2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 9):

LCG Ondrej Stebetak (6'2",176lbs)
Portland (WHL): 47gp/ 23-18-3, 3.72 GAA, .891 SV%

Ondrej Stebetak (ranked # 8 NA Goalies) really turned heads at last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, winning a Silver Medal with Team Czechia after being narrowly defeated by Team Canada in OT, by a score of 2-1, posting a 1.27 GAA, and a .947 SV% in the tournament. The Portland Winterhawks were 12th, out of 22 teams in the WHL this season, but were 18th in goals-against, and were swept out of the playoffs in the third-round by Spokane, with Stebetak posting an 8-5-4 record, with a 4.21 GAA, and an .887 SV%. He made the 8th-most saves in the WHL over the regular-season, with the 13th-highest TOI, and the 8th-most shots-against. In games with Czechia's U18 National Team earlier in the season, he showed his true potential, posting a 1.68 GAA, and a .932 SV% in 6 games, playing on a more structured team. A hybrid goalie, Stebetak employs impressive athleticism, acute reflexes, and uncommon flexibility, but falls back on his technique, positioning, and angling to do some of the work for him.

Stebetak is strong mentally, with an unflappable nature, and doesn't seem to get rattled- even under enormous pressure. He stays calm, poised, and focused, but shows battle and intensity when the chips are down in tough games, and when he is forced to scramble. He seems to thrive in high-pressure scenarios, and possesses a high-end compete level. Stebetak manages to track the puck well, despite being considered "undersized", and reads the play extremely well, to deliver quick reactions. His glove and his blocker serve him well, as do his long and flexible legs when sealing off the bottom of the net. He positions himself well to be square to the puck at all times, and owns solid four-directional quickness, with a specialty in pushing off of his posts to explode laterally, without showing holes in the process. In addition, he recovers quickly to his default stance after going down in the butterfly, and moves out to the top of his crease to cut down angles, make himself look bigger, and to challenge shooters. Stebetak handles the puck quite well, and completes a high number of the passes he attempts, which makes him highly valuable to his defensemen, and helps his team by expediting the breakout. He has shown the ability to seal off his posts well in the RVH, but needs to do it more consistently, as pucks can squeak by him at times. His biggest weakness might be his rebound control, as he gives up a lot of egregious second-chance opportunities. He has to better absorb shots, corral loose pucks with his stick, and use his blocker with more consistency to deflect pucks out of danger. Stebetak is still a bit raw, but there's potential here- look for him in the 4th, or 5th-round.

[icarus]

Is Flames TV following this thread? Seems they are interviewing the players at the combine we're talking about the most here.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by icarus

Is Flames TV following this thread? Seems they are interviewing the players at the combine we're talking about the most here.

Or they're interviewing players inline with the flames picks

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by CKPThunder

That's a good observation and I agree with what you said.

If that's the case, how would you compare Kashawn Aitcheson from 2023-24 vs Radim Mrtka from 2024-25? Scoring wise the are somewhat similar but Aitcheson generating more PIM's. How much different are these two players?

Two different players, Aitcheson should be better offensively but he's not a very controlled player, Mrtka might not put up the points in the NHL but he's a massive man, very smart defensively and great skater that probably is as close to a guaranteed 2-4 D in this draft as you'll find.

Personally I would take Mrtka over Aitcheson and twice on Sundays, Flames look to be kind of set for the future in R-shot D's but who ever takes him should be getting a very good player.

[Royle9]

I've been told that Montreal is really high on Carter Bear.
They had multiple scouts out to visit him this year, almost 12+ times a piece.

Achilles tear in March had some people concerned, but it looks like he'll be ready to go come training camp(s)

[dammage79]

So what are the odds that MTL take Bear and Carbonneau at 16 and 17. Affords them the legacy pick.

[dustygoon]

Wasn't there an analysis a while back of % chance of success by draft age in terms of oldest in the draft (born October kind of thing) vs youngest?

Zonnon and Martone are old while Schaefer is so young.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Two different players, Aitcheson should be better offensively but he's not a very controlled player, Mrtka might not put up the points in the NHL but he's a massive man, very smart defensively and great skater that probably is as close to a guaranteed 2-4 D in this draft as you'll find.

Personally I would take Mrtka over Aitcheson and twice on Sundays, Flames look to be kind of set for the future in R-shot D's but who ever takes him should be getting a very good player.

I really think Mrtka will be like Pietrangelo- he’ll get you 40-50 points a year, and provide you with a quality puck-moving game and tight defense.

[Royle9]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I really think Mrtka will be like Pietrangelo- he’ll get you 40-50 points a year, and provide you with a quality puck-moving game and tight defense.

I think Mrtka goes top 10 personally.

[Tbull8]

Mrtka at 8 to Seattle makes too much sense

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Mrtka at 8 to Seattle makes too much sense

Parekh at 8 last year should have been a no brainer too.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 10):

LCG Samuel Meloche (6'3",196lbs)
Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL): 51gp/ 30-14-6, 2.90 GAA, .900 SV%

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies finished the regular-season in 6th-place in the Q out of 18 teams, but were 11th in goals-against going in to the post-season, where they were swept in the 3rd-round by the Moncton Wildcats. Their playoff exit can't be blamed on Samuel Meloche (ranked # 7 NA Goalies), who did his part, with an 8-3-2 record in 13 games, to go with a 2.06 GAA (4th-overall), and a .911 SV% (13th). In the regular season, Meloche faced the 7th-most shots (1433), over the 5th-most minutes (2978:32), and earned the 11th-best GAA, with the 14th-best SV%. Meloche relies on his speed in the crease, his uncanny reflexes, and his athleticism to make stops, moreso than his positioning and technical ability- which are two areas that are a bit underdeveloped. His pads are one of his stronger weapons, paired with the ability to move around the crease rapidly in the butterfly, and seal off the bottom of the net effectively. He needs to work on his control of his movements though, as he can slide out of position at times. He snuffs wraparound attempts with his superhuman flexibilty, his brisk movements on his pads, and his ability to make kick-saves with his long legs; he is also proficient at stopping chances on far-side shots, and cross-crease plays using these abilities, while applying smart stick-placement to protect his five-hole.

While he is adept at denying chances in the lower part of the net, he needs a tweak when it comes to giving up the top of the net when down in the butterfly. High-blocker is a bit of a weak spot for him, and he seems to give up a lot of rebounds off of his glove, rather than catching the puck. His RVH is well-practiced though, and he is able to wall off his posts with an air-tight seal. Though his puck-handling can be a bit of an adventure at times, he is usually a good passer when keeping things relatively simple- which gives his team an advantage on the breakout, and a head-start in transition. Meloche pushes off his post hard to move laterally with speed, and his footwork in getting around the crease is quite well-developed; he goes post-to-post in a big hurry. He stays square to the puck, making micro-adjustments to stay well-positioned, and moves out to the edge of his crease to challenge shooters, and to make his net look smaller. As the play progresses, he retreats to a deeper position in his net- exhibiting smooth edges. With strong mental fortitude, he remains poised and composed under pressure, making him a calming presence for his team. He resets well after letting in a goal, even when it's a softie, doesn't get rattled by contact, never folds under a heavy workload, and competes hard in scrambles- never giving up on a play.

Meloche recovers to his feet smoothly after being down in the butterfly, and with remarkable quickness, while using his stick to clog holes. He tracks the puck through traffic well, even getting low in his stance at times for a better view, but there are many who say that he has problems with his reads. In one-on-one scenarios, he makes a high number of stops, and he is excellent against breakaways and in shootouts. His rebound control is generally a strength, and while not entirely infallible, he doesn't seem to give up many dangerous second-chance opportunities; when he does, he is usually there to make the save. Meloche has a solid base of raw skills, and strikes me as a potential steal. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th round.

[Tbull8]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Parekh at 8 last year should have been a no brainer too.

Haha Fair enough. Can't wait for them to take Roger McQueen!

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Haha Fair enough. Can't wait for them to take Roger McQueen!

Can't see any way he falls to us at this point. Canadiens would no doubt use our pick on him at the very least, as they can take the risk with two back to back.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

I really think Mrtka will be like Pietrangelo- he’ll get you 40-50 points a year, and provide you with a quality puck-moving game and tight defense.

Good comparison, scary part is Mrtka is even bigger

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 11):

LCG Petteri Rimpinen (6'0",176lbs)
Kiekko-Espoo (Liiga): 40 gp/ 16-9-4, 2.35 GAA, .912 SV%

19 year-old neminder Petteri Rimpinen (ranked # 8 EU Goalies) led Team Finland to a Silver Medal at the 2025 edition of the World Junior Championship, losing 4-3 in OT to the Americans in the Gold-Medal Game, and was named as the tournament's Best Goaltender, with a 5-2-0 record, to go with a 2.34 GAA, and a .933 SV%. In league play this season, Rimpinen was 2nd-overall in SV%, 7th in GAA, and 4th in TOI (2421 min), for a middling Kiekko-Espoo squad in Finland's top men's league, and went 2-3-0 in the playoffs, sporting a 2.71 GAA (13th), and a .920 SV% (6th). There was never any real doubt that Rimpinen had ability between the pipes, but he was left off the NHL draft-board in 2024, mostly due to size concerns- but he most likely won't be left undrafted this summer, after the season he had in 2024-25. Last year, in 2023-24, his draft-year was highlighted by his stellar play in the Mestis, Finland's second-tier men's league, where he posted a 6-4-3 record with Kiekko-Espoo, with a 1.94 GAA (1st-overall), and a .925 SV% (1st). His amazing performance continued in the playoffs, going 5-5-0, with a 1.82 GAA, and a .926 SV%. His big-game performances, as well as his superb athleticism and reflexes, have garnered him plenty of attention, and scouts might be loosening up their views on shorter goalies somewhat when it comes to him; some have him pegged for the 2nd, or 3rd-round.

Rimpinen makes up for a lack of ideal size with his high activity rate in the crease, his superior athleticism, as well as his high-end hockey sense and anticipation. He covers a lot of ground in the blue-paint with astonishing quickness, going side-to-side in a flash, and playing a lot at the top of his crease to challenge shooters, cut down angles, and make himself look larger. A butterfly goalie, he doesn't have the capability of covering his net like a lot of his contemporaries, so he relies on his high-end reflexes to either flash the glove to snag the puck out of mid-air, or blocker the shot to the corner- and his pads are uncommonly fast. When down in the butterfly, he is incredibly flexible in stretching out his long legs to make kick-saves, and he moves about expeditiously on his knees to seal off the bottom of his net; he recovers fluidly to a set position after being down on the ice in the butterfly. There are still issues at times with keeping pucks out of the top of the net. Rimpinen is extremely competitive, and many say that he has had to dial-back his intensity, and learn more control, both in his mobility in his crease, and in the highs and lows of his emotions in goal. He is more patient this year, and is letting the play come to him, rather than trying to be over-aggressive- he is looking much calmer, and more poised, which is contagious to his teammates. His play-tracking abilities are elite, and he reads the play at an advanced level, which gives him the anticipation to be in the right spot to make the save- almost proactively. This contributes to his virtually spotless positioning, that enables him to always be square to the puck, and always in the right position in his crease to make the stop. He also exerts keen timing to poke-check attackers who come too close to his net, which frustrates his opponents.

Though perhaps not infallible, he exhibits fairly well-developed rebound control; he absorbs shots well, and doesn't give up too many egregious second-chance opportunities, but when he does- he usually swallows them up. In scramble scenarios, he is tenacious, and gives multiple efforts to recover the puck. Rimpinen makes highlight-reel saves often, and can make them look routine, with many of them changing the momentum of the game. He stops a high number of grade "A" chances, and plays well against high-danger opportunities with his focus, and high-level compete. When keeping it simple, he is a fairly good puck-handler, and a steady passer, who helps to turn defense into offense by contributing to his team's breakout. In times of extreme pressure, he can rim the boards to relieve his teammates, and can clear the puck from the zone in penalty-kill situations. Size is still likely a concern, but there's plenty of upside here- I think he could be picked in the 4th, or 5th-round.

[Rick M.]

Originally Posted by InternationalVillager

Already being touted as a potential “steal of the draft” candidate.

He’s a left winger, I believe.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 12):

LCG Patrik Kerkola (6'3",194lbs)
KalPa (U20): 31gp/ 15-14-0, 3.14 GAA, .883 SV%

KalPa were 6th-best in the 18-team U20 Sarja, and made it to the Playoff Finals, where they lost to Lukko. In the regular-season, Patrik Kerkola (ranked # 6 EU Goalies, # 67 by Button) played the third-most minutes in the league, with the 5th-most saves, and was 21st in SV%. He elevated his game in the playoffs, going 7-4-0, with a 2.44 GAA, and a .905 SV%. Over the course of the season, he earned 1 game in the Mestis, Finland's second-tier men's league, on loan to IPK (2.93 GAA, .880 SV%), and another game in the Liiga with KalPa's top team (3.13 GAA, .842 SV%). With the season over in Finland, he joined up with his countrymen at the U-18 Worlds, but came home without a medal, going 2-3-0, with a 2.44 GAA, and an .886 SV%. Kerkola is a hybrid goalie with solid athleticism and technical skill, but he's quite raw, and will undoubtedly be a bit of a project for the team that drafts him.

Kerkola is very aggressive, and plays a lot at the edge of his crease (and beyond) to challenge shooters, cut down angles, and offer less net to look at. His stance, coupled with his size and long limbs, cover a lot of net- and the speed at which he can extend his pads, flash his glove, or throw out his blocker helps him to make the save. His reflexes and reaction time are definite strengths. He is tall enough to see over traffic to track the puck, and adjusts his stance to see around screens- including getting down low. His tracking skills aren't perfect though, and doesn't yet anticipate at a high level; he's more reactionary than he is proactive. He follows pucks extremely well behind his net though, by shoulder-checking thoroughly, and mimicking the puck-carrier's movements. Most aspects of his game seem to be either raw, or inconsistent; he moves around the crease fairly well, but he's not that smooth on his skates, which makes him appear a bit awkward and erratic. He needs to improve his skating, smooth out his edgework, and work on his balance in order to maximize his quickness. When recovering back to his default stance after being down in the butterfly, his speed in getting back to his feet is a bit deficient. His glove can let him down as well, as he gets beat on that side more often than he should. When dealing with rebounds, he can be wildly inconsistent; there are times when he swallows up shots from all angles, and from long-distance- other times, he gives up too many high-danger second-chance opportunities that he should've handled easily. He has shown the ability to direct pucks out of danger with his blocker, and he can deflect shots to the corner, but he fails to do so with any consistency.

His ability to seal off his posts looks like a strength at times, with a well-developed RVH, but he often gives up small holes that pucks can sneak through. Kerkola's puck-handling can be cringeworthy as well, but he shows glimpses of being able to support the transition with well-placed breakout passes, when keeping his feeds safe and simple. Compete is a high-end asset of his though, as he never gives up on a play, puts forth multiple efforts in scrambles to corral pucks, and maintains focus through contact- fighting to make the stop with attackers crashing the crease. There's plenty of raw skill here, and a decent physical toolbox- all he needs is a team with the patience to guide him where he needs to go, and to wait for him to put everything together. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th-round.

[mile]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1930754002792378696

[Fan69]

Love that Horcoff interview. Second thing out if his mouth is lots to learn.

Real tossup for our second, Horcoff could be there. Do like Lee i think he is exactly a taking a swing pick and we have a great skating coach. The big wang interesting defender who could turn out to be a steal.

Also really like Vansaghi if he dropped that far, really gives me Klapka vibes. Big winger who shows flashes of high end skill mixed with physicality.

Get another second rounder Conny!