2025 NHL Draft Thread

[keenan87]

I will be the first to admit that I have not watched any of these players.

However, I also vow to be super pissed off when some random player is slipping or available and the Flames don't select them.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Imagine how devastated we all would have been if the Flames sucked down the stretch and finished with the 9th overall pick odds, and then had the Islanders and Utah jump them and they fell back to 11 and gave the pick to Montreal

If that happened, people would be saying how that's the most Flames thing to happen and of course it happened to us. But since the Flames didn't drop in the standings and Utah got that 2nd pick, yesterday has been called the most Flames thing to happen and of course it happened to us!

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by activeStick

If that happened, people would be saying how that's the most Flames thing to happen and of course it happened to us. But since the Flames didn't drop in the standings and Utah got that 2nd pick, yesterday has been called the most Flames thing to happen and of course it happened to us!

The narrative always fits!

[traptor]

Is there a chance Reschny could pop off and become a #1 center? Sure, but the odds are single digits.

He's much more likely to be Zary caliber then Point.

But there is a chance!

I dislike how we're trying to find our #1 C in the backhalf of the draft, but giving our path what choice do we have. I would not be disappointed if we slid a bit next year.

[traptor]

Consentino was saying that he thinks Kindel can be a Center at the NHL level.

If they're sure he can be, I would not mind this at all.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by traptor

Consentino was saying that he thinks Kindel can be a Center at the NHL level.

If they're sure he can be, I would not mind this at all.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe skating is the main concern with Kindell? I'm leary, but at the same time we've seen remarkable skating improvement with Coronato so who knows?

THe Flames should have a better book on Kindell than anyone given where he plays.

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by HitterD

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I believe skating is the main concern with Kindell? I'm leary, but at the same time we've seen remarkable skating improvement with Coronato so who knows?

THe Flames should have a better book on Kindell than anyone given where he plays.

To that point: Matt Stajan is a development coach with both the Flames and the Hitmen. So they have official first-hand knowledge of the player.

To Kindel's skating, I've heard mixed reviews. I think it's basically like Riley Heidt where he's a smaller player but not an "elite" skater, so some people are scared.

Of course, Luke Misa is an elite skater and fell to the fifth round, so who really knows.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Interesting article today from Pronman ranking this year's likely #1 pick (Schaefer) v. the last 10.
He slides him in at #5, behind Matthews, Celebrini, Bedard and Hughes, and ahead of Dahlin, Power, Hischier, Laf, and Slaf.

Which seems about right.

[Ba'alzamon]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Interesting article today from Pronman ranking this year's likely #1 pick (Schaefer) v. the last 10.
He slides him in at #5, behind Matthews, Celebrini, Bedard and Hughes, and ahead of Dahlin, Power, Hischier, Laf, and Slaf.

Which seems about right.

Ahead of Dahlin is interesting

[Jiggy]

Brayden Point slid because of his skating. Take skilled players because they can work on their skating.

[cral12]

Upside Hockey's 2025 NHL Draft Rankings — Draft Lottery Edition

The May Edition of Our Top 224 NHL Draft Rankings from Chief Scout Eldon MacDonald

Excerpt:

"Updated May 5, 2025

This is a quick update just to get our NHL Draft Lottery Edition of our rankings out in the wild.

Matthew Schaefer Maintains Number One Ranking

Outstanding blueliner Matthew Schaefer leap-frogged exceptional centreman Michael Misa into 1st overall in our January rankings led by our Chief of Scouting Eldon MacDonald and continues to hold his spot this time around. He seems like the odds-on choice for the NHL Draft Lottery winners - the New York Islanders.

Our mammoth quintessential rankings spreadsheet format is composed by the incomparable Chief of Scouting, Eldon MacDonald. We have already featured well over 350 prospects. Check back throughout the season as we add many tabs/sheets (subjects along the bottom) to this spreadsheet.

In this edition, in the second column and second tab we have highlighted NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings with our own unique way of consolidating the rankings rather than the segregated format NHL Central Scouting presents them as.

There will be too many cool features to list; explore yourself with this top of mind:


Our exclusive rankings go well beyond the first round - over 350 prospects included in this version
Check out the tabs along the bottom such as Defense, Under 5'11, etc. for various unique rankings
Quick access to Elite Prospects profile linked for each prospect for updated stats - click on the respective prospect name

Unique prospect analyses as featured in our Substack Prospect Profile series (be sure you’re signed up to our eNewsletter here to keep getting these:

We have in-depth scouting profiles from our scout Trevor Curtis (Sandman!) embedded/linked within the rankings spreadsheet. As the prospect profiles are completed on our dedicated 2025 profiles page, they will under the third column "UH" (Upside Hockey) - simply click on that to be taken to that respective profile. For the 2024 NHL draft, we completed over 240!"

Who's...too high? too low? omitted?

Please enjoy...

Substack article link:

https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/...ottery-edition

Upside 2025 NHL Draft Headquarters direct link: https://www.upsidehockey.com/nhl-dra...draft-rankings

[Bingo]

Building the draft ranking averages for 2025 now that the lottery is done.

Only 5 rankings so far.

Top Ten

Player	Position	Average
M Schaefer	D	1.20
Michael Misa	C	1.80

James Hagens	C	3.60
Porter Martone	RW	4.40
Anton Frondell	C	5.20

Victor Eklund	LW	7.20
C Desnoyers	D	8.40
Radim Mrtka	D	9.20
Jake O'Brien	C	10.20
Roger McQueen	C	10.40

Flames Range

Flames	16	Braeden Cootes	LW	19.75
Flames	17	Cullen Potter	C	20.00
Flames	18	Logan Hensler	D	20.00
Flames	19	Cole Reschny	C	20.25
Flames	20	Cameron Reid	D	20.25
Flames	21	K Aitcheson	D	20.80
Flames	22	J Carbonneau	RW	21.50
Flames	23	Benjamin Kindel	RW	23.00
Flames	24	J Ravensbergen	G	24.67

[HitterD]

So happy to see the draft ranking averages return Bingo!

Quick correction, Desnoyers is a C

[Naitix]

I wouldn’t mind trading 18 and 22 to move up into the top 12 if a good centre prospect is available

[Toonage]

Kind of feel like the only real deal would be to trade 18 to the Flyers for their higher 2 picks giving the Flames 3, albeit high picks in Round 1.

Flames aren't likely to have what is needed to move up into the top 10-12 IMO

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Naitix

I wouldn’t mind trading 18 and 22 to move up into the top 12 if a good centre prospect is available

McQueen is the wild card. Just hard to know how far he drops and does he get into a zone where suddenly a move up is possible.
That's the only one that I see even remotely possible.
And I wonder if what has happened with Lindstrom in the last year, causes him to drop even further. CBJ looked past the injury and took him really high. And so far - that's not proving to be a sound decision.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by Toonage

Kind of feel like the only real deal would be to trade 18 to the Flyers for their higher 2 picks giving the Flames 3, albeit high picks in Round 1.

Flames aren't likely to have what is needed to move up into the top 10-12 IMO

If there are multiple players they have in the same tier when it gets to 18, I could see this happening.
Similar to the Zary draft where they traded down but stayed in the tier.

22 (possibly), 24, 25
vs
18, 22

[bigrangy]

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-button-...no-1-1.2301304

Post Lotto Mock Draft from Button, not sure who I’d be aiming for at 18 in this case. All my favorites would be gone.

I guess the pick would be between Bear and Kindel, hopefully they’ve got a really good read on both.

[HitterD]

Originally Posted by bigrangy

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-button-...no-1-1.2301304

Post Lotto Mock Draft from Button, not sure who I’d be aiming for at 18 in this case. All my favorites would be gone.

I guess the pick would be between Bear and Kindel, hopefully they’ve got a really good read on both.

That mock leaves Carter Bear as a possibility. The Achilies injury doesnt scare me as much as McQueen's back issues, and while some dont project him as a C in the NHL, it would be really hard to pass him up if he's there at 18

[Jiri Hrdina]

This one is interesting because it has McQueen dropping into the Flames range

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...e-lottery-win/