2025 NHL Draft Thread

[Calgary4LIfe]

I would prefer the Flames trade up and grab one of the 'last 3 centers' top 6 centers - O'Brien, Martin or McQueen (though I have doubts about McQueen). One of them will be available at 10 I think. How prohibitive is it? Probably 18+32+54+ something still. As long as that something isn't a 2026 pick, or something with significant value by itself, then I am fine with it.



If none of these players are available at 10 (and Martone didn't drop by some weird fluke!!), then I would trade back. I don't see Kindel, Reschey, Cootes or even Bear as top 6 centers, and I actually think that they will probably become wingers.



I would trade back from 18, pick up at least one more 2nd round pick - maybe two if you trade back twice - and come out of the draft with:
2 of: Lakovic, Nesbitt, Lee in the first round
2-3 of: Horcoff, Ryabkin, Zharovsky, West, Wang


I see Horcoff as Adam Lowry-lite. Lakovic has some skill and size too. Nesbit may not have quite the finesse of a Kindel - or even a Reschny - but I think he would be a much more effective 3rd line player. I think these three players on the same line would be incredibly horrible to try and play against, especially in a playoff series.


Then you can 'gamble' with the rest of the 2nd round (assuming you got 2 picks from trading down). I still like Ryabkin as he is skilled, likes to play the rat game, and is hard to knock off the puck physically. Character issues are a HUGE concern, but I feel better potentially throwing this pick away. West gives you another crack at the top 6 with size, but again, high risk. Wang gives the Flames a lot of size on the back-end instead, and with his late start to organized hockey, he has really developed quickly. I wouldn't project him higher than a #4 guy who can really disrupt with his reach and be able to move out or box out power-forwards in front of the Flames' net, but is more likely a #5 guy.


Just things I have been mulling over and that suddenly make sense to me. I am sure by Friday, I will have a completely different philosophy on how I think the Flames should approach this draft. If I was Conroy, I would be asking the Oilers if they would like to exchange the 32 overall pick for a 2026 1st round pick though!

[JTech780]

I just listened to The Athletic Hockey Show podcast mock draft with Scott Wheeler, Corey Pronman, Chris Peters and Max Bultman and they had Calgary taking Cole Reschny at 18 and Vaclav Nestracil at 32. They also had Ben Kindel outside the 1st round.

[YyjFlames]

Reschny reminds me a lot of Connor Zary even though he’s a little smaller. High motor, good vision, hardworking 2-way game and plays more physically than his stature suggests.

I think he’ll break into the league as a winger, but will eventually move back to centre as he develops and then stick there long term, which is what I’m expecting from Zary this year.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by JTech780

I just listened to The Athletic Hockey Show podcast mock draft with Scott Wheeler, Corey Pronman, Chris Peters and Max Bultman and they had Calgary taking Cole Reschny at 18 and Vaclav Nestracil at 32. They also had Ben Kindel outside the 1st round.

I like the pick at 32. 18 not so much. Hopefully they are spot on for our last pick and Conny does better with 18. Would rather trade it than have another smallest middle six guy. Ugh.

[cral12]

Originally Posted by cral12

Draft crunch time! Given their draft slots, I daresay the Flames make out like bandits in our final mock. Go ahead, mock the mock draft : )

2025 NHL Mock Draft 3.0: Final Edition With NHL Player Comps and Team Needs - How Did Flames Do?
https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/...-final-edition

(now back to editing our digital Draft Guide - weather is cooperating and keeping me from proscrastinating and going mountain biking as it's been a bigger timesuck than I envisioned lol)

You hear the one about Conroy walking into a bar and walking out with a Bear and a Potter?...

[Jiggy]

Originally Posted by cral12

You hear the one about Conroy walking into a bar and walking out with a Bear and a Potter?...

Do you see Bear playing C in the NHL?

[Icon]

Is it Friday yet?

[cral12]

Getting there...

https://twitter.com/user/status/1936512241119240496

[Tbull8]

Been reading that some teams may have frondell and/or Desnoyers ahead of Misa. If Misa somehow makes it to 4 Conroy better be backing up the truck for Utah

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Been reading that some teams may have frondell and/or Desnoyers ahead of Misa. If Misa somehow makes it to 4 Conroy better be backing up the truck for Utah

Unless the Flames are prepared to trade Parekh there’s nothing they can offer that would get it done

[icarus]

Originally Posted by cral12

Draft crunch time! Given their draft slots, I daresay the Flames make out like bandits in our final mock. Go ahead, mock the mock draft : )

2025 NHL Mock Draft 3.0: Final Edition With NHL Player Comps and Team Needs - How Did Flames Do?
https://upsidehockey.substack.com/p/...-final-edition

(now back to editing our digital Draft Guide - weather is cooperating and keeping me from proscrastinating and going mountain biking as it's been a bigger timesuck than I envisioned lol)

This is a pretty good scenario for the Flames at 18: Bear, Cootes, Reschny and Kindel all available to choose from.

How likely is it that Bear falls to 18, and if so, what does that say about his Achilles? And how likely is he to play centre at the NHL level?

[sch19lks]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

I like the pick at 32. 18 not so much. Hopefully they are spot on for our last pick and Conny does better with 18. Would rather trade it than have another smallest middle six guy. Ugh.

I think his ceiling is higher than middle six. He likely ends up as a middle six guy, but why not swing for the fences? I like Cootes a lot, but he’s a safer pick with a lower ceiling.

Aren’t we trying to take guys with higher potential? I guess that depends on who you talk to

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Been reading that some teams may have frondell and/or Desnoyers ahead of Misa. If Misa somehow makes it to 4 Conroy better be backing up the truck for Utah

Lots of teams would be backing up the truck. Calagry simply doesn't have that one piece to lead that trade they would be willing to give up. Thinking it would need to include Wolf, Parekh or Coronato. A bunch of stuff would be beaten by other teams.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by sch19lks

I think his ceiling is higher than middle six. He likely ends up as a middle six guy, but why not swing for the fences? I like Cootes a lot, but he’s a safer pick with a lower ceiling.

Aren’t we trying to take guys with higher potential? I guess that depends on who you talk to

Size/skating will limit his impact on the next level from everything that is out there. The package he offers doesn’t translate well to being anything more than middle six. Could he exceed? Sure. But probability of that is low given these factors.

If we swing for the fences, try to hit a home run, not a double. Draft someone who truly has a package that could translate into a star.

[D as in David]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

Size/skating will limit his impact on the next level from everything that is out there. The package he offers doesn’t translate well to being anything more than middle six. Could he exceed? Sure. But probability of that is low given these factors.

If we swing for the fences, try to hit a home run, not a double. Draft someone who truly has a package that could translate into a star.

He's only an inch taller than the too short Rossi. I'm surprised a few here are really high on the former and less so on the latter.

[Toonage]

Originally Posted by The Original FFIV

I like the pick at 32. 18 not so much. Hopefully they are spot on for our last pick and Conny does better with 18. Would rather trade it than have another smallest middle six guy. Ugh.

They compared Reschny to Nick Suzuki and Seth Jarvis. We should be so lucky.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by Toonage

They compared Reschny to Nick Suzuki and Seth Jarvis. We should be so lucky.

Suzuki and Jarvis were lauded for their speed. Reschny is not fast. Which will lower his ceiling. There are better players available.

[Aarongavey]

Originally Posted by Tbull8

Been reading that some teams may have frondell and/or Desnoyers ahead of Misa. If Misa somehow makes it to 4 Conroy better be backing up the truck for Utah

It would take a lot of assets to get a guy that is falling in the draft.

[cral12]

Alright, alright, alright.

Upside Hockey's 2025 NHL Draft Guide is now live for sale (using Gumroad for it's simplicity and ease of offering discounts).

CP exclusive discount code: CP34 for 34% off in honour of a certain former Flame.

It's been a wee bit of a labour love and not sure if it wasn't for the rainy weekend if would have ever completed it...

326 pages
224 prospects ranked
200+ profiles
32+ NHL Player Comps
15 Top 10 Prospect Categories (Shot, Playmaker, IQ etc)
Top 32 - 2026 NHL Draft Rankings Early Edition
+ Mock Draft, Sleepers, Overagers, etc

Here's the Draft Guide link on our website:
https://www.upsidehockey.com/draft-guide

Here's the direct link for the eBook/PDF on Gumroad
(site I had to use to sale it - it's simple, easy-to-use and seems to be pretty popular to use for this kind of thing - I've only gotten music software from there previously lol):
https://upsidehockey.gumroad.com/l/yklaq/

Again:
CP exclusive discount code: "CP34" for 34% off

(If you go to order, let me know if any problemos)

Thanks again for all the support, CPers/Upsiders, from Sandman, Eldon MacD, and I, and certainly no problemo if you don't actually purchase ; )

[cral12]

^oh, meant to add, for any who purchase and would like as a bonus to have it in Google Doc format which seems to me to be better than the PDF for maintaining the Table of Contents (which makes it super easy for navigating around), drop me a PM and/or email me at upsidehockey@gmail.com and I'll hook you up (might take a wee bit depending on how many requests we get).

Cheers