Two Sixth-Round Draft Targets for the New Jersey Devils

Evaluating two potential fits for the New Jersey Devils at the 172nd overall pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.

Jun 24, 2026

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With the 2026 NHL Entry Draft going down less than a week from now and the Devils in possession of five picks, I’ll be going through a ton of prospects over the next several weeks in order to prepare readers for appealing targets in every round. At the end, I’ll be doing a full mock draft (with reasoning) so that you’ll be able to decipher my preferred targets. Enjoy!

All 2026 NHL Entry Draft Profiles:

Before I begin outlining a couple of players I have interest in for the Devils’ 172nd overall selection, I would like to start with a couple of things —

The Simon Nemec trade was excellent. To be quite frank, it doesn’t matter to me if the first-round picks are late firsts — if we’re going to argue that the firsts are “basically seconds” then you also have to argue that the second-round pick acquired is “basically a first.” Getting that much draft capital, which I think is going to be flipped, for a seemingly disgruntled defenseman who was reportedly asking for $9 million per season and had consistently putrid underlying numbers is excellent work, whether or not that player is a former second overall pick. At some point, you have to start evaluating based on what the player is and has been rather than what he could be based on his draft pedigree. For Sunny Mehta’s first move, it was excellent.
I will be doing one long-form profile on a player available at the 35th overall selection (which the Devils acquired by dealing Nemec) tomorrow, prior to my full mock draft, but wanted to shout out a couple other players who might be of intrigue at that spot:
1. Marcus Nordmark (LW, 6’2, 187) averaged over two points per game in the U20 Nationell playoffs by proxy of incredible offensive talent. He has a high-end shot and excellent vision, but his skating, work ethic, and physicality make him much more of a high-ceiling passenger than a playdriver. He’s one of the truer boom-or-bust players in the entire class — all by virtue of these very high highs and very low lows within his game — but is an interesting target nonetheless. I have a tough time evaluating whether or not Nordmark’s legitimate top-six offensive upside is worth the chance that he never plays in the show.
2. Juho Pipparainen (RHD, 6’2, 205) was once a consensus first-round pick (and I have him as such in my own personal rankings), but he seems to have fallen to early second-round projections over the course of the last couple of months. He’s a very well-balanced defenseman who can conceivably and projectably contribute to an NHL roster as a strong two-way No. 4 or No. 5 defenseman. He makes plays under duress on the breakout and a strong first pass, has strong skating mechanics and four-way mobility that allow him to keep pace with oncoming rush attackers, and he is a dawg in board battles.
3. Gleb Pugachyov (RW, 6’3, 198) isn’t my favorite target simply because his ceiling is somewhat limited, but is a near-lock to play in the NHL in a bottom-six role. He skates like the wind with an unstoppable motor and excellent explosiveness and is outright the most violent player in the entire draft. Not a single player in the class has the intention of hurting his opponents as much as Pugachyov does, and given his strength on and off the puck and his excellent skating ability, he projects as a better, more physical version of Miles Wood.

Now that we got those out of the way, let’s chat about a couple of sixth-round bets the Devils should take. Of course, again, projecting these players is more or less a crapshoot, so I’m not holding my breath in expectations that they’ll make the NHL. They do, however, have a good few attractive qualities as players.

Philippe Veilleux (LW)

5’9, 174 Pounds | 43G & 53A (96 TP) in 64 QMJHL Games

Those of you who have been following me for a while might remember that I had Philippe Veilleux on my radar as a potential draftee last season. I’m a big fan of what he brings to the table, even as an overager.

First and foremost are his brain and feel for the puck, both of which are simply high-end. He knows how to manipulate time and space at a high level, has the puckhandling ability to dance around multiple defenders, and is a superb passer. Veilleux consistently finds cross-ice seams and can thread passes through traffic with ease. He’s a threat to make a high-danger pass from literally anywhere on the ice — from the perimeter, from behind the net, from the slot; it legitimately does not matter. He developed his processing speed even further this season, being a huge proponent of give-and-go plays and one-touch passes.

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From a shooting perspective, Veilleux has even further bettered his already above-average mechanics. His one timer is just fine, but his wrister is extremely deceptive and he can catch and release a puck in a split second. Beyond that, he knows how to position himself and read the defense to always be in a spot to shoot unimpeded.

Defensively, Veilleux still needs some work, but there was some tangible improvement in his motor and skating this season that made him more of a counter-attack threat than he ever has been. Size and physicality will always be the biggest concern for Veilleux’s game, considering that he gets bumped off the puck extremely easily and has about zero physical elements to his game other than the occasional knock to establish body positioning. He simply needs to improve there to hit the “boom” part of his boom-or-bust third-line projection. I was hoping to see him committed to the NCAA next season — he was originally slated to join Northeastern University, where he would be forced to develop the physical side of the game — but it was announced recently that he would be returning to the QMJHL next season as well.

Casper Juustovaara Karlsson (C/LW)

5’9, 168 Pounds | 4G & 2A (6 TP) in 31 SHL Nationell Games

Another diminutive forward with projectable skill — one who will likely be there at 172 — is Casper Juustovaara Karlsson, who logged an impressive 31 SHL games as a 5’9 forward this season.

As is common with players of this frame, work ethic is the name of the game for Juustovaara Karlsson. He’s sports one of the top motors in the entire class, consistently out-battling opponents of much bigger statures, engaging aggressively on the forecheck, and drawing penalties. He has room to become even stockier, too, which will only aid in these endeavors and add a bit more power to his already above-average first few steps.

I’m higher than most on his playdriving capabilities, too. As with most youngsters, getting ice time isn’t easy for the SHL, and I think that limited the perception of his chops more than it should have. at the World Junior Championship, we were able to see flashes of legitimate playmaking and facilitation, like the below example of trying a cross-crease play that ultimately bounced off a defender’s skate and in:

I also think Juustovaara Karlsson’s off-puck positioning is a strength, understanding where to be and when to be there in order to capitalize on a play both in the offensive zone and defensive zone. He recognizes that his slightness allows him to slide into uncovered ice unnoticed.

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