2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems, Vol. 13):

C/LW Jordan Gavin (5'11",179lbs)


Gavin has high-end talent, and can do things most players cannot, but he will undoubtedly be a bit of a project going forward

Earlier this year I asked about this kid and was told "think a very poor mans Nail Yakupov, when the tough gets going so does he".

All the talent in the world but gets knocked of the puck far too easily and seemingly doesn't try very hard to get stronger, scouts love his talent but I doubt they would recommend drafting until 4th round or farther.

[Jiri Hrdina]

New Button list:

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...ason-1.2276438

Misa at #2. Schaefer at #1. That seems to be the emerging POV across many.
Ryabkin all the way down to #27.

[Wolven]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

New Button list:

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...ason-1.2276438

Misa at #2. Schaefer at #1. That seems to be the emerging POV across many.
Ryabkin all the way down to #27.

These lists keep putting Bear as a LW... @Sandman, you say he is also a C? If he isn't a dedicated C at this level is he really able to translate to a C in the bigs?

Hagens dropping below McQueen is surprising. Misa and McQueen were the two that I wanted last summer when I thought we were cruising to a bottom 5 finish and now both of them have climbed so much that it would be impossible to land both.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

New Button list:

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...ason-1.2276438

Misa at #2. Schaefer at #1. That seems to be the emerging POV across many.
Ryabkin all the way down to #27.

Seeing Reschny as high as 11 makes me think the Flames (Button) have him highly ranked as well.

Look to see us take him with our first pick (if he is available).

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Eklund has been impressive as a 20 year old winger keeping pace with Celebrini points wise, and they have Chernyshov who tore up the OHL once he joined Saginaw this year. Flames draft last year was impressive but San Jose seems to be the big winner with Celebrini, Dickinson, and Chernyshov and Wahlenius.

Grier has had some help with high draft positions but has also sold off for draft picks and used them well. Will be interesting to see how quickly they become competitive but they have all the pieces.

And Musty, who almost made the Sharks out of camp, and has been just under a 2ppg player in the OHL since he was drafted.

Most intriguing story line in this draft will be if San Jose ends up picking second. That pick could very much be in play if Schaefer goes #1, unless they're fine with Will Smith staying on the wing.

A decade of Celebrini-Misa down the middle would be crazy.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

Seeing Reschny as high as 11 makes me think the Flames (Button) have him highly ranked as well.

Look to see us take him with our first pick (if he is available).

Seeing Reschny as high as 11 makes me think Button (Craig) just reads this site.

[Edit] His take on Reschny is spot on from the times I've watched him. He's not crazy fast or flashy, but he's in the middle of every play every time he's on the ice. His compete and hockey sense are so good.

[traptor]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

Eklund has been impressive as a 20 year old winger keeping pace with Celebrini points wise, and they have Chernyshov who tore up the OHL once he joined Saginaw this year. Flames draft last year was impressive but San Jose seems to be the big winner with Celebrini, Dickinson, and Chernyshov and Wahlenius.

Grier has had some help with high draft positions but has also sold off for draft picks and used them well. Will be interesting to see how quickly they become competitive but they have all the pieces.

It feels like the sharks are far ahead of the blackhawks in their rebuild already.

I mean it's still early to say, but I much prefer how the Sharks are forming up.

[sureLoss]

Scott Wheeler's latest rankings are out:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...shared_article

Here is where he has the C's (showing the top 5 tiers)

Tier 1
2. Misa

Tier 2
3. Hagens
5. Frondell
6. Desnoyers

Tier 3
7. McQueen

Tier 4
11. O'Brien
16. Potter

Tier 5
17. Martin
19. Ryabkin
21. Reschny
22. Kindel
28. Moore
30. Benak
32. Nesbitt
33. Cootes
35. Gastrin

[robertsfanatic]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Scott Wheeler's latest rankings are out:

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...shared_article

Here is where he has the C's (showing the top 5 tiers)

Tier 1
2. Misa

Tier 2
3. Hagens
5. Frondell
6. Desnoyers

Tier 3
7. McQueen

Tier 4
11. O'Brien
16. Potter

Tier 5
17. Martin
19. Ryabkin
21. Reschny
22. Kindel
28. Moore
30. Benak
32. Nesbitt
33. Cootes
35. Gastrin

2 of those Tier 4/5 guys would be great!

[bigrangy]

Alright, Brady Martin with the Devils pick and Ryabkin with the Florida pick. Done deal

And Ihs-Wozniak or Benak in the late 2nd. Let’s get it done

[DuckSauce]

I would be thrilled to get Martin and Reschny… can’t wait for draft day! It will be interesting to see who is available when we pick in the late second (Colorado’s pick). If someone like Ryabkin fell further than expected I wonder if the Flames would trade up to walk away with 3 solid centre prospects.

[Monahammer]

If ryabkin falls i feel like we need to take a swing at the potential upside.

[Paulie Walnuts]

That is a steep fall for Hagens on Buttons list.

[Funkhouser]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

If ryabkin falls i feel like we need to take a swing at the potential upside.

Disagree. Based on what I read, there are too many red flags around this guy.
Even his stats in the USHL are pedestrian.

Go for players trending upwards, not downwards.

[dammage79]

I don't think I ever caught on to the Hagens clear cut 1st OA guy. Especially when Misa went nuclear.

I don't understand the Schaefer #1 thing either. Has he even returned from that broken clavicle during the WJC? Doesn't look like he has. So why on earth has his draft stock risen into the spring with zero gp since the WJC?

Feels like a frantic Canadian special tire pumping going on. He's not earned #1 status at all.

It Should be Misa. He's earned it over everyone, and by a fair margin in my estimation.

Anyways, I hope the Flames land Ryabkin with one of their picks in the 2025 draft.

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by dammage79

I don't think I ever caught on to the Hagens clear cut 1st OA guy. Especially when Misa went nuclear.

I don't understand the Schaefer #1 thing either. Has he even returned from that broken clavicle during the WJC? Doesn't look like he has. So why on earth has his draft stock risen into the spring with zero gp since the WJC?

Feels like a frantic Canadian special tire pumping going on. He's not earned #1 status at all.

It Should be Misa. He's earned it over everyone, and by a fair margin in my estimation.

Anyways, I hope the Flames land Ryabkin with one of their picks in the 2025 draft.

I was wondering the same thing in December when he got injured.

McKenzie's mid-season write-up from January is the best explanation on why Schafer's stuck at number 1. In his final rankings, a few more scouts will likely have Misa in that spot as Misa has had an exceptional season, but Schafer's package is elite:

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/matthew-schae...king-1.2240142

[Ba'alzamon]

Schaefer is Heiskanen. Misa is MacKinnon with size.

[Jiri Hrdina]

There's also the element that after Schaefer there is a big step down to the next dman. So he is a more rare commodity in this draft particularly.

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Ba'alzamon

Schaefer is Heiskanen. Misa is MacKinnon with size.

Yeesh. I don't know if anyone is MacKinnon anything. He could go down as a top 50 player all-time.

[MacDaddy77]

Flames will either
a. go on a run to end the season and take over WC 2 from blues or
b. drop 5 spots, win the lottery and draft Misa
c. miss playoffs and win lottery but because of missing playoffs by 1 point only get to move up 10 spots drafting 6th overall and taking McQueen (*most likely because.. Flames)
d. draft 16th overall choosing RS Centre