2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by traptor

yup, our fanbase has really eroded over the last decade. We fight over market space with the Oilers and they're heavily winning.

Another lunch pail, hard working team isn't going to change that. We need superstars and a few years of serious contention.



It does feel gross drafting an Oilers fan...


Is Nesbitt an Oilers fan?

I was just joking around and pilling on.
I have no clue whether Kindle is actually an Oilers fan.
I would hope that the Hitmen force all players to sign an agreement that they must stop cheering for any Edmonton-based teams.

[FanSince'01]

The best and quickest way to cleanse any hockey player of Oiler fandom is to have them play a game against the Oilers. They all seem to wise up pretty quick after that.

[cral12]

Originally Posted by cral12

Crunch time - few more updates from Upside:

A glimpse of the Top 10 Goalies in this draft class:
https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/...-nhl-draft-top

I've also been releasing some graphics highlighting our Top 5/10 lists on Twitter, Bluesky, & Insta...e.g.

https://twitter.com/user/status/1937691154050367624

Oh, did one Final Countdown mock Draft after the Zegras trade and NYR decision to pass the 12th OV pick to the Pens...
I really should have added Ryker Lee & Zharovsky going in the first but didn't quite have to time. Eldon has both rated in the first and as Sandman said Zharovsky has that 1st rnd buzz about him...
In this one, the Flames had the Bear snatched from them by the blasted 'Nucks, but think we make out alright:
https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/...t-40-the-final

***
Last call for the Draft Guide. Join us on the Upside - helps support Sandman, Eldon, and I keep this going (and the site ad free), but even a share on any of the socials, Reddit helps.

Be like the Insiders (well at least that one insider - one NHL staff member that purchased...that we know of lol).
***
LFG, Conroy et al.

fwiw, we had Reschney at 18 and Potter again at 32 in our final mock

[shutout]

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/good-nhl-d...202418343.html

Head Scout Todd Button:

- Drafting the player with the highest ceiling
- What metrics are used to evaluate where a player’s ceiling might be
- We use who has the higher ceiling
- If they have a high ceiling and a high floor, that makes a prospect really intriguing

[Jiri Hrdina]

Love hearing they are focused on ceiling. Spot on.

[dammage79]

Forgot which CP leaker posted it but that Alex Zharovsky seems to be in the Flames sights. I've come around on him on the last two days. One highlight package I watched started off slow where most of not all of the first 5 minutes was just him between the dots net front and finishing easy plays but then as it went on his skating and skill really livened things up. He's got real talent. So 18 OAay not be as big a reach for him as I figured previously. He definitely shouldn't make it to 32.

[Bleeding Red]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

The last thing they need are dmen, they need forwards.

Odd. Cap Wages shows they have 3 under contract for next year with 2 RFAs.

They just jettisoned Brodie. The rest have less than 100 NHL games combined.

Could use a D vet to keep competitive.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Bleeding Red

Odd. Cap Wages shows they have 3 under contract for next year with 2 RFAs.

They just jettisoned Brodie. The rest have less than 100 NHL games combined.

Could use a D vet to keep competitive.

They have Levshenov, Rindel, both considered very high end prospects who will both play in the NHl this year. Vlasic is already very good. They have Murphy and Korchinski to round out their top 5.

Would Andersson make the better. Absolutely. But he's not someone they would sign long term.

If they trade the 3oa, it's for a very good, young forward.

Brodie was jettisoned to make room for the youngsters.

Chicago is not ready to compete. Playing the youngsters had them playing pretty good at the end of the season.

[sureLoss]

Watch the video

https://twitter.com/user/status/1937999638969389075

[ForeverFlameFan]

Here's my attempt at the top 32, assuming no movement:

1. NYI - Schaefer (D)
2. SJS - Misa (C)
3. CHI - Frondell (C)
4. UTA - Martin (C)
5. NSH - O'Brien (C)
6. PHI - Hagens (C/RW)
7. BOS - Desnoyers (C)
8. SEA - Martone (RW)
9. BUF - Mtrka (D)
10. ANA - Eklund (LW/RW)
11. PIT - Aitcheson (D)
12. PIT - McQueen (C)
13. DET - Reid (D)
14. CBJ - Bear (LW/C)
15. VAN - Lakovic (LW)
16. MON - Smith (D)
17. MON - Reschny (C)
18. CGY - Cootes (C)
19. STL - Carbonneau (RW)
20. CBJ - Nesbitt (C)
21. OTT - Hensler (D)
22. PHI - Horcoff (C)
23. NSH - Zharovsky (RW)
24. LAK - Spence (LW)
25. CHI - Potter (C)
26. NSH - Murtagh (LW)
27. WSH - Limatov (D)
28. WPG - Kindel (RW/C)
29. CAR - McKinney (C)
30. SJS - Gastrin (C)
31. PHI - Ravensbergen (G)
32. CGY - Zonnon (RW)

[JTech780]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Here's my attempt at the top 32, assuming no movement:

1. NYI - Schaefer (D)
2. SJS - Misa (C)
3. CHI - Frondell (C)
4. UTA - Martin (C)
5. NSH - O'Brien (C)
6. PHI - Hagens (C/RW)
7. BOS - Desnoyers (C)
8. SEA - Martone (RW)
9. BUF - Mtrka (D)
10. ANA - Eklund (LW/RW)
11. PIT - Aitcheson (D)
12. PIT - McQueen (C)
13. DET - Reid (D)
14. CBJ - Bear (LW/C)
15. VAN - Lakovic (LW)
16. MON - Smith (D)
17. MON - Reschny (C)
18. CGY - Cootes (C)
19. STL - Carbonneau (RW)
20. CBJ - Nesbitt (C)
21. OTT - Hensler (D)
22. PHI - Horcoff (C)
23. NSH - Zharovsky (RW)
24. LAK - Spence (LW)
25. CHI - Potter (C)
26. NSH - Murtagh (LW)
27. WSH - Limatov (D)
28. WPG - Kindel (RW/C)
29. CAR - McKinney (C)
30. SJS - Gastrin (C)
31. PHI - Ravensbergen (G)
32. CGY - Zonnon (RW)

Cootes at 18 and Zonnon at 32 would be awesome. Just for the record Zonnon played a lot of center this year, I could see him being a center long term.

[SeanCharles]

With the posts about Button saying they are looking for highest ceilings, I have a hard time imagining Cootes would be picked.

He's tracking as a 3rd line C.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by SeanCharles

With the posts about Button saying they are looking for highest ceilings, I have a hard time imagining Cootes would be picked.

He's tracking as a 3rd line C.

It’s extremely hard to find a top line C at our choice. Not to mention, I feel like you’re selling Cootes short. When playing with other top end prospects, he was one of the best out there. He didn’t have much help with his respective team.

If traded to go on a memorial cup run next season, I think people would be surprised at the production. I want a reliable 2 way center too and he is exactly that. Has the highest compete level amongst his peers in the WHL (according to FC, my favorite draft guide).

[devo22]

would absolutely love Cootes and Zonnon. I think they'll be gone at 18 and 32 though.

I think people are selling Cootes short. Looking at his numbers doesn't really do him justice, he didn't play on a deep team (but carried it) but then put up great numbers at the U18 WJC. All around center, smart, plays in all situations, has a good 200 ft game, brings some sandpaper. I'll happily take a 2-way center like him at 18.

Zonnon's on of my favourites too. Needs to work on a few things, but he brings a lot to the table. Having played C all year will benefit him in the long run.

[TheScorpion]

Going live with Pike and DFO's Steven Ellis at the top of the hour:

https://www.youtube.com/live/0lfjkLq...dsDpAAn5R7qiMN

[dammage79]

Cootes I'm happy with at 18.

32 I'm all for the home run swing on someone.

[YyjFlames]

I keep going back to Sean Monahan in his draft year, scoring 78 points in 58 games -- which was about 30 points fewer and half as many goals as the OHL leader that year and 30 points fewer than Drouin, despite Monahan being one of the oldest prospects in the draft.

I was okay with the Flames picking him as he was the consensus 5/6 guy in that draft, but I didn't get how he was ranked so highly with that many fewer points than Drouin.

His point totals were clearly just the result of him being on a poor team, though, as he jumped straight into the NHL and put up 22 goals, while Drouin spent another year in junior and never really figured it out. Cootes is different than Monahan and not a top 5/top 10 pick, but I'm no longer worried when prospects scoring numbers don't stand out if they're on a poor team (and I don't get overly excited when a prospect has eye popping numbers on an extremely strong team).

This is where I really appreciate how good scouts are.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

It’s extremely hard to find a top line C at our choice. Not to mention, I feel like you’re selling Cootes short. When playing with other top end prospects, he was one of the best out there. He didn’t have much help with his respective team.

If traded to go on a memorial cup run next season, I think people would be surprised at the production. I want a reliable 2 way center too and he is exactly that. Has the highest compete level amongst his peers in the WHL (according to FC, my favorite draft guide).

Find me a scout that projects Cootes as anything other than a 3rd line C. It's pretty much what every scout thinks. Could they be wrong? Sure, but I don't see it. I would rather we swing for someone with more upside.

[JTech780]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Find me a scout that projects Cootes as anything other than a 3rd line C. It's pretty much what every scout thinks. Could they be wrong? Sure, but I don't see it. I would rather we swing for someone with more upside.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...025-nhl-draft/

https://www.tsn.ca/braeden-cootes-centre-1.2313557

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by JTech780

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...025-nhl-draft/

https://www.tsn.ca/braeden-cootes-centre-1.2313557

Neither of those are scouts. As a matter of fact the latter guy can't even get a job in the NHL again after doing such a bad job judging talent. Who remembers when Button went on about how Luke Schenn was the human eraser and was going to be the best defensive D man of all time?