CB:Who should the Devils target in that second-overall spot?
MM:That second overall spot, it's all obviously depending on what Montreal wants to do. But if Montreal were to choose a Shane Wright, I think Juraj Slafkovsky from TPS in Finland would be a great option for the Devils. Big sized kid. I mean, obviously, he was MVP at the Olympics. The Devils needs size on the wings, in my opinion, and there has been talk this week at the combine that perhaps Slafkovsky might even shift so that he could play that center role as well. So to have that double-edged sword, where you might have a big six-foot-two, 207-pound player that can play the middle of the ice, maybe take some faceoffs, and also play that wing where he'd be strong along the boards. I think it'd be a perfect fit for a Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier in that regard. And then if you know if Slafkovsky isn't there, and they have a chance to pick up a Shane Wright, a right-handed center, it's another great option...
CB:What are some of the things that a Devils team might look at (at the Combine), whether it's testing or interview questions.
MM:I think the interviewing process is the most important part of the combine, in my opinion. I mean, the testing is good. And I think for the testing portion of this, I think what scouts what general managers really want to see is the push, the drive of these players. It's not necessarily how many reps they have, or the timing on the bikes, which we all know is grueling. But just to see these players push. They want to see if they're gonna go 100% when the going gets tough, and I think that's an important part for the testing. For me personally, though, I like the interview process of this. I mean, teams are able to learn about these players, where they're from, their upbringing, how difficult it might have been for them, and in the case of Juraj Slafkovsky, he's coming over from Slovakia. He's lived in Finland the past three years, and he's really done a nice job with what he has been able to accomplish. So there's stories there that I think the general managers and scouts really want to dive into to learn more about these players. So for me, I love the interviewing process.
