The draft brings out lots of stars and plenty of busts. Find out the New Jersey Devils’ biggest draft busts since 2000.
While in recent memory the New Jersey Devils have had some promising draft picks to take to the ice and find success, Jersey’s team also had some former draft selections that could be labeled as memorable busts.
Post-2003, after New Jersey won its third Stanley Cup in less than a decade, the Devils had some dark times and in large part because of how poorly the team drafted.
ESNY takes a look back at the Devils’ top three draft busts since 2000.
David Hale – Defense
Due to New Jersey’s perennial success from 1994 up until 2010, the Devils’ early-to-mid round selections weren’t that much more valuable because the team either parted ways with those picks or had the latter end for each respective round.
In 2000, New Jersey prepared to take a direction at improving the future of the team’s blue line when the team selected defenseman David Hale with the 22nd-overall-selection in the NHL Entry Draft. From 2000 up until 2008, Hale was one of two defensemen that New Jersey selected with the team’s first draft pick (Matt Corrente; 2006).
With that being said, the expectations were that much higher for the former first-round draft pick. Though, Hale never came close to meeting those standards.
The Colorado Springs native would play in parts of three seasons with New Jersey and acted as one of the team’s bottom-three defensemen. Considering that neither Scott Niedermayer nor Scott Stevens was still on the team’s roster for a majority of Hale’s tenure, there was plenty of room for the 6-foot-1 blueliner to grow into one of the team’s better skaters.
Hale was traded to the Calgary Flames during the 2006-07 campaign in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2007, which turned out to be Nick Palmieri.
In 146 career appearances with the Devils, Hale recorded zero goals and nine assists but did finish with a plus/minus rating of +19.
Hale would play in parts of two seasons with the Flames before joining the likes of the (then) Phoenix Coyotes (2008-09), Tampa Bay Lightning (2009-10) and Ottawa Senators (2010-11).
NEXT: Devils Draft Bust No. 2
Mattias Tedenby – Winger
There was much anticipation for the Devils future on offense after New Jersey selected Swedish born, Mattias Tedenby, with the 24th-overall-selection at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
However, for a number of reasons, Tedenby never developed into the NHL playmaker that he was scouted out to be.
While the small forward ended up making his NHL appearance much sooner than a majority of the team’s former first-round draft-picks (2010-11), “Teddy’s” inconsistent performance on the ice eventually impacted his status in the team’s everyday lineup on offense.
The left-handed shooter skated in 58 contests for the Devils in 2010-11 and even recorded six points in his first seven games played with New Jersey (three goals, three assists). His third career goal was scored in exciting fashion and really impressed Jersey’s fanbase after he found the back of the net on a penalty shot against the Washington Capitals in a 5-0 victory.
Still, the remainder of the season was an ongoing struggle for Tedenby, considering he would only record 16 points in his next 51 games with the Devils (five goals, 11 assists).
While the youngster was surrounded with plenty of talent in 2011-12, and the Devils reached the 2012 Stanley Cup Final, Tedenby only netted one goal and chipped in five helpers for a total of six points in 43 regular-season games. It had appeared the writing had been on the wall for the 5-foot-9 forward who was constantly pushed off of the puck along the boards and struggled to compete with league’s stronger skaters.
Tedenby only dressed in a total of 19 games over the next two seasons (one goal, one assist), before he officially called quits on playing in the NHL after the 2013-14 season. Though, he did also spend parts of each of those past three seasons skating in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Albany Devils.
Keep in mind that former New Jersey Devils forward, Adam Henrique, was also selected by the Devils at the 2008 NHL draft but with the 82-overall-selection.
The former Devil in Tedenby has spent the past four seasons overseas playing for the HV71 Jonkoping of the Swedish Hockey League.
NEXT: Devils Draft Bust No. 3
Stefan Matteau - Winger
After the New Jersey Devils were able to sign forward Ilya Kovalchuk to a mega-contract deal back in the 2010 offseason, the NHL handed out a penalty to the Devils which would see the team forfeit future draft picks. As a part of that penalty, the Devils had the option to forfeit a first-round-pick at either 2012, 2013 or 2014’s NHL Draft.
The Devils and (then) general manager, Lou Lamoriello, decided to utilize the team’s first-round draft pick in 2012 and what was considered one of the weaker draft classes in recent memory. With the 29-overall-selection, New Jersey made a bold move and drafted Stefan Matteau from the United States Development Team.
Yes, the son of former New York Ranger, Stephane Matteau … let’s not continue with that story.
While it was a risky move to follow through using the first-round draft pick, Matteau was destined to be one of the Devils’ biggest draft busts of all-time. Prior to being drafted, the Quebec, native was labeled as a bottom-six forward more times than not, but New Jersey and (then) team scout David Conte, felt as though he’d pan out to be a legitimate power forward.
According to Mike Morreale of NHL.com, Matteau envisioned himself being an NHL caliber skater similar to James van Riemsdyk, Scott Hartnell or Vincent Lecavalier.
Well, Matteau struck out on that one, literally.
In parts of three seasons with New Jersey, it was apparent Matteau wasn’t cut out to be an NHL skater; he was heavy on his feet, never utilized his “size” which was his supposed strength and he was never in a good position out on the ice to make matters worse, either.
There were rumors that he had an attitude problem and didn’t appreciate that he wasn’t seeing enough ice time – granted he was lucky to have even made the Devils’ roster from 2013-2016.
In 44 career games with New Jersey, Matteau netted three goals and recorded two assists for a total of five points, and his play also entailed a plus/minus rating of -10. For a skater that averaged 10:00 of ice-time per game, the plus/minus rating speaks volumes.
Here are list of notable skaters that were drafted after Matteau; Tanner Pearson (Los Angeles, 30); Colton Parayko (St. Louis, 86); Shayne Gostisbehere (Philadelphia, 78) Jimmy Vesey (Nashville, 66) Matt Murray (Pittsburgh, 83); Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg, 130) Frederick Andersen (Anaheim, 87).
Current GM, Ray Shero, eventually traded Matteau to the Montreal Canadiens in Feb. of 2016.
Considering how important draft picks were for the Devils at the time and that the team could have forfeited that year’s first-round-pick, Stefan Matteau goes down as New Jersey’s biggest draft bust since 2000.