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Prospect Info: 2025 Draft discussion

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Freeptop said:
The idea of trading up into the top 5 of the Draft just because you have two first round picks is a pipe dream, not a realistic outcome. I'd put better odds on the Pens getting into the top 5 via the lottery.
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I would tend to agree, especially if you're possibly taking Schaefer, Hagens, Misa, or Martone. Realistically, I don't think I'd do it for McQueen, Frondell, or anyone in that top 8 category. If the Rags pick is 14ov, I could be influenced to trade it for 18 + 45ov for example.
 
SEALBound said:
I would tend to agree, especially if you're possibly taking Schaefer, Hagens, Misa, or Martone. Realistically, I don't think I'd do it for McQueen, Frondell, or anyone in that top 8 category. If the Rags pick is 14ov, I could be influenced to trade it for 18 + 45ov for example.
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I mean, if you're one of the teams picking in the top 5, is there any reason you would trade down in this draft? If none of the teams are willing to trade down out of the top 5, then by definition, you can't trade up into the top 5.

Once you get outside the top 5? Yeah, it might be worth taking a flyer on moving down and getting more kicks at the can. Particularly since it sounds like most teams' draft boards are all going to be very different outside the top 5. Moving down from 8th overall to 14th, for instance, you could very well still be able to pick the kid you would have taken at 8th, and now you get to pick someone else you think highly of as well.

From that standpoint, I'd say that if the Pens don't end up with a top 5 pick, it might be worthwhile to try trading down themselves, really. If there aren't any prospects that really excite you at, say, 8th overall, might as well see if you can move down a few spots and at least get a second round pick out of the deal.
 
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Freeptop said:
No team has traded down out of a top 5 pick in the Salary Cap era. The last time it happened was at the 2004 draft, right before the lockout that resulted in the Cap.
Top 5 picks have become way too valuable under the Salary Cap.

The only top 5 picks that have moved in the last 20 years were ones where the team that gave up a top 5 pick did not know they were giving up a top 5 pick at the time they made the trade (the trade was made prior to the season that resulted in the pick being a top 5 pick). And they all involved a star NHL player getting moved in return (Karlsson, Duchene, Kessel).

Teams only trade down if the player they want is one they think they can still select with a later pick, and that's not going to be the case for anyone picking in the top 5 this year, given the drop-off in talent.

The idea of trading up into the top 5 of the Draft just because you have two first round picks is a pipe dream, not a realistic outcome. I'd put better odds on the Pens getting into the top 5 via the lottery.
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There's zero chance I would do this. Well almost zero. Unless you're guaranteed Schaefer which is about as close to a sure thing as you can get in this draft. Otherwise, with the draft being such a crap shoot I think I'd pass.
But if they get into the top 5 and The Rangers pick is in the teens, I'd definitely look to move their pick up higher.
 
6th worst record is within a point or two and most “ahead” of us have games in hand; so McQueen or Desnoyers is a nice consolation if we don’t get into the top 4.
 
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The Old Master said:
true, but once we have it, we can trade it, no?
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We could also trade our own pick. If it's something like #9, I wouldn't be surprised if we move it for an older, but still young player like Peterka.
(Yes, I know that Buffalo doesn't want futures, but a 3-way trade where the 3rd team wants futures, Buffalo gets a player from that team, and we get the Buffalo player is possible.)
 
McQueen is a prospect I am definitely intrigued by. Checks a lot of the boxes for what we desperately need.

Since this is not the deepest of drafts, I think positional need becomes more important in a year like this. I would not mind one bit if they decided to double down on centers in the first round. Our center situation, once the envy of the entire NHL, is about as bad as it gets. Forget heir apparent to Crosby (even nominally), we don't have a third-line center of the future cemented at present time. We cannot afford to have Malkin retire at this point. He is still by far the best No. 2 center option and at this point will be when his contract expires.

Center has to be priority No. 1. They did well to replenish the right defense pool last year, and our situation is less dire there now. We need to do the same thing with the center situation. So unless they win the lottery and end up with a top-2 selection, and the first team passes on Schaefer, then this draft needs to be all about the centers.
 
My personal top-20 ranking, very limited viewings and admittedly generally vibes-based:

1. Michael Misa
2. Matthew Schaefer
3. James Hagens
4. Porter Martone
5. Anton Frondell
6. Caleb Desnoyers
7. Viktor Eklund
8. Jake O'Brien
9. Carter Bear
10. Roger McQueen
11. Logan Hensler
12. Jacob Ihs-Wozniak
13. Jackson Smith
14. Lynden Lakovic
15. Malcolm Spence
16. Jack Ivankovic
17. Filip Ekberg
18. Cameron Schmidt
19. Cole Reschney
20. Tomas Pozebal

Getting any one of the top-10 plus another of the top-20 with the Rangers pick would be a huge boost to our prospect pool.
 
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Any one of the big 4 with our first pick
Cullen Potter with NYR pick

Is my dream scenario as of now.

I think I gamble on Frondell if we can’t get one of Hagens, Schaefer, Misa, Martone? Maybe Jackson Smith. Idk yet.
 
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Epic Neal Time said:
My personal top-20 ranking, very limited viewings and admittedly generally vibes-based:

1. Michael Misa
2. Matthew Schaefer
3. James Hagens
4. Porter Martone
5. Anton Frondell
6. Caleb Desnoyers
7. Viktor Eklund
8. Jake O'Brien
9. Carter Bear
10. Roger McQueen
11. Logan Hensler
12. Jacob Ihs-Wozniak
13. Jackson Smith
14. Lynden Lakovic
15. Malcolm Spence
16. Jack Ivankovic
17. Filip Ekberg
18. Cameron Schmidt
19. Cole Reschney
20. Tomas Pozebal

Getting any one of the top-10 plus another of the top-20 with the Rangers pick would be a huge boost to our prospect pool.
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Misa at 1OV is the type of bold hot takes I'm loving. I'm really high on that kid. I think it will be Schaefer though. More and more, scouts are saying this is your new Fox or Makar (lite) so it's tough to see him not going 1OV, especially if it's SJS picking.

My bold takes:
Schaefer
Misa
Hagens
Martone
Desnoyers
Frondell - I think he drops a bit due to injury.
McQueen - Also, I think he drops a bit due to injury.
O'Brian
Smith
Bear

After that, anyone's guess. I think it might be a touch easier to predict as well once we know the draft order. SJS, they take Schaefer given their strong top 6. Chicago I think takes Misa or Martone even based on how they feel about Nazar. They just took Levshunov so they may look to get Bedard a wing man. In which case, Misa or Martone makes sense. If WE get 1ov...that is a major discussion and I'm not sure there's a wrong answer.
 
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I want them to draft McQueen this year and then Ryan Roobroek or Ethan Belchetz next year. Keep the oaf defenseman they just got from Vancouver and bring Steve McKenna out of retirement to ice an entire team of big fellas.
 
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