Prospect Info: 2025 Draft discussion

[Mr. T]

I'm coming around to Mrtka with the Rangers pick. Take McQueen with our pick and trade two 3rds for a 2nd to draft Haoxi Wang and Operation: Big Fellas will get a major boost.

 

[Gurglesons]

Drafting based on need/position is never a good idea imo. Once upon a time, the Pens were touted as having a great collection of D prospects and literally all of them but Dumo busted. You just don't know how players careers are going to go.

Olli Maatta was a top 4 D on two cup winners.

I think you ideally get a C and a D with their 2 1sts if the Rangers pick falls in 2025, but it also largely depends on where the Penguins 1st ends up. If it's like #8, I think you take Mrtka or Smith with the Penguins 1st and either O'Brien or Bear with the Rangers 1st. But if their 1st is like #4, that really changes things because it gets into the Martone/Frondell/Misa debate.

Right now I'm hoping for Mrtka with the Penguins 1st and O'Brien with the Rangers 1st. But a lot can change between now and the draft that changes my mind with that. If he somehow slips, I think Desnoyers with the Penguins 1st and Mrtka with the Rangers 1st would be amazing as well.

We are currently slated to pick 6th. If we take Mrtka, I'll blow my brains out.

At 6th overall you better be getting a Frondell, Desnoyers or Eklund.

Those are actual potential impact players.

 

[Gurglesons]

I'm coming around to Mrtka with the Rangers pick. Take McQueen with our pick and trade two 3rds for a 2nd to draft Haoxi Wang and Operation: Big Fellas will get a major boost.

I feel like Dubas if he doesn't trade the Rangers 1st for a roster player will trade it down for a late 1st and a 2nd since we don't have a 2nd this year.

 

[The Old Master]

I feel like Dubas if he doesn't trade the Rangers 1st for a roster player will trade it down for a late 1st and a 2nd since we don't have a 2nd this year.

trading down is for a team that's looking for fill-ins. a team that needs a new core better be trading up. imo

 

[Jacob]

Mrtka's kind of a late riser and I think he's going to be a reach with our 1st pick but gone by our 2nd.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

trading down is for a team that's looking for fill-ins. a team that needs a new core better be trading up. imo

Likely depends on teams prospects/draft rankings. If the Pens can get two of their higher ranked prospects by trading down, why not?

 

[Ugene Magic]

Most likely, going BPA will see the Pens take 2 centers.

Like...

PENS 1ST - Destroyers
NYRs 1ST - Bear or O'Brien

 

[Jacob]

Most likely, going BPA will see the Pens take 2 centers.

Like...

PENS 1ST - Destroyers
NYRs 1ST - Bear or O'Brien

That'd be a nice package off offensive talent with plenty of upside.

 

[Ugene Magic]

That'd be a nice package off offensive talent with plenty of upside.

That sure is making sure the down the center is covered if they can only do 1of the next 2 in McKenna and... Dupont.

 

[Empoleon8771]

The Penguins' farm is too weak to put any stock into position at this stage of the rebuild. Best player available is the way to go.

I never said to draft by positions, I'm saying that the BPAs that they take are ideally a C and a D. If the best guy available is a wing, then you take a wing.

 

[The Old Master]

Likely depends on teams prospects/draft rankings. If the Pens can get two of their higher ranked prospects by trading down, why not?

to get core players one needs to have high picks. filling out the rest of the team can be done with lower picks. if you get the players to help your core before you have one, could make it imposable to get those high picks needed.

 

[Gurglesons]

trading down is for a team that's looking for fill-ins. a team that needs a new core better be trading up. imo

This draft sucks. You’re probably getting a comparable talent at 14 and 25.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

to get core players one needs to have high picks. filling out the rest of the team can be done with lower picks. if you get the players to help your core before you have one, could make it imposable to get those high picks needed.

Randy’s point is that with how differently teams start to view the board as the draft progresses, Pens could theoretically trade 15OA for 25OA and 35OA (and probably another add) and still draft 2 players the team scouts had ranked in the teens.

Could especially be the case in a draft viewed as “weak”.

Stars hit one of the best draft swaps ever and got Wyatt Johnston and Stankoven from their trade down picks IIRC in the year where COVID threw rankings off.

 

[sovietsanta87]

Carbonneau. All in. He’ll be the best carbonneau to ever play in the NHL

 

[sovietsanta87]

Everyone saying this draft sucks but in reality we have no idea how players will pan out

 

[Gurglesons]

Randy’s point is that with how differently teams start to view the board as the draft progresses, Pens could theoretically trade 15OA for 25OA and 35OA (and probably another add) and still draft 2 players the team scouts had ranked in the teens.

Could especially be the case in a draft viewed as “weak”.

Stars hit one of the best draft swaps ever and got Wyatt Johnston and Stankoven from their trade down picks IIRC in the year where COVID threw rankings off.

It’s also something Dubas regularly did in Toronto.

 

[eXile3]

Everyone saying this draft sucks but in reality we have no idea how players will pan out

You don’t but usually when an entire draft is described as weak it is.

 

[Jay Gray]

This draft sucks. You’re probably getting a comparable talent at 14 and 25.

2012 is often considered the worst cap era draft and 2015 the best. Even in such broad value disparity draft classes, going from #14 in a weak class to #25 in a strong class is not likely to be beneficial.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Everyone saying this draft sucks but in reality we have no idea how players will pan out

100%, for say I don't think this draft class sucks, from what I'm hearing and reading is more that the players drafted after 5-6 and for the rest of the top 3 rounds aren't players that teams will be able to project in the lineups in the next 2-3 seasons. That's why people automatically assume that it's a poor draft. If a kid pans out and becomes a stud, I'll wait 4 years..

 

[Fogel]

2012 is often considered the worst cap era draft and 2015 the best. Even in such broad value disparity draft classes, going from #14 in a weak class to #25 in a strong class is not likely to be beneficial.

He was talking about the within a draft class, not across years.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

Pens currently 6th worst in the NHL, could easily enter the top five:

Tankathon | 2025 NHL Draft Order & Lottery Simulator

2025 NHL Draft order tracker updated after every game. NHL lottery simulator to determine the top overall pick. View traded picks and playoff matchups.

www.tankathon.com

The Rangers have the 2nd hardest remaining schedule in the NHL. The Pens have the 14th hardest schedule.

NHL Remaining Schedule Strength | Tankathon

Shows the remaining strength of schedule for NHL teams based on the points per game of the opponents left on their schedule.

www.tankathon.com

 

[Gurglesons]

2012 is often considered the worst cap era draft and 2015 the best. Even in such broad value disparity draft classes, going from #14 in a weak class to #25 in a strong class is not likely to be beneficial.

My point was more that you can move the #14-18 1st for potentially like the #25 1st and #48 overall.

 

[sauce66871]

If the Pens could end up with a top 5 pick and then land O’Brien, Hensler, Bear or Mrtka, I would be very happy with the first round.

There would be some intrigue from my POV to trade down with the Rangers pick, and take a chance on either Aitcheson or Ryabkin. Either way, there’s finally some potential for excitement at the draft.

 

[Your Boy Troy]

Lyden Lakovic is another intriguing prospect. He's obviously noticeably tall at 6'4", but he's a skilled/finesse player who's a very good skater at his size. There have been critiques about his lack of physicality. He sounds a lot like a Blake Wheeler type.