Prospect Info: 2025 Draft discussion

Le Magnifique 66

Let's Go Pens
Jun 9, 2006
24,022
3,660
Montreal
pens have to get more higher end talent in the system. This year a top 10 or higher and other picks and those thar will come as part of trades. This is a rebuild now and the keeping the party going is over. Dubas now recognizes the priority of moving off contracts that are not aging well. But in a couple years, Pens will have the makings of a nice roster that is ready to develop as they mature and gain needed experience.
Top 10? We need a top 3 max 5 if you want that player to have somewhat of an impact in the next 2-3 years! Oh and since we are at it, Gavin McKenna next draft please!!!
 
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AuroraBorealis

Back-to-back hater
Oct 16, 2018
20,456
17,751
Vancouver, British Columbia
Top 10? We need a top 3 max 5 if you want that player to have somewhat of an impact in the next 2-3 years! Oh and since we are at it, Gavin McKenna next draft please!!!
We don't need an impact player within 2-3 years. The team won't be ready by then, much like how Chicago's frying Bedard's ELC right now when the Hawks aren't ready.
I mean sure, you take high-end talents when you can, of course. But he's not gonna push us into the playoffs until like 2030 or w/e.
 

Big Friggin Dummy

Registered User
Feb 22, 2019
26,012
25,227
I think anybody in the top-5 of this draft, weak as people claim it is, would be a huge boon for this organization's prospect pool. Probably not gonna end up with a foundational player or anything, but it's really important to have pieces in place and developing so that when you eventually land a Bedard or McKenna or Dupont or whatever, you don't have as much work to do in trades and FA to fill out a roster and attempt to compete.

A guy like McG is nothing in a vacuum. But if he develops correctly, and ends up reaching his potential as like a Landeskog/Hornqvist/Kunitz type of third wheel, that's a really good piece to have. Likewise if this team ends up with someone like Martone or Misa. A potential power forward (or Tage Thompson) or a guy with great wheels and tons of offensive skill like Misa would be fantastic to have in place and developing for down the road if/when this team ends up getting those foundational, franchise building blocks.

I don't really think this team can turn its nose up at any draft picks or prospects tbh. They need everything, and badly. You just gotta hope the scouting is on point, and the development/coaching is competent and capable. Even then, there's still a ton of luck involved.
 
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Pancakes

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Mar 4, 2011
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Yea looks like there's a clear dropoff after Hagens, Martone, Misa, and Schaefer. Gonna have to tank harder to ensure we get one of those guys.
The scary thing is the east is so mediocre this year that the Pens could be a bad team, miss the playoffs, and still play their way into like a 13th or 14th overall pick again.
 

Andy99

Registered User
Jun 26, 2017
52,898
34,665
I think this team's shown it's quite capable of getting a top-5 pick. Remove Petts, DOC and maybe Rakell by TDL? Keep Sully for the rest of the RS, ride Jarry+Ned in net. Yeah, easily.
I would add: keep playing Matt Gryz and keep playing Poolparty 10 min a night…since we’re keeping Sullivan and his very creative no-defense defense, that shouldn’t be a problem lol…
 
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eXile3

Registered User
Dec 12, 2020
4,606
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Yea looks like there's a clear dropoff after Hagens, Martone, Misa, and Schaefer. Gonna have to tank harder to ensure we get one of those guys.

Frondell. Dropping on some list because of a knee injury as I understand it but he was projected to go 2 before.
 
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HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
49,215
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We don't need an impact player within 2-3 years. The team won't be ready by then, much like how Chicago's frying Bedard's ELC right now when the Hawks aren't ready.
I mean sure, you take high-end talents when you can, of course. But he's not gonna push us into the playoffs until like 2030 or w/e.
Yeah, but it's easier to retain an impact player than acquire one later. Again, I don't think this team's ownership or management have what it takes to build a championship roster, but I'd be shocked if we weren't at least hovering around the playoffs 6-7 years out. If we're not, then we're clearly not taking the right kinds of players and building the right supporting cast.
 
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chethejet

Registered User
Feb 4, 2012
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Dubas is getting the franchise turned here.. It will take time for him to move off contracts and add the kind of talent needed to compete in a couple. But he is more than willing to trade Eller for picks, take ST Louis for picks and add Hayes who will be gone after this year in a trade for a pick. I hope the Pens get the bouncing ball luck here and grab a top prospect. But that is a multi year issue that may be early due to the teams playing poorly. They have young goaltending as the start. Add in younger D men in the system and will add as they go. Center will be the biggest need and that is where the draft can help along with a trade for a decent number 2 type center.
 

SEALBound

Fancy Gina Carano
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Jun 13, 2010
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Yea looks like there's a clear dropoff after Hagens, Martone, Misa, and Schaefer. Gonna have to tank harder to ensure we get one of those guys.
I don't know if I would go that far. After those four you still have McQueen whose been climbing the ranks, Fondell who is damn good but recovering from injury, and Jackson Smith who I can see going a bit higher if he keeps it up.

Then you also have a guy like Ryabkin and Eklund who can still turn out to be good players once they mature.

But yes, top 5 is a must in this draft if we want a legitimate "piece" moving forward. I really like Misa and he's my guy because I assume we won't draft high enough to get Martone. McQueen could sneak up a bit since the dude is a friggin viking at 6'5. Misa has some size too which is nice.

My pipe dream is that they send out Pettersson for a late 1st. We draft top 5 and get Misa and use the late 1st on Cole McKinney. I think he could develop very nicely into a solid two-center. Then tank next year and get McKenna.

McGroarty-McKenna-Misa would be sexy top line to go into the new era with.

In my research as well, I noticed there's a trio of young German kids lighting up the German juniors league. Specifically the Griva twins. Not saying they are in my top round picks but I'm interested to see how they continue to develop. If we have a gluttony of 3rds this coming draft, I wouldn't hate trying to get two 3rds back to back and picking them, sorta like Vancouver did with the Sedins.
 
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HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
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McGroarty-McKenna-Misa would be sexy top line to go into the new era with.

In my research as well, I noticed there's a trio of young German kids lighting up the German juniors league. Specifically the Griva twins. Not saying they are in my top round picks but I'm interested to see how they continue to develop. If we have a gluttony of 3rds this coming draft, I wouldn't hate trying to get two 3rds back to back and picking them, sorta like Vancouver did with the Sedins.
I wouldn't mind that either, though I think German leagues are basically trash. The fact of the matter is, we should be taking these kinds of chances while we're rebuilding, we shouldn't be picking boring ass Canadian grinders.
 
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Jacob

as seen on TV
Feb 27, 2002
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I see a drop-off after 5 but the second half of the season is when guys start to explode and rise up the ranks so there could be some late risers still. But just to be safe we'd probably wanna finish bottom-4.
 
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SEALBound

Fancy Gina Carano
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I see a drop-off after 5 but the second half of the season is when guys start to explode and rise up the ranks so there could be some late risers still. But just to be safe we'd probably wanna finish bottom-4.
Exactly. I think Tij Iginla was in the mid to late 20s this time last year and went 7th (?). Dec 2015, Laine was ranked 10th and went 2nd. There's always a lot of time for guys to move up and down.

Fondell will be interesting to watch. That knee injury isn't what I would consider minor but he will obviously rehab and be back but it's still a blemish on the record. Cayden Lindstrom just had back surgery. Makes me wonder if the CBJ would have still taken him had they known. His surgery involves clipping away a piece of a herniated disc. That's a tough injury to have so young as it's something that will need to be managed for the rest of his career. Does that stop the CBJ from taking him and going to someone like Iginla or Demidov?
 
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SEALBound

Fancy Gina Carano
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I know, but it's still not great. Again, not against spending 3rds there, it's just harder to hit because the competition is weaker and I don't really trust our scouting.
Not many comparables either. I tried comparing to Draisaitl that that was a fruitless endeavor.
 

HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
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Not many comparables either. I tried comparing to Draisaitl that that was a fruitless endeavor.
Yeah, but in the end it's these kind of homerun swings which will speed up a rebuild, IMO, not us drafting 2nd pairing defensemen, so I'm for it.

Hell, while we're on the subject, we only have Ihnacak scouting Europe, IIRC and that's super fishy.
 
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Jdodd

Registered User
Jun 24, 2017
109
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I thought we invested a lot of resources in scouting and brought over Dubas’ guys from Toronto?
 

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