2025 NHL Draft Thread

[sekimet]

Originally Posted by Paulie Walnuts

Understood, but the offence is non-existent. I think they have 6 combined assists.

The entire D look to have stalled out on offence. You would think something would bounce off something and tip in.

Ive watched quite a bit of wranglers games this year, even though bryz isn't putting up points, he looks good. He does look like he is focusing on the defensive side of the game and im actually impressed with him so far. He's also been looking more confident and mucking it up a bit in the last few games. I wouldnt be surprised at all if he is being told to focus on his overall game.



I dont think anyone should be too worried about him not putting up a lot of points yet.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by sekimet

Ive watched quite a bit of wranglers games this year, even though bryz isn't putting up points, he looks good. He does look like he is focusing on the defensive side of the game and im actually impressed with him so far. He's also been looking more confident and mucking it up a bit in the last few games. I wouldnt be surprised at all if he is being told to focus on his overall game.



I dont think anyone should be too worried about him not putting up a lot of points yet.

He is also the youngest player on the team. Doesn't turn 20 for another 10 days.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by sekimet

Ive watched quite a bit of wranglers games this year, even though bryz isn't putting up points, he looks good. He does look like he is focusing on the defensive side of the game and im actually impressed with him so far. He's also been looking more confident and mucking it up a bit in the last few games. I wouldnt be surprised at all if he is being told to focus on his overall game.



I dont think anyone should be too worried about him not putting up a lot of points yet.

Good to hear!!!

[Roof-Daddy]

McKenna now has 44 points in 22 games and leads the entire CHL in scoring before his 17th birthday.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

McKenna now has 44 points in 22 games and leads the entire CHL in scoring before his 17th birthday.

The Flames have been consistently better than expected this season and finding ways to win. I am just rolling with it, and perhaps it will be next season that they hit that wall without the top-end talent that is glaringly missing from this team, and they end up with a high pick. If you were to ask me, the next two drafts look a lot more attractive with a McKenna and a Dupont in consecutive years than a Hagens. It has been feeling like the Flames are in-line for a correction this season, but they keep finding a way to win.


Dupont: 16GP 5G 13A 18PTS - a defencemen who is only 15!

[Sandman]

https://thehockeynews.com/whl/latest...he-regina-pats

Hitmen have aquired LW Tanner Howe for D Reese Hamilton, LW Keets Fawcett, 2 Picks.

Howe is a pretty big star in junior, but has gotten off to a slow start this season with only 7 points in 10 games.

D Reese Hamilton is a first-time draft-eligible, and has struggled mightily this season. Before the start of this campaign, Hamilton was getting some looks as a potential first-rounder, but as an offensive defenseman, he has only been able to muster 3 points in 20 games so far. Hopefully, this move will give him a new lease on life, and get his draft stock back up.

[Sandman]

Nov.22nd Update:

-C Jake O'Brien has amassed 16 points in his last 7 games, to put him in a tie for 21st in OHL scoring- after a slow start to the season. 21gp/11g/17a/28pts,even, 6 PIM.

-LW Malcolm Spence has jumped up into a tie for 16th in OHL scoring, after posting 5 points in the last 2 games. 22gp/11g/18a/29pts,+20, 16 PIM. He is tied for 6th-overall in plus/minus.

-C Mike Misa has 15 points (5 goals) in his last 7 games, and still leads the OHL, with 22gp/23g/20a/43pts,+21, 8 PIM. His goal-scoring pace has calmed a bit, but that's really just nitpicking.

-RW Porter Martone has 7 points in a 4-game span, after 2 games without a point. He's second in OHL scoring by 4, with 20gp/17g/22a/39pts,+6, 32 PIM.

-LD Cameron Reid only has 2 points in his last 7, for a stat line of 23gp/4g/17a/21pts,+7, 18 PIM.

-RW Justin Carbonneau is now tied for 5th in Q scoring, after posting 13 points in his last 9. 23gp/16g/18a/34pts,+2, 20 PIM.

-RW Bill Zonnon is now 7th in Q scoring, after 14 points in 9 games in November, even though he's pointless in the last 2. 24gp/12g/21a/33pts,+11, 10 PIM.

-C Caleb Desnoyers has posted 14 points in 8 games so far in November, and is 11th in scoring with 19gp/14g/15a/29pts,+21, 12 PIM. He's tied for 2nd in plus/minus.

-C Mateo Nobert might be one to watch, as he's tied with Desnoyers for 11th in scoring, with 23gp/13g/16a/29pts,+4, 10 PIM. He was drafted by the Armada in the 2023 Q Draft, 3rd overall, and has plenty of talent to work with on that team, including Jonathan Fauchon, and the aforementioned Justin Carbonneau.

-LW Phillippe Veilleux, who stands 5'9" and weighs 165lbs, is on a tear in November, posting 16 points in his last 9 games to put him in a tie for 20th in scoring, with 23gp/12g/14a/26pts,-13, 2 PIM. This feat puts him first in scoring on a weak Val D'Or club that sits second-last in the league.

-In 8 games in November, C Carter Bear has posted 18 points to move into second place in WHL scoring (behind Gavin McKenna, who has 47 points in 24 games) with 22gp/19g/20a/39pts,+18, 18 PIM. He is third in goals, and 9th-overall in plus/minus.

-RW Cameron Schmidt is 5th in scoring, and first in goals, with 20gp/23g/11a/34pts,even, 16 PIM. In November, he's got 13 points (11 goals) in 7 games.

-C Ben Kindel has moved up to 14th in WHL scoring, after putting up 12 points in his last 7 games on a mediocre Hitmen squad. 22gp/14g/17a/31pts,+2.

-LW Nathan Behm has slowed a bit, with 8 points so far in November through 9 games. He's slipped to 17th in scoring, with 22gp/14g/16a/30pts,+9, 10 PIM.

-LW Lynden Lakovic has 8 points in 7 games in November, to put him in 25th-place in the scoring race, with 22gp/11g/16a/27pts,-9, 4 PIM. After competing in the Memorial Cup last season, Moose Jaw is dead last in the WHL currently.

-C Cole Reschny has 8 points in 8 November games, putting him in a tie for 25th in scoring with 21gp/9g/18a/27pts,+1, 16 PIM.

-D Jackson Smith has cooled a bit, with only 2 points in his last 6 games. He's tied for 8th in scoring by D, with 22gp/2g/18a/20pts,+10, 24 PIM.

-D Will Sharpe is 10th in D scoring, with 20gp/2g/17a/19pts,+3, 12 PIM, after 7 points in his last 8.

-LW Victor Eklund (brother of SJ Sharks' William Eklund) has 4 points in 7 games in November, but he's playing in Sweden's second-highest men's league, for Djurgardens of the Allsvenskan. He's impressed, with 20gp/8g/7a/15pts,+5, 27 PIM.

-C James Hagens has 9 points in 7 games in November, for Boston College. 11gp/1g/14a/15pts,+17, 4 PIM, tops in the NCAA for plus/minus.

-D Matt Schaefer has played 10 games in November, posting 15 points for 13gp/6g/12a/18pts,+18, 6 PIM, tied for 8th in the league in plus/minus. He's on pace for 81 points in 59 games.

-C Anton Frondell participated in the U-18 5 Nations Cup that took place in Czechia from Nov.4th-10th, and put up 7 points in 4 games. He also has 2 points in 2 Allsvenskan games in November, and 3 points in 3 J20 games, and by some accounts, he's still getting back in the groove after his injury. 9gp/5g/2a/7pts,+6, 8 PIM in the J20 so far this season, and 5gp/1g/1a/2pts,+4, 0 PIM in the Allsvenskan.

-C Will Moore put up 3 goals and 5 points in 4 games at the 5 Nations, and sits at 22gp/8g/9a/17pts,-7, 2 PIM in the NTDP.

-I predicted earlier this season that W Jakob Ihs-Wozniak would start coming around, and would rise up the Draft Boards, and it appears like it's starting to happen. He's up to 21gp/6g/21a/27pts,+4, 6 PIM for Lulea of the J20.

[Sandman]

If D Matt Schaefer can keep up his current scoring pace, his 1.38 ppg would compare to last season's totals for D scoring leaders Hunter Brzustewicz (1.37 ppg, 92 points in 67 games), and Zayne Parekh (1.45 ppg, 96 points in 66 games).

[cral12]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Sandman's Draft Preliminary Rankings (Top-100)

1) C James Hagens
2) RW Porter Martone
3) C Mike Misa
4) D Matt Schaefer
5) C Roger McQueen
6) C Anton Frondell
7) D Jackson Smith
8) C Ivan Ryabkin
9) LW Victor Eklund
10) C Caleb Desnoyers
11) LW Malcolm Spence
12) C Will Moore
13) D Logan Hensler
14) RW Justin Carbonneau
15) C Jake O'Brien
16) C Carter Bear
17) D Radim Mrtka
18) LW Nathan Behm
19) C Brady Martin
20) D Cameron Reid
21) D Kashawn Aitcheson
22) C Jack Murtagh
23) LW Lynden Lakovic
24) G Josh Ravensbergen
25) D Charlie Trethewey
26) D Blake Fiddler
27) LW Cole Reschny
28) LW Jacob Ihs-Wozniak
29) C Braeden Cootes
30) C Milton Gastrin
31) RW Cam Schmidt
32) LW Bill Zonnon


33) C Tyler Hopkins
34) D Kurban Limatov
35) RW Shane Vansaghi
36) LW Emile Guite'
37) RW Ben Kevan
38) C Cole McKinney
39) D Sascha Boumedienne
40) LW Zachary Morin
41) C Conrad Fondrk
42) G Jack Ivankovic
43) D Alex Huang
44) C Jack Nesbitt
45) D Jesper Kotajarvi
46) RW Ben Kindel
47) C Jordan Gavin
48) LW Cullen Potter
49) D Carter Amico
50) C Luca Romano
51) D Owen Conrad
52) D Will Sharpe
53) F Melvin Novotny
54) C Eric Nilson
55) RW Eddie Genborg
56) D Carson Cameron
57) G Love Haremstam
58) LW Tomas Poletin
59) RW Travis Hayes
60) D Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen
61) D Henry Brzustewicz
62) G Semyon Frolov
63) LW Mason Moe
64) D Reese Hamilton


65) LW Max Westergard
66) D Luka Radivojevic
67) LW David Lewandowski
68) C Adam Benak
69) C Jan Chovan
70) C Tomas Pobezal
71) C Liam Kilfoil
72) C Mikkel Eriksen
73) D Asher Barnett
74) C Oscar Davidsson
75) C Phillippe Veilleux
76) LW Filip Ekberg
77) G Pyotr Andreyanov
78) D Karl Annborn
79) C Dominik Pavlik
80) D Noah Laberge
81) RW Aiden Lane
82) D Oliwer Sjostrom
83) D Maxim Agafonov
84) D Artyom Vilchinsky
85) RW Sam Spehar
86) G Isak Sorqvist
87) C/RW Vit Zahejsky
88) RW Tanner Lam
89) G Gabriel D'Aigle
90) LW Viktor Klingsell
91) LW Ruslan Karimov
92) G Ondrej Stebetak
93) RW LJ Mooney
94) D Lasse Boelius
95) C Michal Svrcek
96) RW Ryker Lee


97) RW Vaclav Nestrasil
98) D Edison Engle
99) D Malte Vass
100) LW Yegor Murashev

Hope I didn't forget anyone....

Hey Sandman,

Absolutely no obligation to field any of these comments and questions, but some we've got since posting on Substack and thought I'd post in here for interest sake (and if others have thoughts):

1. How close are you, if at all, to replacing Hagens as # 1 ?

2. from a Czech hockey fan
The Good: Lots of Czechs and feels optmistic for us.
The Weird: I think it goes Mrtka and then Cihar and I didn't see his name. Did I miss it?

3. Osmanis seems to be buried in the lower rounds.
Can you elaborate on why he ranks lower than Klingsell or Ekberg?
Osmanis is one of <5 players globally to have succesfully transitioned into pro hockey at his age. Seems weird he's still ranked so low.
Players scoring at that rate in Allsvenskan usually go in the 2nd round.

4. Both (Moore & Tretheway) have fallen in most of the better draft profiles ive seen . Moore i see because of the upside potential but hes late first round . trethaway i dont see in any first round mock picks and ive watched 6 games i dont see it at all so whats your scout reasoning on it ?

[Canada 02]

Craig Buttons updated list has Martone at #1
Cam Schmidt at #6!
https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...pect-1.2209527

[Ba'alzamon]

Anyone think what's going on with Lindstrom might scare teams off McQueen a little bit? The guy's been out for a while now.

[FlamesAddiction]

Is Carter Bear related to Ethan Bear? I noticed they were born in different places (both in the prairies though), but it's not a very common name in the hockey world.

[Roof-Daddy]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Is Carter Bear related to Ethan Bear? I noticed they were born in different places (both in the prairies though), but it's not a very common name in the hockey world.

No they aren't, but Ethan's little brother Connor does play in the WHL for Regina

[Jiri Hrdina]

Cousins I think but I could be wrong.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by cral12

Hey Sandman,

Absolutely no obligation to field any of these comments and questions, but some we've got since posting on Substack and thought I'd post in here for interest sake (and if others have thoughts):

1. How close are you, if at all, to replacing Hagens as # 1 ?

2. from a Czech hockey fan
The Good: Lots of Czechs and feels optmistic for us.
The Weird: I think it goes Mrtka and then Cihar and I didn't see his name. Did I miss it?

3. Osmanis seems to be buried in the lower rounds.
Can you elaborate on why he ranks lower than Klingsell or Ekberg?
Osmanis is one of <5 players globally to have succesfully transitioned into pro hockey at his age. Seems weird he's still ranked so low.
Players scoring at that rate in Allsvenskan usually go in the 2nd round.

4. Both (Moore & Tretheway) have fallen in most of the better draft profiles ive seen . Moore i see because of the upside potential but hes late first round . trethaway i dont see in any first round mock picks and ive watched 6 games i dont see it at all so whats your scout reasoning on it ?

1) Very close, to be honest. If I'm an NHL GM right now, it would be very hard to pass up the likes of Mike Misa and/or Porter Martone (and even perhaps D Matt Shaefer) in order to draft a 5'10" forward- even though that forward has world-class skill and talent. When Jack Hughes was taken 1st-overall in 2019, he didn't have the same level of competition breathing down his neck (no disrespect to Kaapo Kakko, who put forth one of the best U-18 seasons in Finnish Liiga history). Misa and Martone are #1, and #2 respectively atop the OHL scoring race, each producing at 2 ppg- and that doesn't happen often with players in their draft year. Misa has breathtaking speed and vision, to go with a competitive two-way game, and Martone is a "unicorn"- a physical power-forward with skill and speed who will help your team win in the playoffs. All three are top-line talents though, and all three are sure to top 100 points in the NHL when they hit their stride.

2) No disrespect to Cihar, he's an excellent player with some grit and physicality, but there are questions about his offensive ceiling- some say he projects to bottom-6 duty at best, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. His skating is good, but not great, and his overall hockey sense has been questioned, along with his defensive game. In this summer's Hlinka, his offensive contributions were overshadowed by fellow draft-eligibles Adam Benak, Vit Zahejsky, Adam Novotny, Tomas Poletin, and Dominik Pavlik- although he performed well by all accounts in the most recent U-20 5 Nations. I think some of his countrymen may have higher ceilings, but Cihar might just have a higher floor.

3) Osmanis had some eye-popping numbers in 2023-24 in the J20 Region, but that's Sweden's second-tier junior league. His numbers this year in the J20 Nationell (2 goals and 13 points in 17 games) are a bit mediocre, even though the team he plays for isn't good. In the Allsvenskan, he has managed to produce 6 points in 12 games, despite limited minutes and the occasional benching. He's a smaller forward who works hard- but not consistently, and he lacks high-end skill and skating. His defensive efforts are spotty at best, as well. I've read that some expect him to go later in the draft, if at all.

4) Simply put, I love Will Moore- even if his production is not where it was expected to be. He's a stud, with excellent skill, skating, and hockey sense, and he plays with power. Trethewey is ranked 13th by Craig Button, 15th by Bob McKenzie, 14th by Jason Bukala, and 13th by Daily Faceoff- there are questions about his decision-making under pressure at times, but he's otherwise a physical two-way presence with good mobility and skill who plays a pro-style game. This year's edition of the NTDP looks pretty weak, which has affected his numbers, but his production from 2023-24 (in his D-minus-1) makes me think there's much more in his arsenal offensively than he's been able to show thus far.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

Anyone think what's going on with Lindstrom might scare teams off McQueen a little bit? The guy's been out for a while now.

We'll see how he does when he returns, but his current situation is affecting his standing in mocks already. Button has him at 7, where he had him previously at 5.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Is Carter Bear related to Ethan Bear? I noticed they were born in different places (both in the prairies though), but it's not a very common name in the hockey world.

Carter Bear has been elevated to an "A" prospect from the rank of "B" by Central Scouting, meaning they see him as a potential first-rounder. No s##t, Sherlock.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

No they aren't, but Ethan's little brother Connor does play in the WHL for Regina

Carter does indeed have a little brother named Connor, but it's not the Connor Bear that plays in Regina, as Carter has a Nov. 4, 2006 birthday, and Connor has a Jun. 11, 2007 birthday- just 7 months apart.

It appears that Carter, Ethan, and Connor are all cousins.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Canada 02

Craig Buttons updated list has Martone at #1
Cam Schmidt at #6!
https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...pect-1.2209527

Ryabkin at #17 seems a little further down than a lot of lists.

[dammage79]

Ryabkin sticking the Flames range. Me like.