Welcome to The Athletic‘s coverage of the 2019 NHL draft.



I’ll be commenting throughout the night on the picks made in the first round with my thoughts on the players picked, as well as what each pick means for the organization.



Check out Pronman’s complete preview of the draft and all of The Athletic’s coverage from Vancouver.



New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, C, USNTDP-USHL



May 14, 2001 | 5-foot-10 | 168 pounds



Jack Hughes is one of the best USA prospects to be a first-year, draft-eligible prospect and could be the first USNTDP player to make the direct jump to the NHL. What makes Hughes a top prospect isn’t his skill level, but his pace. He’s a unique skater who is so tough when he gets going with speed. Defenses can see it coming, and they still can’t stop it. His speed is dangerous but particularly his edge work is special. He spins off pressure so well and can create space for himself like few...