2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

I think its a bit of Cayden Lindstrom effect.

Heck of a player in a giant frame. But Injuries.

Also in the games he did play this season, he didnt dominate to a top 5 pick level. Hes not a great skater either.

He's also the "oldest" top player in the draft, he's literally only 2 months younger than Iginla. including PO's as a 17 yr old Tij put up 56g-99p, McQueen as a 17 yr old put up 25g-56p

Personally at #18 it seems too much risk.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

He's also the "oldest" top player in the draft, he's literally only 2 months younger than Iginla. including PO's as a 17 yr old Tij put up 56g-99p, McQueen as a 17 yr old put up 25g-56p

Personally at #18 it seems too much risk.

I also preferred Lindstrom as a prospect compared to McQueen. Obvisously the back injuries with both players makes them a risk and it’s debatable if the risk is too great with where the flames are picking but, when watching highlights of McQueen and highlights of Lindstrom, it seems like Lindstrom was way more active in being a primary generator of offence. By that, I mean that he was carrying pucks up the ice, making zone entries, dangling or powering through defencemen. Where as McQueen’s highlights are mostly him getting open for scoring chances, going hard to the net and having good scoring touch in close to the net - good qualities in a power forward but the primary play-driving attributes are what I would prefer in any player drafted to be a 1st or 2nd line center.

[Iniggywetrust]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I also preferred Lindstrom as a prospect compared to McQueen. Obvisously the back injuries with both players makes them a risk and it’s debatable if the risk is too great with where the flames are picking but, when watching highlights of McQueen and highlights of Lindstrom, it seems like Lindstrom was way more active in being a primary generator of offence. By that, I mean that he was carrying pucks up the ice, making zone entries, dangling or powering through defencemen. Where as McQueen’s highlights are mostly him getting open for scoring chances, going hard to the net and having good scoring touch in close to the net - good qualities in a power forward but the primary play-driving attributes are what I would prefer in any player drafted to be a 1st or 2nd line center.

Interesting, that seems to the opposite what I saw from MCqueen in the video that was just posted. Most of it was line rushes where he's given the puck in the defensive zone and carries for offensive line rush chances either for himself or his teammates.

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Iniggywetrust

Interesting, that seems to the opposite what I saw from MCqueen in the video that was just posted. Most of it was line rushes where he's given the puck in the defensive zone and carries for offensive line rush chances either for himself or his teammates.

Agreed. Exactly what i saw

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Iniggywetrust

Interesting, that seems to the opposite what I saw from MCqueen in the video that was just posted. Most of it was line rushes where he's given the puck in the defensive zone and carries for offensive line rush chances either for himself or his teammates.

I haven’t checked the latest videos. Maybe it’s specific to the one I watched from early in the season (mostly showing highlights from last year I think). If I’m wrong and he is showing those puck carrying and playmaking qualities in his game, then I would be more interested him at 18th overall even with his injury problems.

[Crazy Bacon Legs]

I for one would like to see the Flames pick players in this draft with a few criteria in mind:

1) Pick players that know how to skate and shoot. If a player hasn't learned to skate at all by age 17, the likelihood that they will suddenly figure it out at age 18 is weird. That ship has sailed! And shooting is part of hockey. That involves propelling a puck toward the opposing net, sometimes at a terrifying speed! We need more of that. Don't hand a draft-eligible player a stick and give them their first try. Try soccer if you don't know how to use a stick!

2) Pick players with at least two legs. There's been a lot of talk about how a player with only one leg will "grow out of it," but that's specious reasoning at best. I spent hours poring over medical literature, and there has never been a case of a player suddenly growing a new leg, even at age 18-22. I don't know why this keeps getting suggested. Stick to two legged players! Maybe three legs, but it looks like that's never happened either. If it's not broken, don't fix it! unless the leg is broken. Fix that, like 100% of the time.

3) Try to use all the picks to get the best players you can. I see a lot of chatter about picking the worst players and just hoping they will pan out, but that doesn't work most of the time. I appreciate trying to give bad players a chance, but this is professional hockey, not the "Try to make bad players good hockey league." I tried to make a league like that, and it was a spectacular failure. I lost over $6 million trying that, and I won't do that again. Maybe one more time. I can be talked into it. But please don't try. I'm almost out of money.

4) Don't try to pick based on positional need. Pick the best player available, and pick up other pieces as needed. These players take a long time to develop fully, and we can't be chasing positional needs for today by predicting what the team may look like in five years. None of us are fortune tellers. Well, maybe two of you are. You know who you are. But one of you is a fake fortune teller. Why would you tell me to invest all my money in a hockey league composed of the worst players? I hate you.

That's all I have to say for now about the draft. I hope we get some crackerjack players!

[Poe969]

Whats the site where you do the draft simulation?

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Poe969

Whats the site where you do the draft simulation?

FC hockey draft simulator. But they haven't updated it yet flames are picking 29 and 30th in the 1st round.

[ICRed]

Originally Posted by dammage79

FC hockey draft simulator. But they haven't updated it yet flames are picking 29 and 30th in the 1st round.

Puckpedia has a GM mode and detailed up to date draft sim that is probably the best out there currently

[Tkachukwagon]

Most improved CHL players since Jan 2025

https://twitter.com/user/status/1922038083849011689

[robertsfanatic]

Originally Posted by Crazy Bacon Legs

2) Pick players with at least two legs. There's been a lot of talk about how a player with only one leg will "grow out of it," but that's specious reasoning at best. I spent hours poring over medical literature, and there has never been a case of a player suddenly growing a new leg, even at age 18-22. I don't know why this keeps getting suggested. Stick to two legged players! Maybe three legs, but it looks like that's never happened either. If it's not broken, don't fix it! unless the leg is broken. Fix that, like 100% of the time.

not enough people talk about this, thanks for your bravery CBL!

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (B's and C's Edition, Vol. 7):

LW Emile Guite' (6'2",174lbs)
Chicoutimi (QMJHL): 56gp/ 16g/ 14a/ 30pts, +7, 18 PIM

When a 16 year-old with Emile Guite's physical profile and skillset puts up the kind of numbers that he produced in 2023-24 (25 goals and 57 points in 61 games, 1 point ahead of Caleb Desnoyers) in his D-minus-1 season, you can usually expect star-making numbers in their draft-year, and a sure-fire first-round NHL draft selection. It hasn't happened that way for Guite' (ranked #79 Na Skaters, # 68 by McKenzie), who looks like a different player this season- disengaged and wildly inconsistent from shift-to-shift, shying away from battles, and not applying the same tenacity on the forecheck. There also seems to be a reluctance to unleash his shot consistently, which is perhaps his best weapon offensively. At his best, he's a dynamic offensive weapon with the ability to both create and score, which is why the Sagueneens drafted him 2nd-overall in the 2023 QMJHL Draft- one pick behind the aforementioned Desnoyers. Guite', who was the 2023-24 OMJHL Rookie of the Year, looked to be cementing his status as a possible 2025 NHL Draft first-rounder with a performance that dazzled scouts at last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, producing 3 goals and 7 points in 5 games- en route to winning a Gold Medal with Team Canada. In league play this season, his Chicoutimi Sagueneens were 5th-overall in the Q, but were eliminated in the playoff quarter-finals by Rimouski in 6 games- with Guite' only providing 4 points in 11 post-season contests.

Guite' isn't playing much in the middle of the ice, but I don't think he was ever an inside-driven player, and he does most of his best work from the outside anyway. He possesses high-end offensive awareness, preferring to make dangerous plays from the half-wall to the slot, and he is most dangerous as a shooter from the hashmarks. He owns an NHL-caliber release on his overwhelming shot; his one-timer is blistering, and his wrister is lethal. He can fire off the catch while in-motion, but his precision has been off this season, and he isn't finishing like he should be. He's proficient at finding open-space to work within, locates seams well, will go the net to finish in-tight, and can pull pucks off the wall to the slot- just not consistently. With elite puck-skill, he is usually strong on the puck and difficult to strip of possession, exerts firm control at top-speed, and can beat defenders one-on-one, but his puck-protection in-motion has been lacking at times. Also missing are the high-end plays that were commonplace last season and in the Hlinka, that only come in flashes these days. When he's on his game, he's creative and exhibits top-tier vision, with sublime hockey-sense to make plays in tight areas, and complete sharp passes with poise and patience under pressure. He can find teammates across the ice and through traffic, pass under and over sticks, and makes a high number of dangerous feeds to the slot. His decision-making could use a tune-up, as he tries to force plays that aren't there at times, but he has a good grasp on space-creation by drawing pressure to pry open passing seams and shooting lanes, and can force defenders to shift with his off-puck movements (though his off-puck game is another inconsistent part of his skillset this season, where it was a standout strength last year).

Guite' has improved his skating, and his mechanics have been largely smoothed-out, but he's still hovering around average in terms of straight-line speed; he has however, added an explosive short-burst that helps him to win short races to loose pucks. His edgework is impressive, giving him remarkable maneuverability, escapability, balance, and agility- which has made him far more effective in transition. He was once thought to have power-forward potential, but he isn't getting involved nearly enough physically, and is mostly staying away from playing in traffic. He will throw the odd hit, but isn't engaging much in the greasy areas of the ice, and when he does- he isn't winning pucks nearly enough; he seems content to let his linemates do the dirty work in digging out pucks. Even at 6'2", he still gets outworked and outmuscled, and his effectiveness on the forecheck is up-and-down. Defensively, his awareness and engagement are lacking, and he isn't used at all on the PK; his details are deficient, and he is often spotted floating on the backcheck through the neutral zone, or leaving the defensive zone early. His inconsistency, apparent unwillingness to battle, and lack of defensive impact will keep him out of the top-2 rounds, but there are still NHL-projectable tools here, with the hope that he can return to being more like the player he was in 2023-24. Nobody seems to know what happened to this kid. Look for him in the 3rd-round.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Crazy Bacon Legs

2) Pick players with at least two legs.

I hear the Kraken are scouting a player with no actual legs, but 10 tentacles. Does that count? He's a big kid too, about 30 feet in overall length. He'd be a natural at taking away passing lanes, especially if he's allowed to use more than one stick. I forget his name; Cthul something, I think. But that kind of looks like a misprint.

If he doesn't pan out as a player, they can use him as a mascot.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (B's and C's Edition, Vol. 8):

RW Cameron Schmidt (5'7",157lbs)
Vancouver (WHL): 61gp/ 40g/ 38a/ 78pts, -7, 44 PIM

It was a tale of two season for winger Cam Schmidt (ranked # 43 NA Skaters, # 30 by McKenzie, # 8 by Button), one before his injury in early December (I believe it came from a slash to his wrist), and the one after. In 23 games before missing 4 contests because of that injury, he put up an incredible 24 goals and 37 points; but in 38 games after the injury, he only managed 16 goals and 41 points. He still finished the season as the top-scorer on a mediocre Vancouver Giants squad that were 13th in the WHL over the course of the regular-season, and was likewise their best player in the post-season, with 4 goals and 9 points in just 5 games- ahead of the next-highest scorer by 4 points. If he would have been able to continue at his pre-injury pace, he would have produced a prorated 98 points in 61 games- or 109 points over 68 games, which makes sense when considering that his 58 points in 59 games in his D-minus-1 is the 55th-best season all-time in the WHL for a U-17 player. Schmidt won multiple gold medals over the last year, most recently at the U-18's (2 goals and 4 points in 7 games), and in last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup (3 goals and 4 points in 5 games). He is a small, but speedy winger with a fiery disposition, and a knack for scoring goals.

A volume shooter, his most attractive trait may be his NHL-caliber shot, which explodes off his blade with a paralyzing release and the precision to find it's way through the smallest holes- which is true for both his blistering wrister, and his bomb of a one-timer. Schmidt plays well around the net, positioning himself to clean up garbage in the crease, and exhibits smart off-puck positioning that always finds him in the right place, at the right time with his stick on the ice. He stealthily sneaks behind defenders, locating gaps in high-danger areas to set up his sniper's nest, and will drive the net like a power-forward to finish in-tight- with soft hands to deke out goalies. He can fire on net from anywhere in the zone, and can bulge the twine from bad angles. Schmidt's next-best asset is his explosive skating, which includes rapid acceleration up to a game-breaking top-speed- he can beat opponents wide, separate in open-ice, and win most races to loose pucks. Despite his diminutive stature, he manages to push defenders back, and keeps them on their heels with his pace; his edges are smooth as well, giving him superb maneuverability, with the capacity to change speed and direction almost instantly. He is slippery and evasive, and hard to catch. Schmidt gets off the wall with possession, and has the puck-skill and tight handling to match his lightning-quick feet- he maintains control at top-speed and in tight-areas while under pressure, catches smoothly in-flight, and solves problems on the fly. In receptions, he can settle down wild passes to gain control while in-motion, and has a soft-touch on his passes, often with the perfect amount of weight and velocity in his feeds. With a low center of gravity, he can protect well, and is difficult to knock off the puck. To compliment his goal-scoring ability, he also possesses a high-end brain, with solid playmaking chops, faciltated by his sublime vision and offensive awareness. He's creative, and locates passing lanes through traffic to connect with teammates on some fairly dynamic plays, while using delays and cut-backs to open space, and patiently drawing pressure to uncover passing seams.

Schmidt has a giant chip on his shoulder, and despite his diminutive stature, he doesn't back down from physical confrontations- he plays through checks, and initiates contact. He's a battler, and will compete in hard areas for loose pucks without fear. Still, he can be pushed around, and struggles to win 50/50 battles, and his size deficiency affects his impact in the defensive zone. With his speed and hands, he's a high-value contributor to his team's transition, and can skate complex routes through the neutral zone while using delays and cut-backs to hit an open man for the entry. He gets involved defensively, and uses his aggression, tenacity, and physicality to remove time and space, separate man from puck, and disrupt the opposing team's cycle. He displays good awareness, and positions himself well in his own zone. Schmidt needs work on his decision-making, as he sometimes tries to do too much on his own, and he can hold on to the puck for too long- which sees him skate himself into trouble. His size is his biggest detriment, and always will be, and even though he's not afraid of the rough-going, he still loses battles and can be pushed around by bigger opponents. I'm betting that the real Cam Schmidt is the player we saw in progression from his performance in 2023-24, to the show he put on in the first 23 games of 2024-25. Look for him in the second-round this summer.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (B's and C's Edition, Vol. 9):

RD Alex Huang (6'0",161lbs)
Chicoutimi (QMJHL): 64gp/ 7g/ 33a/ 40pts, +11, 16 PIM.

D Alex Huang (ranked # 77 NA Skaters, # 63 by McKenzie) has a few things going for him as a prospective draft-pick this summer, other than his skillset; first of all, he's a right-handed defenseman, which are always a highly sought-after commodity. Secondly, he is young by draft standards, with a July 30th, 2007 birthday. Thirdly, he has the pedigree of being drafted 5th-overall by the Chicoutimi Sagueneens in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft. Fourth, he was tied for 3rd-overall in scoring by D at the 2024 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, with 4 points in 5 games- en route to winning a gold medal with Team Canada. Fifth, he won his second gold medal of the year, with 4 assists in 6 games, at the most recent edition of the U-18 Tournament. Like teammate Emile Guite', much more was expected of Huang this season, after posting 36 points in 61 games in his D-minus-1 season in 2023-24, and he was on most lists in the first quarter of the season as a potential first-round pick in this summer's NHL Draft. The good news is that he managed to compile 22 points in his final 19 regular-season games, although he only managed 4 points in 11 post-season contests, as the Sags were eliminated in the Quarter-Finals by Rimouski in 6 games. Huang is a solid two-way puck-mover, with speed and smarts.

Huang's best physical asset is his skating- he's explosive in all directions, and his edgework is brilliant. He can perform a Savardian spin-o-rama at lightning speed to spin away from checks, he can pivot instantaneously, change direction and pace on a dime, and transition seamlessly. With his powerful and fluid stride, he can dictate pace, make decisions at high-speed, recover from activations quickly to the point, win races, and separate from pursuers with seemingly little effort. He wields a dynamite short-burst, and accelerates quickly to top-speed. Another highlight trait is his outstanding puck-skill and smooth handling while in-flight; he carries the puck with poise and confidence, beats opponents one-on-one, and protects the puck well in tight-spaces. Though he uses screens well, his shot is a little on the weak side, with work needed on building a more deceptive release, and is mostly used as a playmaking tool to create rebound opportunities for teammates, but he manages to get the puck on-net with good frequency. Improving his shot would unlock a lot more offense for him, because he's a volume-shooter. Huang exerts vision and creativity in the offensive zone, staying active to open passing seams, and making plays through traffic- he will join the rush as an extra attacker, and will pinch into the play from the line when he sees an opportunity. He understands space creation, and how to draw pressure to open space for teammates, and walks the line with his deft edgework to make defenses shift in order to create shooting lanes. He thrives in transition, and contributes to both controlled exits and entries with his quick feet and hands, either by exploding through the neutral zone with the puck on his blade, or by connecting with teammates in-stride- he's a commanding presence in this area. He makes seamless retrievals by outskating and outmaneuvering attackers effortlessly, and gets the breakout cooking with high-end passes that always seem to give the recipient an advantage. Always pre-scanning, he owns elite processing ability to make sound decisions quickly, and can stretch the ice with crisp outlet feeds on occasion. He's a confident and poised distributor in all three zones, and performs admirably under pressure.

Huang is not the most physical player, but he will finish checks, bump into opposing players to make a bit of room, push defenders off the puck, lean in to attackers to angle them away from danger, and pin them to the boards to neutralize them. He is so good at defending the middle from attacks- it's beautiful to watch. With high-end anticipation and awareness, he positions himself incredibly well to stop opponents from getting to the net, and angles attackers away from danger; I don't think there's many players in the CHL who can take away the inside as well as he does. His stick is as well-positioned as he is, and he times his pokechecks well- even diving to make stops when necessary. He seems to always recover loose pucks around the net, and intercepts passes to the slot, instantly getting the play moving in the opposite direction when the puck touches his blade. His gaps are a bit loose when defending the rush, but he has the speed to close distance before his target gets too deep into the zone. Huang's 40 points may seem rather meager for a player who is considered to be an offensive defenseman, but his numbers were good enough for 11th in scoring by defensemen in the low-scoring QMJHL, and were only 6 points away from the 5th-spot, while placing 3rd for U-18 defensemen. He needs to keep getting bigger and stronger, while continuing to build his consistency and his play in the offensive zone- particularly his shot. Look for him in the 2nd-round.

[Bingo]

Updated rankings ...

Top Ten

M Schaefer	D	1.25
Michael Misa	C	1.88

James Hagens	C	3.25
Porter Martone	RW	4.63
Anton Frondell	C	5.63
Victor Eklund	LW	6.63
C Desnoyers	C	7.88

Radim Mrtka	D	10.13
Jake O'Brien	C	10.50
Roger McQueen	C	10.75

Before and Flames Range

11	Jackson Smith	D	11.25
12	Carter Bear	C	13.13
13	Lynden Lakovic	LW	15.50
14	Brady Martin	C	16.13
15	Cullen Potter	C	16.57


16	Braeden Cootes	C	18.57
17	Logan Hensler	D	19.13
18	K Aitcheson	D	20.00
19	Malcolm Spence	LW	21.14
20	J Carbonneau	RW	21.86
21	Cam Schmidt	RW	22.50
22	Benjamin Kindel	RW	23.14
23	Cole Reschny	C	23.17
24	Cameron Reid	D	23.43

[iloveicedhockey]

Pronman has us taking RW Carbonneau with 18, ignoring the blatant C need and admitting he's probably redundant with Coronato here. Then he has us taking the second best C (from his ranking) remaining with Gastrin the Swede. Kooky.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by iloveicedhockey

Pronman has us taking RW Carbonneau with 18, ignoring the blatant C need and admitting he's probably redundant with Coronato here. Then he has us taking the second best C (from his ranking) remaining with Gastrin the Swede. Kooky.

Remaining at pick 18 in the Pronman mock.

Lynden Lakovic
Cullen Potter
Logan Hensler
Malcolm Spence
Justin Carbonneau
Cameron Schmidt
Benjamin Kindel
Ivan Ryabkin

And taking Carbonneau at 18 here is the list at 22

Cullen Potter
Logan Hensler
Malcolm Spence
Cameron Schmidt
Benjamin Kindel
Ivan Ryabkin
Bill Zonnon
Sascha Boumedienne
Cole McKinney
Jack Nesbitt
Jack Murtagh
Milton Gästrin
William Moore

[iloveicedhockey]

Maybe his thinking was we take BPA, knowing we can still get one of two centres we like with the next pick. That 22nd is slipping away at the moment too!

[Sandman]

Carbonneau would be an excellent pick, just doesn’t address our needs at C. If we get JC, then I suppose we could hope for maybe Nesbitt with our second first, then take someone like Tyler Hopkins/Owen Martin/Mateo Nobert/Luca Romano with our second-rounder? That’s a winger and two centers.