2025 NHL Draft Thread

[YyjFlames]

Originally Posted by traptor

Who would you guys take at #6?


Assuming misa, schaeffer, Martin and Hagens are gone.


For me it's probably

1. Frondell
2. Desnoyers
3. O'Brien
4. McQueen

I feel it's pretty wide open after Misa and Schaeffer, so you've got to keep Martone and Hagens on the list. Hagens is quite interesting, as he could fall out of the top 5 like Tkachuk as the other teams might lose sight of what he does well because he fell from number one (or just be obsessed about "their" player)... although I can't see him getting by Boston.

Generally, I'd go:

Hagens
Desnoyers
Frondell
O'Brien
Martone
McQueen.

I'd put Martone above Hagens on this list too, but if the Flames are lucky enough to win the lottery, they HAVE to get a centre and not necessarily go with BPA.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

I feel it's pretty wide open after Misa and Schaeffer, so you've got to keep Martone and Hagens on the list. Hagens is quite interesting, as he could fall out of the top 5 like Tkachuk as the other teams might lose sight of what he does well because he fell from number one (or just be obsessed about "their" player)... although I can't see him getting by Boston.

Generally, I'd go:

Hagens
Desnoyers
Frondell
O'Brien
Martone
McQueen.

I'd put Martone above Hagens on this list too, but if the Flames are lucky enough to win the lottery, they HAVE to get a centre and not necessarily go with BPA.

Martone is not a play driver he depends on his line to do a lot of the dirty work.
Desnoyer probably the most complete player but may not have the offensive ceiling( i see a top six for sure)
Obrien maybe the most cerebral player in the group also one of the youngest.
Mqueen love the skillset major questions about his health.
Frondell would be my pick deadly shot, plays the right way.
Hagens smaller player high skillset, may be indervalued here.

For myself:
Frondell
Desnoyer
Obrien
Hagens
Mqueen
Martone

[traptor]

Originally Posted by YyjFlames

I feel it's pretty wide open after Misa and Schaeffer, so you've got to keep Martone and Hagens on the list. Hagens is quite interesting, as he could fall out of the top 5 like Tkachuk as the other teams might lose sight of what he does well because he fell from number one (or just be obsessed about "their" player)... although I can't see him getting by Boston.

Generally, I'd go:

Hagens
Desnoyers
Frondell
O'Brien
Martone
McQueen.

I'd put Martone above Hagens on this list too, but if the Flames are lucky enough to win the lottery, they HAVE to get a centre and not necessarily go with BPA.

That makes sense, I assume the top 4 spots are pretty much locked in, but Martone and Hagens could definitely slip.

Yeah, Martone would be tough to overlook. I’d probably only take Hagens over him.


I’m curious about how often players indicate desire to be drafted and play in certain markets during the interview process. Especially with like North Eastern American players who’ve come through the U.S. systems, and the western Canadian prairie teams.

I'm not sure if there's any stats to back it up, but it does seem like alot of USHL/College hockey guys slide by teams like Calgary and Winnipeg. Always some exceptions like Coronato though.

[dammage79]

1. Frondell
2. Hagens
3. McQueen
4. Desnoyers
5. O'Brian

I still like Hagens a lot. Just not a 1st OA guy.

[Tkachukwagon]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1916988789505069063

[Dude Where's Makar?]

Cootes, Reschny, Kindel are three targets that I felt could have been in that 18 range but stock seems to be rising with playoffs and U18 performances. Hopefully 1 or 2 are there when we go up.

I think the second tier of centers would be Gastrin, Nesbitt, Murtagh. (I feel like Gastrin will end up a Flame)

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Dude Where's Makar?

Cootes, Reschny, Kindel are three targets that I felt could have been in that 18 range but stock seems to be rising with playoffs and U18 performances. Hopefully 1 or 2 are there when we go up.

I think the second tier of centers would be Gastrin, Nesbitt, Murtagh. (I feel like Gastrin will end up a Flame)

I think so too. May be a little underrated.

However the more i see from horcoff the more i likey.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 51):

C/LW Noah Read (6'0",170lbs)
London (OHL): 45gp/ 10g/ 16a/ 26pts, +10, 20 PIM

Center Noah Read (ranked # 157 NA Skaters) usually doesn't get much ice-time or responsibility as a depth player on a deep and talented London Knights squad, which makes his production even more impressive when considering how little he's used. Recently, he turned heads in the scouting world by putting up three goals and an assist in game # 4 of the Knights' first-round series against Owen Sound, the very contest that eliminated the Attack from the post-season, and he picked up a Fighting-major with an Instigator penalty in game # 3 against a pretty tough customer in defenseman Braedyn Rogers. Unfortunately, he has only put up 1 other point in the playoffs, an assist, for 5 points in 10 games. That's not all that surprising, considering that Read's 26 points in the regular-season make him the 15th-highest scorer on the Knights, and the 11th-highest forward, which says something about the talent on the team that Read plays behind. A rookie in the OHL, he's a hard-working, energetic, two-way forward with skill, who is destined to breakout in a big way, as early as next year.

Read (who looks like Lip from "Shameless") is an excellent skater who plays with pace and heightened energy. He could use a bit more explosiveness, and perhaps more shiftiness in his edges, but he can beat opponents to loose pucks with a fairly lofty top-gear and his determination. With a high-motor and intensity as tools, he engages physically while being strong along the boards, winning his fair share of battles in the trenches by outworking bigger opponents, and pushing back against defenders in front of the net. He forechecks with purpose to cause chaos for puck-carriers, upend retrievals, and disrupt breakouts. He seems to get most of his scoring chances from within 10 feet of the crease, in driving the net with the puck, crashing the crease for rebounds, and finding gaps in the slot to fill for shooting opportunities. With a snappy release, he gets his shot off quickly and deceptively in-close to fool goalies, and wields good precision, but his shot could use more power for higher levels. Skating with his head up to scan and process, Read possesses above-average hockey sense, and has a good feel for the game; he anticipates well and seems to stay a step or two ahead of his opponents, advancing the play with quick-touch feeds, and give-and-go's- passing off, then relocating to a more advantageous position. His off-puck game is superb, with sharp attention to detail- controlling his pace and timing to be always well-positioned in support of the play, and perpetually open and playable, while disrupting opponents in all three zones. He protects extremely well, and flashes well-developed puck-skills at times to deke around defenders in full-stride, but he needs to incorporate a lot more deception into his stickhandling.

There is glimpses of high-end playmaking skill in his repertoire, with the ability to send high-danger feeds through traffic at times, and understands how to shift defenses in order to open lanes by drawing pressure. He shoots to make plays, and funnels pucks to the slot. This is going to be a big part of his game going forward- he doesn't get many opportunities to show off what he can do offensively right now. He's good enough at escaping pressure and handling in traffic that he can contribute to transition in give-and-go's, connective passing, or by simply streaking up the middle with the puck for a clean entry; at times, he can skate some more dynamic routes through the neutral zone. Read is known to be a solid player defensively, with his anticipation and hockey sense driving his game in his own-zone- he can even be seen directing traffic at times, and always seems to be well-positioned. I think this kid is solid, with a mature, pro-style game, and even though the sample size is much smaller than most, I would have no problem taking him in the middle-rounds- but he’ll likely go later in the draft.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 52):

C/LW Kieren Dervin (6'2",181lbs)
Kingston (OHL): 10gp/ 1g/ 2a/ 3pts, +2, 6 PIM

Kieren Dervin (ranked # 71 NA Skaters) has committed to Penn State in 2026-27, and because of that, he started the season with St. Andrew's College in the Prep School circuit where he was dominant- posting 92 points in 61 games as one of the league's top players. When the rules preventing CHL players from playing on NCAA teams was overturned in November, he was free to join the Frontenacs- which he did only periodically through December and January, before joining the team full-time in March, once his season at St. Andrew's was completed. The sample size on Dervin is quite small, as he only got in ten regular-season games with Kingston, while playing fairly limited minutes- but he seemed to struggle with the pace and physicality of the OHL. In the playoffs, he only managed to post 3 points in 11 games, and was invisible at times. Despite standing 6'2", he is very weak and slight, and too easily pushed off the puck. His physical engagement has been inconsistent at best, according to reports. We may just have to wait until next season to see the real Kieren Dervin. Scouts love his frame though, along with his excellent mobility and high workrate, and will bet on his upside.

Dervin isn't yet a burner, but owns a fluid, projectable stride with above-average speed, and is quite light on his edges, possessing remarkable agility. Though he needs to play with much better pace, and must improve his processing speed and decision-making at the OHL level, he is skilled and smart with solid playmaking instincts, with flashes of high-end vision and anticipation. He has made some crisp, accurate passes through traffic for high-danger opportunities- passes that came a lot more frequently at the Prep School level. Dervin supports the play well off-puck in all three zones, and remains a playable option for his teammates at all times. He's not a very physical player at the OHL level, and needs to play better through contact, but competes hard in puck-battles and manages to win his fair share- he is considered to be a hard-working, high-motor player. While he's not exactly deking opposing players out of their jocks, he does possess quick hands, deft puck-skill, and tight protection ability, exhibiting poise under pressure with the puck- often showing the ability to move in traffic, and make plays in tight areas. He is proficient at finding lanes off the rush, and locating gaps in coverage on the cycle. His shot looks like it could use more power, but he owns a quick and deceptive release that could paralyze a goalie, along with good hands in-tight.

Considered to be a quality player in all three zones, Dervin works hard on the backcheck, and is driven by excellent sense and anticipation in defensive scenarios. While he was said to be an excellent face-off man in the Prep league, his faceoff percentage of 46.6% in OHL play suggests a need for further refinement in this area. Putting mass on his frame and adding strength is imperative for Dervin, and he desperately needs to learn how to better handle the pace of the OHL, with an emphasis on making much faster decisions. It doesn't seem like he was getting a lot of ice-time in Kingston, but as a player who is destined for college, he has a much longer runway than most- and he will need it. Scouts say he has the ceiling of a second-line power-forward, but has a long way to go, in my opinion. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 53):

C Parker Snelgrove (6'0",190lbs)
Guelph (OHL): 67gp/ 11g/ 13a/ 24pts, -20, 43 PIM

Center Parker Snelgrove (ranked # 181 NA Skaters) was drafted in the second-round of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection, 30th-overall by the Guelph Storm, after a successful year at the U16 AAA level- where he was on the same level with players like Jack Nesbitt and Carson Harmer, and just behind Aiden Young and Brady Martin. This season, Guelph finished in 19th-place out of 20 teams in the OHL, but were 14th in goals-scored, and Snelgrove seemed to be relegated to bottom-six checking duty- without the proper ice-time or responsibility to showcase his talents. As a result, he is being criminally underrated in my opinion, as he is an intelligent, skilled play-driver, and a solid two-way pivot who contributes in all three zones. Snelgrove is an excellent skater who pushes an often break-neck pace, with explosiveness in small-areas, showing the capacity to accelerate to top-speed quickly, and to beat defenders wide. He is light on his edges for sharp cuts, quick pivots, and displays the shiftiness to evade checks. A physical, hard-nosed player, he outworks opponents at both ends of the ice, wins battles along the boards, and finishes his checks. He doesn't mind doing the dirty work for his line in digging out pucks and causing turnovers.

With high-end compete and relentless motor, Snelgrove gives his team energy and plays with intensity- moving through contact, and forechecking tenaciously. Quick hands and sneaky puck-skill give him slick one-on-one moves to dangle through traffic on occasion, cut inside with the puck, split defenses, and deke around attackers with tight control while in full-flight. He is a high-IQ player with soft-touch on his passes- he funnels pucks to the middle and can shift defenses while doing it. Flashing top-tier vision and manipulation of space, he can pull off some of the more difficult plays by opening seams with patient delays to draw pressure, and with cut-backs and changes of direction. To help facilitate his playmaking game, he incorporates well-developed deception to manipulate defenders, including look-offs in his passes, fakes, feints, hesitations, and shifts of weight. He attacks up the middle off the rush, makes his living in the slot, gets off the wall with the puck, and goes to the front of the net for tips and rebounds, bringing soft hands in-tight. His shot is highly underrated, owning a bullet of a wrister that he can fire off on the fly with a lightning-quick release, and he can pick corners from a distance. He will also follow his shots to the net to pick up his own rebounds.

A highly engaged and intelligent defender, Snelgrove exerts sharp details with finely-tuned anticipation to identify threats early and neutralize them proactively by checking sticks, getting inside position, and setting picks. He hounds puck-carriers and keeps his man to the outside and away from danger, while limiting time and space with his speed and determination. Staying consistently on the right side of the puck, he employs an active stick to sweep away possession, and poke away passes. He can also make high-value plays off of recoveries to kickstart the breakout, with smart passes going the other direction. He can drive play through transition with overwhelming speed and tempo, or he can support the play by controlling his pace to be a playable option for teammates in give-and-go sequences. In my opinion, it's a crime that Snelgrove isn't on a better team with a more expanded role, but he's a huge breakout candidate as early as next season- this kid is vastly outplaying his stats. It's hard to say what his ceiling is, but he certainly looks the part of a future 3rd-liner in the NHL with a smart and gritty two-way game- and has the potential for more. Look for him in later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 54):

C Kadon McCann (6'3",201lbs)
Medicine Hat (WHL): 64gp/ 11g/ 7a/ 18pts, +5, 54 PIM

With 20 points in 68 games in 2023-24, much more was expected from C Kadon McCann (ranked # 116 NA Skaters) this season, but he doesn't play a whole lot on a stacked Tigers squad. The Cochrane-born pivot was even given the grade of "C" by Central Scouting in their Preliminary Rankings in September- denoting a possible 4th, or 5th-round pick. To date, McCann is tied for 13th in playoff scoring on the Tigers, with a rather meagre 3 points over 11 games in a checking role, with 14 penalty-minutes. As one might expect, he is a big-bodied power-forward who can affect the play at both ends of the ice with his size and brute force. Though he needs work on his acceleration and first-step quickness, he is like a freight train when he gets going, exerting an excellent top-speed, and a long, projectable stride, with a deep knee bend. He can cover a ton of ice quickly, win long-distance races, and keep up with teammates on the rush. His edges are surprisingly smooth and fluid as well, giving him the ability to turn quickly, and exert uncanny lateral quickness.

McCann employs a robust physical game with a high-end workrate; he's very competitive and gritty, always involved, and willing to drop the gloves on occasion. He's dominant along the boards, a load to handle down-low, plays through contact, and competes hard in the trenches to win most puck-battles. He is intimidating on the forecheck, barrelling in on puck-carriers with speed, and throwing hits to cause disruption, dislodge pucks, and throw breakouts into disarray. McCann plays a very meat-and-potatoes style game- very basic, with no flash or dash, and with no real dynamic traits to speak of. Most of his offensive contributions come from his tunnel-vision in going to the net, and bullying his way inside to the slot for high-danger looks, which leads to second-chance opportunities for teammates. He will put a shoulder down to power his way to the crease, and can drive wide around defenders. He can compliment more skilled players by doing the dirty work for his line in winning pucks along the wall, going to the net to provide a screen, picking up garbage in the blue paint, and getting his stick on tips. His net-front presence makes him a nightmare for opposing defensemen, as he's impossible to move or overpower, and he owns soft hands in-tight; I don't think he takes any shots from outside of 10 feet of the net, but his shot is quick enough to fool goalies, and accurate enough to pick corners, or pop water-bottles. There's not much in the way of vision or creativity in his toolkit, and he's far more of a facilitator than playmaker. While I believe he's vastly better than his stats would indicate, I'm not under the illusion that he'll ever be an offensive player in an NHL team's top-six.

McCann carries the puck with startling poise and confidence; his puck-control is actually quite good, and he protects very proficiently. With excellent sense and awareness, his actions in the zone help limit defensive zone time, and often directly contribute to zone-exits- either with control through passing plays, or by clearing the zone with dump-outs, chip-and-chases, or by playing the puck off the glass. His wingspan, when combined with his lateral quickness, give him enormous range and make him very difficult to bypass. He exerts good pressure on attackers to limit their time and space, and will throw hits to separate his man from the puck. McCann must continue to develop his play in the offensive zone in regards to his hockey sense in making plays, his creativity, and in particular, his space-creation. Until these skills come along, he is most likely destined to be cast in a bottom-six checking role in the pros. Even so, his combination of size, skating, and snarl will entice scouts. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by traptor

Who would you guys take at #6?


Assuming misa, schaeffer, Martin and Hagens are gone.


For me it's probably

1. Frondell
2. Desnoyers
3. O'Brien
4. McQueen

I know most "experts" would disagree but if I was picking 3rd OV I would take O'Brien

My top 5

1. Misa
2. Schaeffer
3. O'Brien
4. Desnoyers
5. Frondell

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

I know most "experts" would disagree but if I was picking 3rd OV I would take O'Brien

My top 5

1. Misa
2. Schaeffer
3. O'Brien
4. Desnoyers
5. Frondell

I certainly wouldn’t. The margins are pretty slim in that group. Not that i am claiming to be an expert here.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 55):

LD Xander Velliaris (6'3",205lbs)
Kingston (OHL): 22gp/ 0g/ 1a/ 1 pt, -6, 17 PIM
Saginaw (OHL): 30gp/ 1g/ 7a/ 8pts, -4, 49 PIM

A mid-season trade from Kingston to Saginaw saw D Xander Velliaris (ranked # 202 NA Skaters) go from bottom-pairing depth on the Frontenacs to second-pairing on the Spirit- and he responded with 4 points in his first 7 games with his new squad. He also flashed his potential in the OHL Top Prospects Game in January, showing off for scouts with a goal and an assist- which was the most points by a defenseman in the contest, other than Cam Reid, with 3. Velliaris is a tough and physical shutdown D who is active all over the ice, and shows two-way potential. Other than his frame, his best physical tool is his mobilty; he moves around the ice very quickly, especially for a player of his size, with good speed in all directions on a stride that is smooth mechanically, with a long, powerful stride and a deep knee bend. He closes distance on opponents rapidly, wins races to loose pucks in retrievals, and can match footwork with smaller opponents when closing gaps. On his edges, he pivots seamlessly, transitions quickly, and can move swiftly when surfing across the ice laterally to seal off the boards from attackers.

Velliaris plays a hard and heavy game, dishing out thunderous bodychecks, and is as dangerous in open-ice as he is intimidating along the boards. He will drop the gloves on occasion, and has taken on some big, tough customers this season in Jack Nesbitt, and Alex Pharand. With flashes of skill and high-end hockey sense, he shows promise in the offensive zone with a high activity rate; he walks the line to spot shooting lanes while drawing pressure, but will also find open space to activate deep into the zone to make plays, and will join the rush as an extra forward (at times, he will even lead the rush) when he sees the opportunity to do so. He shows proficiency in holding the line, will pinch in to keep pucks alive (and get them deep), and will step up to snuff the breakout with a bodycheck. His main offensive weapon is his hard and heavy shot from the point that he gets on net with frequency, and he unleashes it to make plays and cause chaos in front of the net. He distributes the puck with mostly safe and simple plays, and doesn't seem to possess much creativity or vision- he's more of a facilitator right now than a true playmaker, or offensive driver. In the other end of the ice, he blocks shots, clogs lanes, and is hard to go up against in front of the net with the way he is able to overpower attackers and box them out. He wraps up threats and pins them to the wall, thereby neutralizing them, and will throw big hits to dislodge pucks. Upon recovery, he can make some high-end plays with difficult feeds for exits, sometimes against the grain through traffic, and often connects with streaking forwards in the neutral zone with deft bank-passes. He does however, need to improve his scanning habits in retrievals, as his breakouts can sometimes be very sloppy.

Against the rush, he applies tight gaps, closing quickly on targets by layering physical engagement on top of well-timed stick-checks. He exerts enormous range on his long wingspan and mobility, making him hard to get past. Velliaris will be a bit of a project to the team that drafts him, and has plenty of work to do to clean up his decision-making in the defensive zone, and his proficiency in breakouts. Likewise, he needs to vastly improve his effectiveness at the other end of the ice, particularly his creativity, and his deception- perhaps taking more calculated chances will open up his playmaking potential. He needs work on his decision-making and risk-mitigation, as his forays into the zone can leave his partner hanging out to dry, giving up odd-man rushes- and sometimes he is way too deep in the offensive zone to recover. Additionally, he sometimes takes himself out of position to go for the big hit, while other times being too passive in his physical engagements. There are instances where he holds on to the puck too long and skates himself into pressure, and he can get in trouble when he tries to get too fancy. Velliaris is more potential than finished product, and has a raw skillset with some pro-style qualities, but scouts will like his physical tools and potential. Look for him in later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Hidden Gems Edition, Vol. 56):

LHC Kale Dach (5'11",165lbs)
Sherwood Park (BCHL): 54gp/ 22g/ 65a/ 87pts, 22 PIM

Center Kale Dach (ranked # 136 NA Skaters) and teammate Jeremy Loranger have unbelievable chemistry, and are the top-two scorers in the BCHL, with Loranger at #1 (105 points in 54 games), and Dach at #2 by 12 points over the #3 scorer in the league. The two teammates were tied for the most assists in the regular season in the BCHL, with 65 apiece- which was 17 more than the next-highest mark. Despite exiting the post-season after 8 games, they were also the top-two scorers in the BCHL playoffs in points-per-game, Loranger being first with 1.75 ppg (14 points), and Dach tied for second with 1.63 ppg (13 points). Dach (no relation to Kirby) is a highly intelligent two-way pivot with elite playmaking qualities, and the ability to contribute to both special teams, who is poised to join the Calgary Hitmen next season. It's hard to evaluate players in lower levels, so everything that can be said about Dach must come with an asterisk- although the BCHL is considered to be better than the other Junior A leagues across the country, except for maybe the OJHL.

Dach's best asset is his top-tier hockey sense, which propels his offensive game and gives him advantages in all three zones. Playmaking is by far his biggest selling-point, and he has shown the ability (albeit at the Junior A level) to read the play on the ice at a high level, process quickly, and exert his elite-quality passing skill to thread the needle through the smallest seams. He can connect off the forehand or backhand, with one-touch, slip, saucer, or hook passes, with just the right amount of weight and velocity- right to his targets' wheelhouse. He sees teammates through traffic, and can spot lanes that few others could, and can also find gaps in coverage to fill. He understands how to open space with delays, pushes the pace with give-and-go sequences, and knows how to shift defenses with his movements on the cycle. Though his playmaking will most likely be his forte' going forward, he is said to be a dangerous shooter with quick hands, wielding a lethal catch-and-release wrister, and an explosive one-timer. He's not above crashing the crease for garbage goals though, or standing in front of the net to tip pucks, and will cut inside the slot to fire; I'm curious to see what he does in the WHL in the goal-scoring department next season. Dach is clearly faster than most of his BCHL counterparts, but I believe he would still be considered above-average if he were skating in the WHL. The mechanics of his stride are smooth and scalable, and he shows good evasiveness and quickness on his edges, although he needs to adds more strength to his lower-body. While he is poised, patient, and confident with the puck, he is still able to push the pace.

Dach is not mean, and isn't a big-time hitter, but he finishes his checks, and goes to work in the trenches to win pucks. Though his measurements may indicate that he's a bit slight, scouts say he's farmboy strong. Going the other way, he backchecks dilligently with a workmanlike mentality, and is considered to be a very defensively sound player with a strong workrate, intelligent positioning, and a high activity level to pressure opponents. Dach may not be perfect, but he's a pretty complete player who seems to be able to do a bit of everything, but considering the level he's playing at- he might not be elite at anything; we'll have to wait and see when it comes to his playmaking. Even still, I wonder how many points he would have without Loranger, and vice-versa; they seem to look for each other. I have also read reports that Dach's consistency of effort has deep ebbs and flows, and there are times when he does a lot of floating and puck-watching. If Dach is drafted this summer, he may have to wait until later rounds.

[DuckSauce]

Thanks as always Sandman! Given the prospects Suniev and Nadeau have become coming out of the BCHL I have found Loranger and Dach to be very interesting to follow. I thought Loranger was the C.

I am sure you have posted his write up but any chance you could add it to compare with Dach’s? Who do you think is the better “NHL” prospect? Do we know where these guys are playing next year?

[Canada 02]

There will be plenty of excitement and intrigue surrounding the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, which will be held May 5 at NHL Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The event will be broadcast on ESPN in the United States and Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada, at a time to be announced.

https://www.nhl.com/news/2025-nhl-dr...-be-held-may-5

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by DuckSauce

Thanks as always Sandman! Given the prospects Suniev and Nadeau have become coming out of the BCHL I have found Loranger and Dach to be very interesting to follow. I thought Loranger was the C.

I am sure you have posted his write up but any chance you could add it to compare with Dach’s? Who do you think is the better “NHL” prospect? Do we know where these guys are playing next year?

Thanks Ducky!

I must confess, I wasn't going to do a profile of Loranger because he's been listed on most sites as being 5'8", which I think would keep him out of the draft. However, upon reading your message today, I went back to take another look, and it would seem that he's listed at 5'10" on both EP and the BCHL website- so I will have a profile incoming!

From what I've seen (and it ain't much) both share in the responsibility of taking faceoffs, but Dach seems to spend a lot more time in the middle, while Loranger likes to stay a bit more to the outside- doesn't mean much, but I would peg Dach to be the C. Both are listed as centers though.

Dach is playing for the Hitmen next season, and then it's off to Penn State for the 2026-27 season. Loranger was drafted by Shawinigan of the QMJHL, but I can't find anything that would indicate that he has signed to play there. In 2026-27, he's off the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

As far as who is the better NHL prospect, Dach has been much further ahead in most mocks that I've seen, and I think he plays a more direct, pro-style game than Loranger- although both players might be longshots to be drafted. Loranger reminds me a lot of Johnny Hockey, in the way he skates, shoots, and handles the puck...

[Tkachukwagon]

Some praise for Brady Martin’s hitting. Ranked in the mid-first round by most scouts, could be available at pick 18.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1917691704112734387

https://twitter.com/user/status/1917697189326766354

https://twitter.com/user/status/1917692935556194532

[Dude Where's Makar?]

Brady Martin is one of the prospects I really want the Flames to get, but I think he'll be gone in that 10-15 range.

RHS C with a high floor and physical intangibles will be coveted by teams ahead of us.

I hope I'm wrong.