Devils tab Mercer and Mukhamadullin

 The New Jersey Devils completed their first round haul with the selections of Dawson Mercer at 18 and Shakir Mukhamadullin with the 20th pick.

Dawson Mercer turns 19 before the end of the month and was announced as a right winger, but some see him as a center with the versatility to play either forward position.

Mercer spent last season with both Drummondville and Chicoutimi in the Quebec junior league, scoring 24 goals with 36 assists in 42 games combined between the two teams.

Mercer is reported to have an active offensive game that never stops moving, and the biggest rap on him appears to be his skating, which isn't a strong suit.

However, Mercer isn't a Clydesdale either as a skater and sometimes when skating ability is scouted, the elite young skaters can tend to drop everyone else a notch or a half in evaluating, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Mercer is projected to be a second-line scorer with the possibility of a first-line right wing on some teams

It appears that most of the draft gurus had Mercer rated in the 15-23 range, so the Devils didn't reach for Mercer and the guys at All About the Jersey seem to be pleased with the selection.

The Devils made their final first rounder two picks after Dawson Mercer and it was a bit of a polarizing selection in Russian defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin.

Mukhamadullin is currently playing in the KHL at 18, although that is somewhat related to Covid-19 problems in the KHL, and at 6'4 with a big shot, Mukhamadullin seems to be loaded with potential.

However, some believe that Mukhamadullin is very raw and in twenty-seven KHL games in 2019-20, posted only one assist, although he was extremely young at 17 and likely didn't receive a lot of prime minutes.

However, thus far in the new KHL season, Mukhamadullin is reportedly starring among the much older competition and showing the possibilities that his game could eventually provide.

This seems to sum the opinions on 

Mukhamadullin- some look at the size and shot and see a player that has the potential to be a top pairing defenseman that can play the point on the power play.

Others saw a player that struggles to move the puck, makes questionable decisions and some had him rated as low as a third round prospect.

All about the Jersey discusses the upside with Mukhamadullin and the risks involved as well.

While I'm not knowledgable about Mukhamadullin, he does seem to be the type of player that teams with multiple first rounders are more willing to gamble on than those that have just one shot.

I suppose the Devils had a few safer avenues if they chose to do so.

And you could make a case that Tom Fitzgerald may have felt that after selecting two forwards that he needed to come away with a defenseman with that final pick, but you have to give him credit for picking a player that comes with risks, but has star potential.