Meet the New Jersey Devils 2024 draft class

The New Jersey Devils did a few trades during the 2024 RHL draft that impacted their draft ranks. 

First they traded their 2025 first rd pick to Utah for three second rd pick: #44, #61 and #62. Later in the draft they traded a 4th rd pick (CAR), Nick Blankenburg and a 2025 6th rd pick to the New York Islanders for two 4th rd picks (#114 and #126) and a 2025 7th rd pick. After that they swapped a 2025 7th rd pick for a 2024 7th rd pick to the Winnipeg Jets. Finally they acquired two additionnal 7th rd picks by trading Axel Johnson-Fjallby to the Vancouver Canucks for a 2026 4th rd pick and a 2024 7th rd pick and by trading prospects Patrick Moynihan, Nikola Pasic and Gustav Karlsson to the Winnipeg Jets for a late 7th rd pick (#214).

This resulted in a lot of picks spread all across the draft: 

1st (28), 2nd(44,61,62), 3rd (92), 4th (114,126), 7th (200,214,217,220 and 222). 

Now let’s dive into the selections:

Pick #28

Name: Andrew Basha

Position: LW

Height: 5’11’’

Weight: 174 lbs

Place of birth: Calgary, AB, Canada

Team: Médecine Hat Tigers

Basha is an incredibly talented player with exceptionally quick footwork. His excellent offensive vision allows him to set up his teammates and position himself perfectly to finish plays. His talent and explosiveness also enable him to create opportunities for himself, making Basha a highly dangerous offensive threat. While it's true that he benefited from the talent around him, as the Tigers are filled with skilled players, we are convinced that Andrew was a driving force within the team.

Pick #44

Name: Matvei Gridin

Position: 

Height: 6’1’’

Weight: 185 lbs

Place of birth: Kurgan, Russia

Team: Muskegon Lumberjack

We discovered Matvei Gridin while scouting Sasha Boisvert, another elite forward available in this year's draft. When they were on the ice together, they dominated the competition with ease. In fact, Matvei's talent and positioning sometimes give the impression that he's not the most dedicated player on the ice. That said, we are confident that he will adjust his intensity as he moves up to higher levels, especially since he has the athleticism and desire to succeed.

Pick #61

Name: Tanner Howe

Position: LW

Height: 5’10’’

Weight: 185 lbs

Place of birth: Prince Albert, SK, Canada

Team: Regina Pats 

Tanner Howe played alongside Connor Bedard last season, and it was difficult to determine at the time if his offensive production was solely due to his teammate's exceptional talent. This year, in Bedard's absence, Tanner has shown that he can be an offensive leader, even on a lower-tier team. With his determination and abrasive playing style, we are confident that he will find his way to the NHL. 

Pick #62

Name: Dominik Badinka

Position: D

Height: 6’3’’

Weight: 185 lbs

Place of birth: Chomutov, CZE

Team: Malmo, Redhawks

Dominik Badinka left his native Czech Republic to play in Sweden to develop his talent, and it’s clear that it has paid off. In him, we see a raw diamond to polish, as his skating, intensity, and reach give him the tools to become a top-pairing defenseman. He will need to improve his decision-making, especially during offensive rushes. Additionally, by increasing his physical strength, his play in the defensive zone should naturally improve, as he sometimes loses one-on-one battles.

Pick #92

Name: Matvei Shuravin

Position: D

Height: 6’4’’

Weight: 218 lbs

Place of birth: Moskva, Russia

Team: Moskva, CSKA

Matvei Shuravin is a large defenseman with excellent skating ability. His lateral movements are smooth, and he moves gracefully on the ice. His imposing physique makes his defensive work easier, even in the KHL despite his young age. However, his shot isn't very threatening, and his decisions in the offensive zone tend to stall plays. He will need to improve these aspects of his game to take on a predominant role in the NHL. Otherwise, his strengths should allow him to comfortably fill a 5th or 6th defenseman role. 

Pick #114

Name: Alexandre Blais

Position: C

Height: 5’10’’

Weight: 154 lbs

Place of birth: Longueuil, QC, Canada

Team: HIFK

Alexandre Blais is undoubtedly one of the most talented forwards in the draft; his skating and hands are elite. However, at just 154 pounds, he is very light, which will likely hinder his development as he faces stronger, more mature players at higher levels. He's the type of "boom or bust" player, where it's top 6 or nothing. In short, it's a risk we're willing to take, but from the 4th round onwards, this is the preferred approach.

Pick #126

Name: Oskar Vuollet

Position: D

Height: 5’11’’

Weight: 181 lbs

Place of birth: Skelleftea, Sweden

Team: Skelleftea AIK

Similar to our previous pick, we see Oskar Vuollet as a "high risk, high reward" type of forward. In his case, it's his shot and work ethic that stand out to us. Within our organization, he reminds us of Emil Bemstrom. Like Bemstrom, his challenge will be to establish himself as a regular in the NHL, as having strengths on the power play alone isn’t enough. He'll need to improve his 200-foot game.