For months, both before Ray Shero became the team's new general manager and since, the talk has been about the Devils' need for goal-scoring and quality forwards.

Yet don't be surprised if the Devils select a defenseman with the sixth overall pick in the NHL entry draft which begins June 26 in Sunrise, Fla.

"I think a defenseman is really in play," Devils' director of scouting David Conte told NJ Advance Media.

"How do you say no to a guy who is projected to be Drew Doughty? So, no, (picking a forward in the first round) is not a given. There are some very good defensemen involved in these top picks. I'm sure the teams ahead of us are thinking that, too."

Noah Hanifin, a 6-3, 202-pound defenseman born in Boston, was one of more than 80 prospects interviewed by the Devils in Buffalo, N.Y., during the NHL scouting combine.

"He's like everybody else says about him," Conte noted. "We've been watching him for four years when he was in prep school (at Saint Sebastian's School in Needham, Mass.) There is nothing wrong with this guy."

But is there something wrong with using the Devils' first-round pick to select a defenseman when the team is already deep in young talent at that position? Especially since Shero and predecessor Lou Lamoriello have admitted the team needs offensive help up front?

"When we drafted Martin Brodeur (20th overall) in 1990), we also drafted Mike Dunham (53rd that year) and Corey Schwab (200th). And we also had Sean Burke, Chris Terreri and Craig Billington (already in the organization) You took the best player."

Scott Stevens:

Wants to stay with Devils

At the same time, Conte said the Devils chose Adam Larsson fourth overall in 2011 because the organization needed defensemen.

"It is a very good draft. I think it's a question of getting a player who is the right player for you," Conte stressed. "And there are three our four defensemen that are big, mobile and skilled. And there is elite goal-scoring like (Dylan) Strome and (Timo) Meier. Big strong guys like (Lawson) Crouse and (Pavel) Zacha. There is everything. It's what is right for our team."

Rich Chere may be reached at rchere@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Ledger_NJDevils. Find NJ.com on Facebook.