2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Fan69

Another vote! good breakdown about Zonnon. Really like this player. He was switched from wing to center and stayed top ten in scoring in the league.

I think his skating issues are a little overblown would be really happy to get him with our second pick.

https://youtu.be/xfNKdVnCytA?si=TwGjY3u6CufAn4DR

I have my own write up on Z coming tonight…

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I have my own write up on Z coming tonight…

Look forward to what you think. Several places doing write ups say underrated. The one i linked the guy says THE most underrated in the draft.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Aces Edition, Vol. 1):

C/LW Bill Zonnon (6'2",190lbs)
Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL): 64gp/ 28g/ 55a/ 83pts, +5, 32 PIM

Many outlets are still listing Bill Zonnon (ranked # 31 NA Skaters, # 34 by McKenzie, #18 by Button) as a left-winger, but he's been playing C all year for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, and he has looked like a natural in that position. The Huskies were 5th-best in the Q this season, but were eliminated from the playoffs by the powerful Moncton Wildcats in the Semi-Finals, in 4 games- with Zonnon contributing 8 goals and 16 points in 13 post-season contests. Zonnon, who is old by draft standards with an Oct. 3rd, 2006 birthday, was chosen by Rouyn-Noranda in the 2022 QMJHL Draft, 6th-overall, and was tied for 7th in scoring in the regular-season, with 83 points in 64 games. He is an ultra hard-working power-forward with a solid 200-foot game, who succeeds as an offensive producer despite employing a very simple game, and possessing no real dynamic traits. Zonnon's skating deficiencies have been largely exaggerated; his stride is quite awkward looking, perhaps a little bow-legged on a wide stance, with too much of a heel-kick in his start-up, and he needs to add strength to his lower-body to gain more power, but he still manages to generate decent forward mobility- above-average speed-wise. His mobility is amplified by his extra-long looking legs, his high-end work-ethic, and his robust activity-rate, and he has a peppy short-burst at his disposal when needed. A lot of work is needed to clean up his mechanics in order to make his stride more efficient, and to improve his agility; even still, he seems to be able to make rather tight turns and quick pivots on his edges, and gains good speed out of his crossovers. He has no problem at all in pushing pace, as well- in fact, it's a standout strength.

Though he employs a fairly direct style, he possesses excellent playmaking vision and hockey-sense, with the ability to execute difficult passes across the ice, and through traffic. He understands how to open seams by drawing pressure, and employs deception tactics to manipulate defenses. He can catch as well as dish-off while in-motion, finds teammates in high-danger with regularity, and can complete saucers, slips, hooks, and bank-passes to give recipients an advantage. A lot of Zonnon's game is facilitated by his sky-high compete, intensity, and work-ethic, and he is blessed with an unrelenting motor; he usually plays over 20 minutes a night for the Huskies. With a rugged physical game, he dominates along the boards, uses his frame well, and wins more than his fair share of puck-battles with sheer determination; he never gives up on a play, gives 2nd and 3rd-efforts, outworks his opponents, and throws his weight around to dislodge pucks. He has a business-like approach in physical confrontations though, as he's not particularly mean, and doesn't play with an edge- he hits hard, but hits clean, and doesn't take many unnecessary penalties. Most of his goals are scored in-tight, but he has a knack for locating shooting lanes, and exhibits a hard shot that can pop water-bottles, pick corners, and find it's way through five-holes, with a quick and deceptive release. Z attacks the middle of the ice for scoring opportunities, drives the net to pick-up garbage, and gets off the wall with the puck. He will fire low on-net to make plays in creating rebound opportunities for teammates, and plants himself in front of the net to cause chaos, set up a screen, fish for rebounds around the crease, and cause headaches for opposing defensemen with how hard he is to move.

Zonnon displays keen off-puck awareness and intelligence to always be supportive of the play in all three zones, and to always be in position as a playable option for teammates. He finds gaps in the slot to await high-danger passes, and will sneak behind defenders with his stick on the ice to be open and ready. He forechecks with pace, physicality, and pressure, and pushes defenses back in transition. With solid puck-skill, he shows tight control at high-speed, soft-touch passing, and even some one-on-one moves and deception to separate from defenders, and stickhandle in tight-areas. Z is an excellent defensive forward, and proficient penalty-killer, who exhibits spotless positioning, and backtracks hard in an effort to disturb plays in the neutral zone. He reads the play well in the defensive-third, while applying overwhelming effort and tenacity, attacking puck-carriers aggressively, and imposing himself physically. He aids his defensemen in front of the net, and supports them in battles below the goal-line. Many say that Z might have to clean up his skating mechanics to be considered at center at the next level, but his speed and pace don't seem to be a big problem. His faceoffs though, will need to be fixed, as he was 48.9 % on the dot this season- not horrible, but certainly not a strength of his. His age works against him, but look for Zonnon in the second-half of the first-round, with an easy top-six projection to the NHL.

[Snuffleupagus]

For the Flames I'm hoping Zonnon drops to the late 2nd round. I think his age will keep him out of the 1st

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Aces Edition, Vol. 2):

LD Kashawn Aitcheson (6'2",198)
Barrie (OHL): 64gp/ 26g/ 33a/ 59pts, +6, 88 PIM

This year's version of Kashawn Aitcheson (ranked # 9 NA Skaters, #18 by McKenzie, #17 by Button) is a kinder, gentler version of the one who showed up in 2023-24, going from 126 PIM last season to 88 PIM in the current campaign. We got to see how effective he can be with less time in the box, and another year of experience under his belt, going from 8 goals and 39 points in 64 games in his D-minus-1 season, to 26 goals (a Barrie Colts record for defensemen) and 59 points (7th-overall in OHL scoring by D, 1st among first-time draft-eligible defensemen) in 64 games. Barrie was eliminated from the post-season after being swept by the Oshawa Generals in the Conference Championship, but Aitcheson stepped up in a big way, with 6 goals and 12 points in 16 playoff contests- for 5th among D. Many fans first got acquainted with him in the 2024 U-18's where he was a physical force, a stalwart play-killer, and managed to produce 3 points in 7 games, en route to a Gold medal with Team Canada. Age is working against him though, as his Sept.21, 2006 birthday means that he was only 6 days away from being in the 2024 NHL Draft, making him one of the oldest players in this summer's draft. A throwback defenseman (you'll hear or read that in every profile on Aitcheson), he displays a bit of everything- size (he's 6'1.5"), mobility, daunting physicality, a nasty mean streak, and the ability to contribute in a meaningful way in both ends of the rink. He can change the momentum of a game with a big hit, a skilled play, or a big goal, and always puts his mark on the game.

A hard-nosed, physical defender with snarl, he's always engaged, with an unrelenting motor, and one of the most feared players in the OHL. Though he has learned to pick his spots a little better, he throws hits early and often, and most of them are of the bone-jarring variety; he gets under his opponents' skin, and will drop the gloves when challenged. A nightmare for attackers in front of his net, he defends fiercely with slashes and crosschecks to keep the crease clear, and makes opponents pay for getting near his goalie. Though he's a bruiser, he also displays excellent offensive instincts, and makes responsible decisions as to when to activate off the point, and when to join the rush, so as not to give up odd-man rushes. He has the ability to make game-changing plays, and steps up in important moments in an effort to make a difference; he moves off the line to locate passing seams and shooting lanes, or to unleash his terrifying shot from the hash-marks. He will also pinch into the play up the boards to stop the breakout, or to win a race to keep the play alive in the zone. He's not really dynamic or flashy, but his puck-skill is reasonably good, and his passing ability allows him to make plays in the offensive zone with adept distribution from the line, but a lot of his offense comes from his cannon of a shot. A volume shooter, he creates rebound opportunities for teammates in times when his shot doesn't hit the back of the net. He was 3rd in goals-scored by defensemen in the OHL, behind only Zayne Parekh and Sam Dickinson, and finds ways to cut to the slot for looks- either by muscling in, or by deception and manipulation. Even without the finishing ability and threatening shot, Aitch still exhibits good playmaking vision, solid IQ, and plus-level offensive awareness, but isn't a high-end creator, and needs to make quicker decisions- still, he still manages to set up a high number of grade "A" chances, and advantage-creating plays. To facilitate his distribution ability, he employs deception tactics in the form of shifts of weight, fakes, and look-offs.

Aitcheson is an excellent skater, who may not possess game-breaking speed, but moves up-and-down the ice with above-average quickness, amplified by his work rate, and exhibits strong edgework for added maneuverability in tight spaces. He transitions smoothly, makes tight turns, and pivots rather efficiently. He handles well in traffic, can deke around defenders at times, and shows poise and confidence with the puck on his blade; when combined with his passing skill, he's a positive contributor to his team's transition, and can even lead the attack through the neutral zone, sometimes rushing the puck through exit and entry. He completes mostly sound breakout passes, some of the dynamic variety, to forwards in-motion- showing patience and poise. Aitch can munch minutes and play in important situations, never wavering in his involvement, elite compete, or high-end engagement level. With superb defensive awareness, he exerts good details in his own-zone, and displays massive shutdown potential; he's proactive in identifying and neutralizing threats, and brings extreme violence and physicality to his duties- throwing stiff checks and pinning attackers to the wall. Scanning thoroughly with his head on a swivel, he eliminates secondary threats, and is a punishing force in front of his net. He blocks shots willingly, and employs a well-timed stick to disrupt plays. He's dangerous in the neutral zone as well, hunting down puck-carriers, and taking away the middle from aggressors with huge open-ice hits. In defending the rush, he applies good angling techniques to drive opponents to the boards, where he finishes them with fierce bodychecks, but he needs to tighten up his gaps. Though he is picking his spots better these days, he can still take himself out of the play by looking for the big hit, and can get himself into trouble when trying to get too fancy with the puck, or trying to do too much on his own. I see him as a 40-50 point defender, who can play big minutes, and provide a solid two-way game, but many see him as being more suited to second-pairing duties. Either way, he's going to be a difference-maker in the show, and will be a fan-favorite anywhere he goes. Look for him in the middle-third of the first-round.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

For the Flames I'm hoping Zonnon drops to the late 2nd round. I think his age will keep him out of the 1st

Could be, but I think the most he falls is to the beginning of the second round.

[TOfan]

Piece on McQueen this morning from Pronman.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...hl-draft-2025/

Says if injuries were not a concern he would be top 5 pick, debatably 1OA in some scouts eyes at the start of the season. Back injury is not considered to be as bad as Lindstrom’s was last year. One scout believes there are too many other ‘safe’ bets at C this year for McQueen to go on the top 6 and he could fall in the 7-12 range.

If he’s available, I wonder if the Flames try to get 9OA from Buffalo or 12OA from the Rangers. The lack of almost any player under the age of 23, hell 25 even, make me wonder if the Flames need to consider getting a bit aggressive and take some risk to draft a player with 1C potential.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Piece on McQueen this morning from Pronman.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/626...hl-draft-2025/

Says if injuries were not a concern he would be top 5 pick, debatably 1OA in some scouts eyes at the start of the season. Back injury is not considered to be as bad as Lindstrom’s was last year. One scout believes there are too many other ‘safe’ bets at C this year for McQueen to go on the top 6 and he could fall in the 7-12 range.

If he’s available, I wonder if the Flames try to get 9OA from Buffalo or 12OA from the Rangers. The lack of almost any player under the age of 23, hell 25 even, make me wonder if the Flames need to consider getting a bit aggressive and take some risk to draft a player with 1C potential.

I really feel like the Buffalo pick will be up for grabs. But 9th is probably high enough to second guess McQueen still depending on how early the run on centres starts. Do you take McQueen over jake obrien or Brady Martin? Hard to say.

I agree that this is the type of move the flames have to make though. 18th + mews or bzru?

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Monahammer

I really feel like the Buffalo pick will be up for grabs. But 9th is probably high enough to second guess McQueen still depending on how early the run on centres starts. Do you take McQueen over jake obrien or Brady Martin? Hard to say.

I agree that this is the type of move the flames have to make though. 18th + mews or bzru?

I would say, in both cases, NY and Buffalo, those teams will be looking for established NHL players, preferably.

That being the case I think something around Andersson plus to the Rangers might be enticing for the Rangers to consider. That plus could be a futures asset, pick or prospect. Buffalo? I’m not so sure. I just do t see many NHL vets with trade protection agreeing to go there. That pick may be in play but it might cost you a young player without protection. Zary? Honzek? If there’s a deal there it might involve a player we don’t want to see leave.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by TOfan

I would say, in both cases, NY and Buffalo, those teams will be looking for established NHL players, preferably.

That being the case I think something around Andersson plus to the Rangers might be enticing for the Rangers to consider. That plus could be a futures asset, pick or prospect. Buffalo? I’m not so sure. I just do t see many NHL vets with trade protection agreeing to go there. That pick may be in play but it might cost you a young player without protection. Zary? Honzek? If there’s a deal there it might involve a player we don’t want to see leave.

Why would the rangers want to pay for Rasmus to play 3rd string RD for them, though? I agree, Buffalo is hard to trade with while players control elements of their destiny. But I also don't see much motivation for the rangers. Maybe Coleman would be a better rangers fit? But then, not worth 12th, certainly not alone.

Zary+ Florida pick for 9 might be pretty interesting. I like Zary fine, but we have winger depth in the org.

[The Fonz]

2024 subject, but...

Cayden Lindstrom injured again?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

2024 subject, but...

Cayden Lindstrom injured again?

no, they are managing his workload. Game 3 and 4 being back-to-back, they kept him out of game 4, after such a long absence. The Athletic says his back hasn't given him any issues.

[The Fonz]

Originally Posted by devo22

no, they are managing his workload. Game 3 and 4 being back-to-back, they kept him out of game 4, after such a long absence. The Athletic says his back hasn't given him any issues.

Did he leave game 3 in the 2nd period?

[devo22]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

Did he leave game 3 in the 2nd period?

he was back on the bench in the 3rd, but they were up 5-0 already. He didn't mention any injury in the post-game interviews either.

I'd imagine they aren't taking any risks with him, especially since they are controlling the series.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1923061503537676533

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by mile

https://twitter.com/user/status/1923061503537676533

Desnoyers would've looked real good in Red if that final ball was a 9. Damn

[Sandman]

Desnoyers is one of my personal favourites…

[Tbull8]

Not sure where else to put this but London back to back OHL champs. Against Oshawa both years. Oshawa goalie is gonna have teams calling for sure. Undrafted

[Fan69]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

For the Flames I'm hoping Zonnon drops to the late 2nd round. I think his age will keep him out of the 1st

That would be pretty outstanding i just dont think it’s likely; but if you could walk out with Reschny, Murtagh and then Zonnon in the second i would call that a great draft.

[Royle9]

I cant see Zonnon making it out of the 1st, he's probably one of the better 2-way centers available in the later half of the 1st.

With that said, stranger things have happened (see last year) so its possible.