Prospect Info: 2025 Draft discussion

[CheckingLineCenter]

3rd season but he's still 17. If he was 19, that'd be something to consider.

Don’t agree as it’s exactly why I’d discount a late bday. It’s not because they’re older - it’s because they’ve had an extra CHL season to adjust.

I don’t agree on the tools. Not seeing this super high end skating or ridiculous shot or unreal puck skills. Everything looks good not great. It does seem the IQ and attention to detail is great though.

 

[SEALBound]

Don’t agree as it’s exactly why I’d discount a late bday. It’s not because they’re older - it’s because they’ve had an extra CHL season to adjust.

I don’t agree on the tools. Not seeing this super high end skating or ridiculous shot or unreal puck skills. Everything looks good not great. It does seem the IQ and attention to detail is great though.

His first season he was granted exceptional status. I'm not sure why you're using that as a knock on him? That just seems really odd. Where else is he supposed to go as a 17yo?

Every scouting report available starts with exceptional skating ability as the leading asset. Clips and games I watch support that. I guess you'd have to point out exactly what he doesn't do well on the skating front. With that, I'd be curious as to which prospects are available that do it better.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Just based on stats, dont Hagens' numbers seem disappointing for a late birthday and a potential top-5 pick? Eichel was producing considerably better numbers as a late birthday during his draft year. Hagens' stats seem to be more in line with Matthew Wood from the 2023 draft

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

His first season he was granted exceptional status. I'm not sure why you're using that as a knock on him? That just seems really odd. Where else is he supposed to go as a 17yo?

Every scouting report available starts with exceptional skating ability as the leading asset. Clips and games I watch support that. I guess you'd have to point out exactly what he doesn't do well on the skating front. With that, I'd be curious as to which prospects are available that do it better.

I’m saying the 3rd year is something to consider context wise with his scoring. He has had another year to adjust to the CHL vs a typical DY (but not a Martone).

I’m not calling him a bad prospect at all. I find it very hard to believe he’s not going to have a long NHL career, likely in the top 6. My favorite writer I follow has him over Schaefer and Martone: Preliminary Top 50 for the 2025 NHL Draft
And sometimes you see these guys in a couple preseason games and their skating or size looks so much better than you thought over grainy CHL tape. So I could be misjudging the tools.

but I worry he is more Cole Perfetti (another guy who relied on IQ and went nuclear his DY in Saginaw) than he is Mitch Marner. While Perfetti is gonna play 15 years in the league I’m not thrilled getting him in the top 3.

 

[Gurglesons]

Just based on stats, dont Hagens' numbers seem disappointing for a late birthday and a potential top-5 pick? Eichel was producing considerably better numbers as a late birthday during his draft year. Hagens' stats seem to be more in line with Matthew Wood from the 2023 draft

I don’t think anybody in this draft has Eichel potential.

Schaefer is probably the pick of the litter when it comes to potential and he’s likely closer to a Power than a Dahlin.

NCAA is a different beast than it was a few years ago. Hagens doing what he does there is why he’s a 1st overall candidate and his skating is unbelievable.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I don’t think anybody in this draft has Eichel potential.

Schaefer is probably the pick of the litter when it comes to potential and he’s likely closer to a Power than a Dahlin.

NCAA is a different beast than it was a few years ago. Hagens doing what he does there is why he’s a 1st overall candidate and his skating is unbelievable.

Yeah just going off pre draft IMO Eichel goes 1OA every year from 2010 on except for McD, Bedard, Matthews (and it’s close) years. You could argue Dahlin maybe. Point being he was an exceptional prospect.

Eichel doesn’t get pushed by Schaefer. Hagens ain’t that level of prospect to me. But I’d call Hagens stats on par with a 1OA.

(IMO Celebrini and Fantilli skewed stat expectations of NCAA freshman in their DY)

 

[Gurglesons]

Yeah just going off pre draft IMO Eichel goes 1OA every year from 2010 on except for McD, Bedard, Matthews (and it’s close) years. You could argue Dahlin maybe. Point being he was an exceptional prospect.

Eichel doesn’t get pushed by Schaefer. Hagens ain’t that level of prospect to me. But I’d call Hagens stats on par with a 1OA.

(IMO Celebrini and Fantilli skewed stat expectations of NCAA freshman in their DY)

Hagens reminds me of Jack Hughes without the shot.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Yeah just going off pre draft IMO Eichel goes 1OA every year from 2010 on except for McD, Bedard, Matthews (and it’s close) years. You could argue Dahlin maybe. Point being he was an exceptional prospect.

Eichel doesn’t get pushed by Schaefer. Hagens ain’t that level of prospect to me. But I’d call Hagens stats on par with a 1OA.

(IMO Celebrini and Fantilli skewed stat expectations of NCAA freshman in their DY)

Yeah I was going to comment the same exact thing regarding Eichel before I saw your post. He was a #1 caliber guy in a draft with a generational talent. You could take McDavid out of that draft and you could still have a terrific top-5 in a redraft.

It seems like the top-3 guys in this draft are more of the Pietrangelo, Barkov and Svechnikov caliber, and honestly I think you can argue that's on the optimistic side.

 

[Pancakes]

Pronman had Schaefer ranked #1 in his mid season rankings.

Personally I'd be pretty happy if the Pens got into the top 5. That likely gets you one of Misa/Schaefer/Martone/Hagens/Desnoyers and based on what I've read those guys are all looking pretty good. Past that there's still good prospects and it wouldn't be the worst thing to pick 6th or 7th but I like what I've read about those 5

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

The important thing is finding your way into the top 4 imo. This team would benefit hugely from any one of Schaefer, Hagens, Martone or Misa. Don't think you're gonna catch the Sharks, Hawks or maybe Sabres. So it's important to dump at least one of Rakell or Bunting alongside Petts at the TDL in order to shave off that much more talent to chase that pick position. -edit- It's even more important to dump Rust and EK this summer for the purpose of chasing actual franchise cornerstone talent in McKenna next draft and Dupont the year after.

Hagens has a lot of Jack Hughes' style in his game. Misa is a guy who kinda seems to do everything well; skating, vision/passing, shooting. Martone's really intriguing but it's tough not to be wary of a guy whose pre-draft success is based on a power forward style and frame, since that's definitely not gonna instantly translate to the speed and strength of the NHL game. Schaefer skates like the wind and always seems to be involved in the play through the neutral zone and in the offensive zone, and that's always gonna put a spotlight on a blueliner.

I dunno. Gonna be interesting. The only guy I really hope they don't end up with is McQueen because everything I read about the guy is like "yeah he's huge and has surprisingly good hands for a big guy but his skating is nowhere close to NHL level" and that should be a non-starter tbh.

 

[The Old Master]

I dunno. Gonna be interesting. The only guy I really hope they don't end up with is McQueen because everything I read about the guy is like "yeah he's huge and has surprisingly good hands for a big guy but his skating is nowhere close to NHL level" and that should be a non-starter tbh.

i don't have McQueen in my top 5 but I don't think his skating is that bad. he a big guy so while his skating doesn't look great it's not really that bad. I just think it's going to take him awhile to grow into his body (if you know what i mean)

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Hoping to do a forwards and defense pts/g chart given their draft positions today or tomorrow.

I don't think it says all that much but I said I was going to do it:

Interesting that there's a squeeze in the middle and then a slight uptick at the end.

NHLer = at least 82 games for a skater

adding for completeness:

Edit to add: between those two lines is about 70% of all players. There's always a chance of being above or below. Of course there are outliers too (Kaprizov being a main culprit).

 

[chethejet]

Pens look to be a top 10 selection so higher and maybe some lottery luck moves them into a better spot.

 

[Rudy Russo]

Pens look to be a top 10 selection so higher and maybe some lottery luck moves them into a better spot.

If the penguins get a top five pick I'd be happy with either Schaefer. Frondell, Hagens, Misa or Martone.

 

[Duffy13]

In this draft, say we end up at 5 or 6 OA, is there any top 3 pick worth trading up for from that? I haven't been following the prospects this year too much outside of the World Juniors. However, just trying to gauge the strength of the later parts of this draft. So having 3 first round picks in the next two years, is there any benefit to trading 2 of them to move up in either this draft or the next one, without knowing where we finish next year but logically thinking it will probably be the same as this year. If the Rangers finish 14th the answer is probably no, but if they finish 23rd, how much would that change opinions?

 

[Epic Neal Time]

In this draft, say we end up at 5 or 6 OA, is there any top 3 pick worth trading up for from that? I haven't been following the prospects this year too much outside of the World Juniors. However, just trying to gauge the strength of the later parts of this draft. So having 3 first round picks in the next two years, is there any benefit to trading 2 of them to move up in either this draft or the next one, without knowing where we finish next year but logically thinking it will probably be the same as this year. If the Rangers finish 14th the answer is probably no, but if they finish 23rd, how much would that change opinions?

Yes, but trade-up scenarios aren't worth dreaming about. They simply don't happen in the early 1st round

 

[Duffy13]

Yes, but trade-up scenarios aren't worth dreaming about. They simply don't happen in the early 1st round

It's rare, but it has happened

 

[The Old Master]

It's rare, but it has happened

and i like to dream big

 

[OtherThingsILike]

This thread just got a lot more interesting.

 

[Duffy13]

This thread just got a lot more interesting.

I mean, there's dreaming and speculating, but c'mon, lets get the wheels turning on some die hard fanfic!!! haha

 

[Empoleon8771]

The Rangers 1st rounder is a real wildcard in this situation IMO. We know it can't be a top-13 pick, but I could definitely see the Rangers going on a run in the playoffs if they manage to get into the playoffs. I can see them being anywhere between barely missing the playoffs to making a ECF run, which puts that pick anywhere between like 14 and 28.

If the Penguins are sitting at #8 or something like that, I'd entertain trying to trade up with that NYR 1st to get into the top-3. I really want to get either Misa or Hagens and I think you could move up by doing say #8 and #22 (assuming the Rangers 1st falls at #22) for #3 and #35 (early 2nd rounder of team picking at #3).

 

[McGroarty2]

Not sure why you would say this in this draft.

After the top 5. Taking the safe pick with our prospect group is the smart move.

If you had multiple 1sts different story. But Dubas sucks.

I can see Dubas flipping this 1st and one of the 3rds for 2 2nd rounders.

 

[McGroarty2]

I'm sure there will be more trades and signings, etc. As of now, Nieto, Beauvilier and Puljujarvi will more than likely not be back next season. Dubas has this to improve upon going forward...

Rakell Crosby Rust
Bunting Malkin Koivunen
McGroarty Glass Tomasino
Ponomarev Lizotte Heinen
Hayes Acciari (would be nice to lose one of these 2)

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

The Rangers 1st rounder is a real wildcard in this situation IMO. We know it can't be a top-13 pick, but I could definitely see the Rangers going on a run in the playoffs if they manage to get into the playoffs. I can see them being anywhere between barely missing the playoffs to making a ECF run, which puts that pick anywhere between like 14 and 28.

If the Penguins are sitting at #8 or something like that, I'd entertain trying to trade up with that NYR 1st to get into the top-3. I really want to get either Misa or Hagens and I think you could move up by doing say #8 and #22 (assuming the Rangers 1st falls at #22) for #3 and #35 (early 2nd rounder of team picking at #3).

Sorry dude, but no one is doing that trade. Everyone knows this draft year is top 5 heavy and then there is a big fall and many question marks. You want a top 5 pick, start moving pieces like KD did yesterday and pretty much make sure you lose here on out

 

[chethejet]

Pens for now will add a very good prospect. My position is the Rangers don't finish above 13. So next year Pens have a chance of a better pick if the Rangers just are not very good. In any event Dubas moving players at the TDL or the draft will add to the talent mix to develop. Center and RW are needs and Pens next 2 years will select that.