This offseason was much different than last offseason. The New Jersey Devils went into last season with everyone thinking their first-round pick was going to make the roster. Nico Hischier wasn’t just any first-round pick, he was the first-overall pick in the 2017 draft.
This season, the Devils made the playoffs. That means their pick was much later in the first round. They picked at 17, and chose defenseman Ty Smith.
Boy, what a pick that’s turning out to be. Yes, it’s just weeks into this kid’s career, but all signs point to him being quite good.