2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Ba'alzamon]

Speaking of sons of former NHLers... Eric Nilson, anyone?

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

Speaking of sons of former NHLers... Eric Nilson, anyone?

LOVE HIM!!! Needs some work on his wheels, but he’s a player!!!

[Sandman]

No points tonight for Ryabkin, with 1 shot, and a -3, in a 6-2 loss to Lincoln. 3gp/3g/0a/3pts,even, 17 PIM.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (American Edition, Vol. 20):

LD Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen (6'0",181lbs)
University of Michigan (NCAA): 21gp/ 1g/ 4a/ 5pts, -7, 2 PIM

It seems like DRM has been around forever. The young Wolverines' rearguard is the son of Manon Rheaume (remember her?), and the nephew of former NHLer Pascal Rheaume, and is in the midst of a rather lukewarm freshman year. The transition to the NCAA from the NTDP last year has been rather smooth, but he's not getting the ice-time or responsibility yet to post big numbers, because of his age (he's 18. with a December 18th, 2006 birthday), and the fact that he's playing behind some older defensemen. Central Scouting awarded him a "C" in their preliminary rankings, deeming him a potential 4th, or 5th-round pick, based largely on his 2023-24 season in the NTDP, where he registered zero goals and 18 assists in 61 games, along with 2 assists in 7 contests in the 2024 U-18's. Those numbers aren't going to wow anyone, but Rheaume-Mullen is more of a defensive specialist anyway, with plenty of intelligence and a detailed, engaged approach to his duties. He makes good use of a well-timed, active stick and exemplary positioning to kill rushes by closing gaps quickly and angling his opponents to the boards, and out of danger. His adversaries are quickly smothered of time and space.

DRM is undersized for a defenseman, but he's a fantastic skater- perhaps a step below elite. His edges are remarkably smooth, enabling him to pivot on a dime, and his lateral quickness makes him very difficult to get around. He can impose a fairly hard-nosed physical game, but he's a bit inconsistent in this area, and I think he might be taking a more nuanced approach right now, while he adapts better to playing against men. He will battle along the boards and in the corners for loose pucks, and he can go through his opponents if he has to. His retrievals get good grades, as he routinely stays calm and composed while scanning his options, and makes sound decisions in regard to his breakout passes. With his speed and polished handling, he proves his worth in transition, moving pucks up the ice quickly, through controlled exits and entries. He will join the rush, and often leads it, but usually stays close to the blueline to quarterback the play with one eye on the offense, and the other on the backcheck. DRM has a rather hard and heavy shot, but his numbers suggest that he's not a goal-scoring threat- he gets his shot through consistently, but with the purpose of making second-chance plays and causing havoc in the crease. At the end of the day, his involvement in his team's offense is up-and-down, but he's considered to be a smart player with high IQ and good hockey sense- I think he's trying to play a mistake-free game right now as a youngster in his first year of NCAA action. Still, I don't think he'll put up big numbers in the pros, and will instead be relied upon for quality puck-movement and good defense.

Many have DRM as high as the second round, including myself, but if I'm being honest- he's always seemed overrated, and quite vanilla to me. I don't think he'll ever be more than a bottom-pairing D in the NHL, not that there's anything wrong with that. I put him in the late-second in my latest Draft Rankings, based on the fact that scouts seem to think he still has high potential, but I'm starting to second-guess myself. My belief right now is that he could be picked in the 3rd, or 4th-round of this summer's draft, but I'm going with the scouts on this one.

[sureLoss]

Steve Ellis of Dailyfaceoff says defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson of the Barrie Colts should be in the conversation to go top 10.

https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/pu...orce-of-nature

“I like to make big hits, and you know you’re probably gonna have to answer the bell sometimes,” Aitcheson said.

And when he landed a massive hit on Michael Misa just minutes into the all-star showcase, Aitcheson looked around, expecting someone to jump him. Except, it didn’t happen – nobody approached him. He instead went back on his merry way, and just seconds later, his Eastern Conference team evened the score at 1-1.

“Opponents are just too afraid of him,” one scout said shortly after the hit. “Nobody wants to tempt fate because they know they won’t win.”

Aitcheson has quickly become one of the most difficult players to go up against in the OHL. The third-year Barrie Colt had an outstanding Draft-1 year, registering 39 points and a whopping 126 penalty minutes. He capped the year off by playing a crucial defensive role at the U-18 World Championship in May, winning gold with Canada.

Scouts saw him as a potential mid-first-rounder in 2025 but wanted to see improvements with the puck. Suddenly, we’re talking about a defender who could potentially go in the top 10. He’s on pace for 20 goals and nearly 50 points, with scouts appreciating his decision-making as a passer and improved shot accuracy.

Ka$h, as he is known, isn’t flashy. But his biggest focus is making himself as difficult as possible to play against. As a defenseman, that’s the goal. He won’t look to just crush you physically, but he’s quite strong in his own zone – perhaps one of the best pure defensemen in this draft class.

“I think I can take on every team’s top line and do a good job with it,” Aitcheson said. “So I just just focus on that every game and being hard to play against.”

“If I was chasing after the puck along the boards and saw him there, I’d skate away,” one scout said. “I don’t want to die out there – and there’s no chance I’d be coming out alive against him. He’s a menace in every way possible, and teams will love him.”

[Samonadreau]

The Devils and Panthers 1st's are starting to get interesting. They have now fallen to 12th and 11th in pt%. Meaning 21st and 22nd OA. Lots of hockey left to play but some good players in that range will be available.

[Sandman]

Jan.18th Ryabkin Watch:

No points, 2 PIM, and -2 in a 7-3 loss to the Lincoln Stars. 4gp/3g/0a/3pts,-2, 19 PIM.

[dissentowner]

I still want Carter Bear. Not only is he a good player but we can have a Wolf and a Bear on our team.

[Fan69]

Tankathon mock draft has us taking atchieson and then brady martin, with moore, cootes, Fiddler and murtagh still on the board. What do you think?

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Tankathon mock draft has us taking atchieson and then brady martin, with moore, cootes, Fiddler and murtagh still on the board. What do you think?

I think if the organization believes that there are significantly better d-men and wingers than the centers available, they should take the players they think are better regardless of position.

Trying to shoehorn a center into a pick when your scouts say other players are better will probably lead to regret down the line.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Tankathon mock draft has us taking atchieson and then brady martin, with moore, cootes, Fiddler and murtagh still on the board. What do you think?

I would put Martin ahead in that group, and Aitcheson in the 20’s, so I would all good with that. BPA.

Martin is underrated by fans, but not by scouts, IMO.

[traptor]

Would be funny if they did end up getting Panthers pick, but because we finish ahead of them.

[Ba'alzamon]

Martin's a center anyway, so I don't really see the problem. Aitcheson would be a good partner for Parekh.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Trying to shoehorn a center into a pick when your scouts say other players are better will probably lead to regret down the line.

That sort of thing never happens. For instance, no team would ever be dumb enough to take Olli Juolevi because they wanted a defenceman, when Matthew Tkachuk was still on the board.

[stemit14]

Sandman - is there a player ranked outside the top 15 that you think has the highest upside? As a similar example, many (including you if I remember correctly) were high on Hage last year. That is looking like a great call as he looks like a steal of pick. Is there any prospect you’re getting a similar vibe on in this draft? Not necessarily the same type of player - just one that is potentially under-rated and you think should go higher in the draft.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Sandman - is there a player ranked outside the top 15 that you think has the highest upside? As a similar example, many (including you if I remember correctly) were high on Hage last year. That is looking like a great call as he looks like a steal of pick. Is there any prospect you’re getting a similar vibe on in this draft? Not necessarily the same type of player - just one that is potentially under-rated and you think should go higher in the draft.

Thanks for asking, and I would love to hear from other posters on the subject (Ba'alzamon, dammge,etc.). I'm not sure there are any players with Hage's ceiling, but here's a few I really like in the latter half of the first round:

-If Jake O'Brien is available, it's a no-brainer. He's a 6'2" center who is one of the top pure playmakers in the draft.

-C Cole Reschny is a cross between Travis Konecny and Brayden Point. I think he may surprise with how high he's taken in the draft.

-C Brady Martin is a one-man wrecking crew, and a responsible two-way C that some fans may be tempted to label as a future checker. Truth is, his numbers would go up on a team better than the Soo, who are 15th out of 20 teams, and 15th in goals-for. Love this kid!

-C Braeden Cootes isn't as mean as Brady Martin, but his profile is similar. One big difference is that Seattle is much worse than the Soo, sitting 20th out of 22 teams, and 20th in goals-for. I have Martin ahead of him, but Cootes could very well be the surprise of the draft, as some say BC is the more cerebral player.

-C Jack Murtagh is another player who is being dragged down by the team he's playing for, a very weak edition of the NTDP. Murtagh was one of the few players who could slow down the Canadians at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, and one of the few who were able to produce anything offensively. Between Martin, Cootes, and Murtagh, I would bet on Murtagh having the highest ceiling, and he's the one I could see having the best chance of playing on an NHL first-line.

-C Cole McKinney. See the three players listed above, lol.

-Keep a close eye on C Will Horcoff. He's an amazing center, and he's got 6 points in 5 games since going to the NCAA. I have him in the second currently, but if he keeps producing he'll have scouts clamoring to call his name in the first.

-I'm about to put out a write-up on D Henry Brzustewicz. He's got everything you want in a top-pairing D, including size, speed, and high IQ. His numbers are not where they should be , as he playing on a defense that includes Sam Dickinson,and Oliver Bonk (two of the CHL's best D), along with Jared Wooley and now, Cam Allen (who came over in a trade in December). However, when Bonk and Dickinson were away at the WJC in December, Bru put up 7 points in 5 games! He's bigger than his brother, faster than his brother, much more mean and physical, and I would bet he matches his brother's DY production if he were on a different team. Watch him explode next year when those other D move on. The more I digest on Bru, the more I believe he goes in the first-round.

-RW Justin Carbonneau is a lot like Beckett Sennecke, but maybe a step below. Like Sennecke, he could be a huge riser on Draft day. He's got size (6'2"), speed, and a robust offensive game. Word is, he's really working on his all-around game as well.

-Not likely a potential first-rounder, but LW Eddie Genborg is like a poor-mans version of a Swedish Micheal Ferland.

-D Kurban Limatov is having one of the best seasons ever for an U-18 Defenseman, in a 6'3",198lb package. He could go in the late-first, early-second.

I could go on and on, but those are the ones we could see in the first....

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Thanks for asking, and I would love to hear from other posters on the subject (Ba'alzamon, dammge,etc.). I'm not sure there are any players with Hage's ceiling, but here's a few I really like in the latter half of the first round:

-If Jake O'Brien is available, it's a no-brainer. He's a 6'2" center who is one of the top pure playmakers in the draft.

-C Cole Reschny is a cross between Travis Konecny and Brayden Point. I think he may surprise with how high he's taken in the draft.

-C Brady Martin is a one-man wrecking crew, and a responsible two-way C that some fans may be tempted to label as a future checker. Truth is, his numbers would go up on a team better than the Soo, who are 15th out of 20 teams, and 15th in goals-for. Love this kid!

-C Braeden Cootes isn't as mean as Brady Martin, but his profile is similar. One big difference is that Seattle is much worse than the Soo, sitting 20th out of 22 teams, and 20th in goals-for. I have Martin ahead of him, but Cootes could very well be the surprise of the draft, as some say BC is the more cerebral player.

-C Jack Murtagh is another player who is being dragged down by the team he's playing for, a very weak edition of the NTDP. Murtagh was one of the few players who could slow down the Canadians at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, and one of the few who were able to produce anything offensively. Between Martin, Cootes, and Murtagh, I would bet on Murtagh having the highest ceiling, and he's the one I could see having the best chance of playing on an NHL first-line.

-C Cole McKinney. See the three players listed above, lol.

-Keep a close eye on C Will Horcoff. He's an amazing center, and he's got 6 points in 5 games since going to the NCAA. I have him in the second currently, but if he keeps producing he'll have scouts clamoring to call his name in the first.

-I'm about to put out a write-up on D Henry Brzustewicz. He's got everything you want in a top-pairing D, including size, speed, and high IQ. His numbers are not where they should be , as he playing on a defense that includes Sam Dickinson,and Oliver Bonk (two of the CHL's best D), along with Jared Wooley and now, Cam Allen (who came over in a trade in December). However, when Bonk and Dickinson were away at the WJC in December, Bru put up 7 points in 5 games! He's bigger than his brother, faster than his brother, much more mean and physical, and I would bet he matches his brother's DY production if he were on a different team. Watch him explode next year when those other D move on. The more I digest on Bru, the more I believe he goes in the first-round.

-RW Justin Carbonneau is a lot like Beckett Sennecke, but maybe a step below. Like Sennecke, he could be a huge riser on Draft day. He's got size (6'2"), speed, and a robust offensive game. Word is, he's really working on his all-around game as well.

-Not likely a potential first-rounder, but LW Eddie Genborg is like a poor-mans version of a Swedish Micheal Ferland.

-D Kurban Limatov is having one of the best seasons ever for an U-18 Defenseman, in a 6'3",198lb package. He could go in the late-first, early-second.

I could go on and on, but those are the ones we could see in the first....

Thanks Sandman! Great write up as always. Very interesting. Would love for the flames to get multiple centers in this draft. Some of these look like they could be good targets.

[Dan403]

And with luck we grab two of them.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Thanks for asking, and I would love to hear from other posters on the subject (Ba'alzamon, dammge,etc.). I'm not sure there are any players with Hage's ceiling, but here's a few I really like in the latter half of the first round:

-If Jake O'Brien is available, it's a no-brainer. He's a 6'2" center who is one of the top pure playmakers in the draft.

-C Cole Reschny is a cross between Travis Konecny and Brayden Point. I think he may surprise with how high he's taken in the draft.

-C Brady Martin is a one-man wrecking crew, and a responsible two-way C that some fans may be tempted to label as a future checker. Truth is, his numbers would go up on a team better than the Soo, who are 15th out of 20 teams, and 15th in goals-for. Love this kid!

-C Braeden Cootes isn't as mean as Brady Martin, but his profile is similar. One big difference is that Seattle is much worse than the Soo, sitting 20th out of 22 teams, and 20th in goals-for. I have Martin ahead of him, but Cootes could very well be the surprise of the draft, as some say BC is the more cerebral player.

-C Jack Murtagh is another player who is being dragged down by the team he's playing for, a very weak edition of the NTDP. Murtagh was one of the few players who could slow down the Canadians at the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, and one of the few who were able to produce anything offensively. Between Martin, Cootes, and Murtagh, I would bet on Murtagh having the highest ceiling, and he's the one I could see having the best chance of playing on an NHL first-line.

-C Cole McKinney. See the three players listed above, lol.

-Keep a close eye on C Will Horcoff. He's an amazing center, and he's got 6 points in 5 games since going to the NCAA. I have him in the second currently, but if he keeps producing he'll have scouts clamoring to call his name in the first.

-I'm about to put out a write-up on D Henry Brzustewicz. He's got everything you want in a top-pairing D, including size, speed, and high IQ. His numbers are not where they should be , as he playing on a defense that includes Sam Dickinson,and Oliver Bonk (two of the CHL's best D), along with Jared Wooley and now, Cam Allen (who came over in a trade in December). However, when Bonk and Dickinson were away at the WJC in December, Bru put up 7 points in 5 games! He's bigger than his brother, faster than his brother, much more mean and physical, and I would bet he matches his brother's DY production if he were on a different team. Watch him explode next year when those other D move on. The more I digest on Bru, the more I believe he goes in the first-round.

-RW Justin Carbonneau is a lot like Beckett Sennecke, but maybe a step below. Like Sennecke, he could be a huge riser on Draft day. He's got size (6'2"), speed, and a robust offensive game. Word is, he's really working on his all-around game as well.

-Not likely a potential first-rounder, but LW Eddie Genborg is like a poor-mans version of a Swedish Micheal Ferland.

-D Kurban Limatov is having one of the best seasons ever for an U-18 Defenseman, in a 6'3",198lb package. He could go in the late-first, early-second.

I could go on and on, but those are the ones we could see in the first....

Would be surprised if Moore or Obrien or Reschney make it into the twenties. Really like horcoff, like martin the more you look at him.

Picking in the twenties is tough as you just dont know who is going to be there.

Certainly wouldnt be sad if we came out with any if those names.

Would be pleased walking out if the first with any combo of

Fiddler/ atchieson then any of Martin, obrien, Moore, murtagh.

Guy like lakovic i have seen from top ten to the twenties thirties.

[Fan69]

Sandman and cral! Hey for me the second round last year was really good well into the fifties( obviously getting a mews in the third is a surprise) but from just my starting to scratch the surface of the lower first and second is this year as deep going into the second?

Like i said just based on my scratching so far it doesnt seem quite as deep but again im just starting out on getting into the second round. Reason im asking is centers tend to go top twenty if they get a real shine to someone in that twenty’s range is it worth expending picks in a quality over quantity deal this year? Or is the drop off fairly significant for that it would he worth it?

Hage last year, who i really liked went in the teens and i would hate to take the chance a player like that is missed in thinking our third is going to get something good.

Hate to give up a battaglia to move up to get lets say a gridin but im not convinced their is a battaglia in the third? Am i wrong?

Appreciate your guys opinion in things like this.