Why New Jersey Kept Their Pick

With an exciting playoff run coming to an even more exciting end for the Los Angeles Kings, the silly season has officially begun in the NHL. For those unaware, the silly season refers to three events in the NHL: the trading deadline, the week leading up to the NHL draft when teams often make lots of trades (next week), and first day when unrestricted free agents (UFAs) can sign with any team of their desire - July 1st.

It's been a while since I've blogged, but I'll probably be blogging pretty regularly the next three weeks as my schedule is lighter than it has been in years as I continue searching for a teaching job.

Anyway, this blog is going to focus on the New Jersey Devils and why they decided to keep their first round pick this year.

Here's a quick background:

• New Jersey singed Ilja Kovalchuk to a ridiculous contract two summers ago that the NHL ruled was illegal. They then penalized the Devils and said they had to forfeit one of their first round picks in the next four years. 

• Last year they were 4th overall, and obviously chose to keep their pick.

• This year, being the loser in the Cup Finals, they have the 29th (out of 30) pick overall. Thus, most anticipated they would give it up. 

• But... they didn't.

So why didn't they? Well, in the previously linked blog the reporter, Tom Gulitti, says that he spoke with Devil's GM Lou Lamoriello earlier in the day, so it's not like he forgot to notify the NHL. In my mind, there's only two reasons that make any sense as to why New Jersey would keep this pick. They are as follows:

1. The Devils plan on using the pick to select a goaltender of the future - possibly Malcom Subban who most mock drafts having going right around where New Jersey will be picking. The Devils would do this as future-Hall-of-Fame Martin Brodeur likely has only a year or two left before he'll retire leaving a major hole for the Devils. 
2. The plan on using the pick to trade for a young goaltender - maybe Jonathan Bernier of the LA Kings. Doing this would allow the team to have Brodeur mentor the young goalie for a year or two before giving the keys to the net tot that goalie.

The bottom line is that New Jersey desperately needs a plan for when Marty decides to retire, and dealing with this issue is the only reason why I would see the team holding on to this year's pick. Of course some people may think it's just Lamoriello being stubborn, which while possible, he's proven to be a smart and calculated GM in his time and this would be a very bad move as they may never have as low of a draft pick in the next two years. 

It'll be interesting to see how they choose to use the pick.