The New Jersey Devils Are Taking Cale Makar With The First Overall Pick, Says The NHL Authority That Is ESPN

New post at ESPN Insider, 2017 NHL Mock Draft. Cale Makar is the projected first overall pick. https://t.co/m1nBOwM9ED

— (((Corey Pronman))) (@coreypronman) June 22, 2017

Pronman: "[It] has been indicated to me from several NHL sources that the Devils are leaning towards selecting Makar first overall."

— Kurt (@Kurt_BSH) June 22, 2017

Well, if I didn't know why ESPN fired their long tenured, incredibly reliable hockey staff before then I sure as shit do now. You can doubt the legitimacy of this completely uneducated guess, but you can't tell me that Pierre LeBrun or Scott Burnside would have went along with the company mission statement by trolling for clicks and/or subscriptions this shamelessly. I suppose as argument could be made for axing all of their actual NHL insiders due to a lack of financial incentive, but - if this mock(ery) of a draft is any indication - then the pursuit of spreading stupidity in hopes of picking up traction has to make the list of reasons why as well. 

This shit stirring that's being (poorly) disguised as a knowledgable prediction stands a flat zero percent chance of coming to fruition. If the New Jersey Devils take Cale Makar they will no longer have the first overall pick, and if they have the first overall pick they aren't using it on Cale Makar. Those aren't opinions. They are facts. Though I tend to doubt that he will, the possibility that Ray Shero trades down absolutely exists. If he does get crazy then the highly touted defenseman with a wealth of offensive ability, a very generous/premature Erik Karlsson comparison working in his favor, and a whole hell of a lot of developing to do becomes an option. If not, one of either Nico Hischier (oh please, oh please, oh please) or Nolan Patrick will be manning the face-off dot for the Devils sooner rather than later. Corey Pronman may say otherwise, but any moderately trustworthy hockey writer  wouldn't dare. Unfortunately, none of those are currently employed by ESPN.

P.S. Now that I am already bothered, it's time to get hot...

“It’s an exciting day for our franchise and it shows the light at the end of the tunnel.” Watch part 1 of "Journey to One!” #DevilsDraft pic.twitter.com/1mju4pgGpg

— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) June 22, 2017