb a passing play or shot path. He clears the crease pretty well for a defender his size, too. When exiting the zone is when I think Vilén is at his best though, as he has a strong first pass to breakout forwards and can take the puck past his own blue line himself at times when that is a warranted path to take.
Physicality/Size: 4.5/10
Vilén isn’t overly physical, but he doesn’t shy away from necessary contact, either. As noted above, he is active in clearing the crease, which requires some level of strength and physicality. He is also active enough in board battles and doesn't shy away from using his body to separate the puck carrier from the puck. He isn’t overwhelmingly big (6’1, 195), but has the strength of the stockier player he is. On occasion, Vilén will lay a meaningful hit in the corner that leaves his opponent on the ground for a few seconds, but that is a rarity and he only pulls it out when he gauges that it’s the absolute best play to make.
NHL Comparable: Sean Walker
NHL Ceiling: Third Pair Defenseman
NHL Likelihood: Likely
Again, I do think he’ll have an NHL career, it might just take some more time. He’s upped his playing time in Utica this year, though the results haven’t quite been as good. For a player who fans would have you believe is a surefire NHLer, taking a step backward in the minor leagues isn’t a great start, and, while I understand that development is less than linear, it’s still a discouraging sign. He’s going to need a significant step forward for me to believe he’ll truly make it in a third-pair capacity like many believe he will.
I hope you enjoyed part four of the Devils’ pipeline breakdown. Stay tuned for the next edition, covering prospects No. 14 through No. 10.