2025 DRAFT Discussion

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

For some reason I totally missed HP put out an updated ranking: 2025 NHL Draft Ranking - HockeyProspect.com

I think I would be fine with taking anyone they have ranked between 8 and 14, although not entirely sold on Brady Martin yet.

But I found it interesting how high they had Bear, Martin, and Mrtka ranked. I could see Detroit also being high on those guys.

Not a Smith fan really. Lacks hockey sense, can see him getting picked apart at higher levels.

 

[HoweFan]

We have an extra 3rd from Maata and an extra 7th from Vrana. We traded our 4th with Fabbri and got a 4th retaining Gourde

Thanks

 

[Coach Reggie Dunlop]

Draft someone physical please, I can’t keep watching this nonsense in front of our net. I almost guarantee Kashawn Aitcheson will be a red wing.

 

[Winged Wheel Willy]

I spent some time yesterday listening to several draft pods. It seems like more of a clusterf*** than usual at this time. Rankings - even in the top 10 to a degree - are all over the place. In some cases there are differences of 20 spots in the 1st round. Ivan Ryabkin is prob the most controversial.
I think the "best" we can do is to drop to #9. "Worst" prob #17. In that range there should be several interesting kids. I got my eyes on the centers: Martin, O'Brien and McQueen, Desnoyers, Kindel and Potter, who I think fit Stevie's blueprint. McQueen ad Desnoyers are pretty unlikely to fall to us tho. Kindel and Potter are both on the smaller side. But both highly-skilled, very cerebral with great motors and top6 potential. Think Marco Rossi with better skating. I think the tier with significant flaws starts already around #10 and as far as I've heard I am not too enthralled with the defensemen after Schaefer like Reid, Smith or Hensler.

One ranking had a very interesting dark horse at #11 who looks like a beast and is as low as 5th rounder in several other rankings, so flying under the radar: Daniil Prokhorov - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

No int. play for Russia could distort things somewhat and make for nice surprises.

Draft someone physical please, I can’t keep watching this nonsense in front of our net. I almost guarantee Kashawn Aitcheson will be a red wing.

Don't think that is the way to go. Selecting someone who improves a now-problem in roughly 4yrs.

 

[Coach Reggie Dunlop]

I spent some time yesterday listening to several draft pods. It seems like more of a clusterf*** than usual at this time. Rankings - even in the top 10 to a degree - are all over the place. In some cases there are differences of 20 spots in the 1st round. Ivan Ryabkin is prob the most controversial.
I think the "best" we can do is to drop to #9. "Worst" prob #17. In that range there should be several interesting kids. I got my eyes on the centers: Martin, O'Brien and McQueen, Desnoyers, Kindel and Potter, who I think fit Stevie's blueprint. McQueen ad Desnoyers are pretty unlikely to fall to us tho. Kindel and Potter are both on the smaller side. But both highly-skilled, very cerebral with great motors and top6 potential. Think Marco Rossi with better skating. I think the tier with significant flaws starts already around #10 and as far as I've heard I am not too enthralled with the defensemen after Schaefer like Reid, Smith or Hensler.

One ranking had a very interesting dark horse at #11 who looks like a beast and is as low as 5th rounder in several other rankings, so flying under the radar: Daniil Prokhorov - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

No int. play for Russia could distort things somewhat and make for nice surprises.


Don't think that is the way to go. Selecting someone who improves a now-problem in roughly 4yrs.

Most 1st rounders are 2-3 years away, not 4. They definitely are looking at people who are physical, it falls in line with what they’ve drafted the past 3 years and also matches Steve’s comments at the presser “whether you like it or not fighting is back after the four nations” - yzerman.

 

[Winged Wheel Willy]

Most 1st rounders are 2-3 years away, not 4. They definitely are looking at people who are physical, it falls in line with what they’ve drafted the past 3 years and also matches Steve’s comments at the presser “whether you like it or not fighting is back after the four nations” - yzerman.

Physicality is something you should be able to address fairly quickly. Defensemen usually take longer and most ppl were fairly certain that Atcheson's upside is a #4, but most likely a 5/6. I think there is more value to be had where we pick. Didn't hear that quote from Stevie.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I spent some time yesterday listening to several draft pods. It seems like more of a clusterf*** than usual at this time. Rankings - even in the top 10 to a degree - are all over the place. In some cases there are differences of 20 spots in the 1st round. Ivan Ryabkin is prob the most controversial.
I think the "best" we can do is to drop to #9. "Worst" prob #17. In that range there should be several interesting kids. I got my eyes on the centers: Martin, O'Brien and McQueen, Desnoyers, Kindel and Potter, who I think fit Stevie's blueprint. McQueen ad Desnoyers are pretty unlikely to fall to us tho. Kindel and Potter are both on the smaller side. But both highly-skilled, very cerebral with great motors and top6 potential. Think Marco Rossi with better skating. I think the tier with significant flaws starts already around #10 and as far as I've heard I am not too enthralled with the defensemen after Schaefer like Reid, Smith or Hensler.

One ranking had a very interesting dark horse at #11 who looks like a beast and is as low as 5th rounder in several other rankings, so flying under the radar: Daniil Prokhorov - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

No int. play for Russia could distort things somewhat and make for nice surprises.


Don't think that is the way to go. Selecting someone who improves a now-problem in roughly 4yrs.

Kindel and Potter won't play center at the NHL level. If you are drafting them with the expectation that they play center you will be disappointed.

Physicality never goes out of style. Especially on the back end.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Draft someone physical please, I can’t keep watching this nonsense in front of our net. I almost guarantee Kashawn Aitcheson will be a red wing.

We've drafted physical guys in the past. The problem comes when they are asked to play hockey at a relatively high level. None of them have been able to do that, which is kind of key.

Taking a look at Pronman's latest prospect rankings, Milton Gastrin continues be ranked in an area where we would likely be able to draft him, and he has the toolset that we've come to expect from Red Wings draft picks. So this feels like the safest pick.

But I am intrigued by Cullen Potter, who has the type of skill we could use in our middle six. The low compete level could be a non-starter, but he's got loads of skating and skill, and if you think the compete can be fixed he could be a steal given he was playing lots of NCAA hockey while still being 17 years old.

In the NCAA he's playing against 20 something try hards where their only ticket to continuing to play the game is to outwork the opposition, and a 5'10" 17 year old who has always gotten by on skill may not be quite ready to meet the physical demands. If you think that's fixable then being able to get someone with his toolbox where we're drafting would be a nice win.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I'm leaning toward Gastrin for the meme potential. Milt the Stilt, Milt Chamberlain, some weird Aleister Crowley references like "Do What Thou Milt". There's just a lot of potential there.

 

[Winged Wheel Willy]

We've drafted physical guys in the past. The problem comes when they are asked to play hockey at a relatively high level. None of them have been able to do that, which is kind of key.

Taking a look at Pronman's latest prospect rankings, Milton Gastrin continues be ranked in an area where we would likely be able to draft him, and he has the toolset that we've come to expect from Red Wings draft picks. So this feels like the safest pick.

But I am intrigued by Cullen Potter, who has the type of skill we could use in our middle six. The low compete level could be a non-starter, but he's got loads of skating and skill, and if you think the compete can be fixed he could be a steal given he was playing lots of NCAA hockey while still being 17 years old.

In the NCAA he's playing against 20 something try hards where their only ticket to continuing to play the game is to outwork the opposition, and a 5'10" 17 year old who has always gotten by on skill may not be quite ready to meet the physical demands. If you think that's fixable then being able to get someone with his toolbox where we're drafting would be a nice win.

Agree. And i have a hard time believing the compete issues, as he is prob the youngest 1c in the NCAA. Coaches wouldnt put him in that position, if those issues were a real concern.

We've drafted physical guys in the past. The problem comes when they are asked to play hockey at a relatively high level. None of them have been able to do that, which is kind of key.

Taking a look at Pronman's latest prospect rankings, Milton Gastrin continues be ranked in an area where we would likely be able to draft him, and he has the toolset that we've come to expect from Red Wings draft picks. So this feels like the safest pick.

But I am intrigued by Cullen Potter, who has the type of skill we could use in our middle six. The low compete level could be a non-starter, but he's got loads of skating and skill, and if you think the compete can be fixed he could be a steal given he was playing lots of NCAA hockey while still being 17 years old.

In the NCAA he's playing against 20 something try hards where their only ticket to continuing to play the game is to outwork the opposition, and a 5'10" 17 year old who has always gotten by on skill may not be quite ready to meet the physical demands. If you think that's fixable then being able to get someone with his toolbox where we're drafting would be a nice win.

Agree. And i have a hard time believing the compete issues, as he is prob the youngest 1c in the NCAA. Coaches wouldnt put him in that position, if those issues were a massive concern.

 

[Coach Reggie Dunlop]

We've drafted physical guys in the past. The problem comes when they are asked to play hockey at a relatively high level. None of them have been able to do that, which is kind of key.

Taking a look at Pronman's latest prospect rankings, Milton Gastrin continues be ranked in an area where we would likely be able to draft him, and he has the toolset that we've come to expect from Red Wings draft picks. So this feels like the safest pick.

But I am intrigued by Cullen Potter, who has the type of skill we could use in our middle six. The low compete level could be a non-starter, but he's got loads of skating and skill, and if you think the compete can be fixed he could be a steal given he was playing lots of NCAA hockey while still being 17 years old.

In the NCAA he's playing against 20 something try hards where their only ticket to continuing to play the game is to outwork the opposition, and a 5'10" 17 year old who has always gotten by on skill may not be quite ready to meet the physical demands. If you think that's fixable then being able to get someone with his toolbox where we're drafting would be a nice win.

Who? Every person they’ve drafted who is physical in the first round also is a talented offensive player and actually has skill. If you’re talking about late round guys then that doesn’t matter. Obviously you want to draft 2 way players, you don’t draft people for only one attribute.