QUEBEC CITY P.Q. — When looking the overall selections made by the New Jersey Devils during last weekends NHL Entry Draft, size and strength appeared to be the trend the organization went with. Besides their first overall selection (20th overall) Jacob Josefson who is 6 foot 187 pounds, all other selections were 6′ 1″ bigger. Heading into the draft, New Jersey General Manager Lou Lamoriello never thought that the European center would still be available when their turn came around at 23 so the Devils made sure that they could grab the Stockholm native by making a trade to move up to number 20 and assure themselves the right to select Josefson. In the recent draft guide edition of THE HOCKEY NEWS, it describes Josefson as a two-way center that didn’t have a chance to show his real talents at the World Junior championships this past winter. He is a smart offensive player who played most of the WJC with a stomach flu which could explain why he had a disastrous tournament. Josefson’s strength are his hockey sense, and is an excellent two-way player who has the ability to create space. In the eyes of Devils organization, he was too good a player not to to move up for at 20. With their second round selection New Jersey went for a 6′ 2″ 190 pound defenseman Eric Gelinas from the QMJHL’s Lewiston MAINEiacs. The young native of Ottawa, Ontario offers a great combination of size and mobility. He is great competitor who likes to go into the corners to finish his checks. Gelinas is an offensive defenseman who plays well defensively and ended the 2008-09 season with 39 points 10 goals. He is physically impressive (6’ 4″) and will continue to grow. His father Marc is 6’ 8″ and some might suggest the Eric could grow at least anohter inch or two and become a defenseman in the mold of a Chris Pronger type of player. With their third round selection (73rd overall was acquired last year from the Minnesota Wild), New Jersey went for defenseman Alexander Urbom who is listed at 6’ 3″ 196 and has a reputation for playing a physical style of game. In 2007-08 with his Djurgarden Jr. team Urbom ended the season with 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 39 games with 54 penalty minutes. The next season he had five goals and six assists. With their fourth round pick the Devils went for another defenseman who played in the USHL with Sioux City. Seth Helgerson ended last season with 16 points (4g-12a) in 56 games. Helgerson (6’ 3″ 220) is described as a classic defensive-defenseman who will make life miserable for opponent. He was rated 58th by The Hockey News but New Jersey was able to select him with the 114th pick overall. He will patrol the Minnesota Golden Gophers (NCAA) blueline next season. He knows how to use his size to his advantage and will be a guy you will hate to play against. With the 144th pick overall, New Jersey opted for a Alberta Junior Hockey League product name Derek Rodwell, a 6’ 1″ 190 pound left winger with the Okotoks Oilers. Last year he had 29 points, 17 goals 12 assists. in 41 games. Rodwell will attend North Dakota University next year in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Ashton Bernard, from the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes, was the 174th overall selection in round six. The 6’ 4″ 197 pounder is mostly an enforcer. He ended last season with four points, three goals and one assist) and 111 penalty minutes in 53 games. With their last pick of the weekend, 204th overall, New Jersey went for another defenseman in Curtis Gedig of the Cowichan Valley Capitals (BCHL). He began the 2008-09 season with the Merritt Centennials before being traded to Cowichan Valley. He accumulated a total of 18 points (4g-14a) in 46 games. In the June 27th edition of the Star Ledger, Lamoriello spoke about his organizations draft selections. “Once we got the first player we wanted, our focus was on size and strength.” “We are more pleased with this draft then we thought. We really address our size and strength.” Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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