THREE THINGS: The 2020 NHL Draft

After two-days, seven rounds, and many, many dreams coming true, the 2020 NHL Entry Draft was completed on Wednesday evening. NHL teams have re-stocked their cupboards with what they hope is the next generation of the top talent in the league, ready to help their franchises reach great heights. Whether a team was drafting first overall, or with the 219th pick, there are many stories waiting to be told on the future of these players.

1. A FIRST IN THE FIRST

For the first time in New Jersey Devils history, the club had in their possession three picks in the first round. By the night's end, the Devils had elected to use all three to add prospects into the mix, not making any trades on Day One of the draft.
With their selections, the Devils picked a winger, center, and defenseman. With the seventh overall selection, Alexander Holtz from Sweden entered into the New Jersey mix. Holtz looked beyond excited in his media availability just after the pick was made. He is still in Sweden, currently playing with his Swedish Hockey League club Djurgårdens, and when the pick was made it was nearly 4 a.m. for him. He stayed up and admitted that although it was early in the morning "I think we will party for one or two more hours!"
With the 18th pick, the team added a centerman from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Dawson Mercer who plays for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. In 60 games played this past season in the Q, Mercer played 42 games scoring 60 points.
At 20, Shakir Mukamadullin was selected out of Russia. The hulking 6'4 defenseman plays with Ufa in the KHL.

2. WHERE IN THE WORLD?

After the seven rounds were complete, a total of 216 players were selected as teams closed their books on their draft tables. This year 70 Canadian's were taken, the highest number of any country, followed by the United States' 52 players. Sweden rounded out the top three with 32 players now drafted.
Following Canada, US, and Sweden, Russia had 24 players drafted, followed by Finland's 16, Germany's four, Austria's three, while Belarus and Slovakia had two players each, and Great Britain, Latvia, and Norway all had a single-player emerge from their countries.
The top league's represented were the Ontario Hockey League (31), the Western Hockey League (28) and Sweden Jr. League (24). The United State Hockey League (23) and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (19) rounded out the top five.

3. POSITIONED FOR SUCCESS

When all was said and done, the calculations were in. Of the 216 players drafted, the center and defenseman position were the most sought after with 61of each selected in the seven rounds. 39 right-wingers were selected, 35 left-wings, and 20 goaltenders.
As for New Jersey, the team drafted one right-wing, selecting Holtz with their first pick (7th overall), four centers, two defensemen, and one goalie.

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