As the 2023 NHL Draft is a few weeks away, in the lead up to this year's picks we'll take a look back to recent Devils drafts and where those selections are now.
In the 2018 NHL Draft, the Devils had six total selections: the 17th overall pick, a Fourth Round pick, two picks in the Fifth Round, a Sixth Round pick, and a Seventh Round pick. New Jersey traded several picks from this draft including their Second Round pick (48th overall) to the New York Rangers and their Third Round pick (79th overall) to the Anaheim Ducks.
First Round, 17th Overall
Kicking things off with the 17th pick in the First Round, the Devils selected defenseman Ty Smith from the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League. Smith made his NHL debut for the Devils on Jan. 14, 2021 against the Boston Bruins where he scored his first NHL goal. The defenseman went on to play 48 games in his rookie season where he had two goals and 21 assists for 23 points which led all NHL rookie defensemen. In his sophomore season Smith played 66 games and contributed five goals and 15 assists. On July 16, 2022 Smith was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 2023 third-round pick for defenseman John Marino.
Fourth Round, 110th Overall
With their first selection on the second day of the NHL Draft, the Devils picked another defenseman, Xavier Bernard from the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Bernard attended the Devils 2019 development camp before returning to the Q for more development. He never signed an NHL deal with New Jersey but has played two season of professional hockey in the AHL and ECHL. In the defenseman's most recent season he played for the Belleville Senators and Bakersfield Condors.
Fifth Round, 136th Overall
In a pick the Devils received from the Arizona Coyotes, that was originally the Calgary Flames' Fifth Round pick, New Jersey selected goaltender Akira Schmid from Langnau-2 in the Swiss Junior League. Schmid played his first six NHL games during the 2021-22 season before he had a breakout year during the 2022-23 campaign.
This season, the Devils goaltender filled in when either Mackenzie Blackwood or Vitek Vanecek were injured and he went 9-5-2 through 18 games played and 14 starts. Schmid continued to turn heads during the 2023 playoffs where he helped the Devils bounce back from a 0-2 start against the Rangers in the First Round to win the series and advance to the Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes. Schmid showed a level of calmness and growth during the 2022-23 season which helped the Devils pick up key wins in the regular season and post-season. The Devils goaltender finished the 2022-23 regular season with a 2.13 goals against average and a .922 save percentage with one shutout, and had a 2.35 goals against average and .921 save percentage with two shutouts in the 2023 Playoffs.
Schmid is entering the final year of his entry-level contract with the Devils and he will be a restricted free agent at the conclusion of next season.
Fifth Round, 141st Overall
Only five picks separated Schmid from the Devils next selection in the Fifth Round, forward Yegor Sharangovich from the Minsk Dynamo in the Kontinental Hockey League. Sharangovich made his NHL debut for the Devils on Jan. 14, 2021 against the Boston Bruins and two nights later scored the game-winning goal against Boston. Sharangovich went on to play 54 games in his rookie season where he added 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points. During the 2021-22 campaign, Sharangovich played 76 games, had 24 goals and 22 assists for 46 points. In the forward's most recent season, Sharagnovich played 75 games for New Jersey where he was trying to find his role within the team. He finished the year with 13 goals and 17 assists in the regular season and played three playoff games.
Sharangovich just finished up a two-year contact with the Devils and he is a restricted free agent who is arbitration eligible this summer.
Sixth Round, 172nd Overall
Center Mitchell Hoelscher from the Ottawa 67's in the Ontario Hockey League was the Devils sixth round pick in the 2018 Draft. The forward was one of several Devils prospects playing for the 67's and he attended the Devils 2019 Development Camp. Hoelscher did not sign an NHL contract with the Devils but has gone on to play professional hockey in the AHL and ECHL.
Hoelscher just finished his third season of pro hockey where he primarily played for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the AHL. In his career, he has also played for the Belleville Senators.
Seventh Round, 203rd Overall
Eetu Pakkila, a left wing from Karpat-2 in the Finnish Junior League wrapped up the Devils selections at the 2018 NHL Draft. Pakkila has played his entire hockey career in Finland and recently finished his fourth season with Ilves in Liiga, the top pro-league in Finland. He never signed a NHL contract with the Devils and is expected to play with Ilves in the upcoming 2023-24 season.
